Saccharomyces cerevisae 2 Robin 0

In our last episode Robin had attempted to make the highly elusive sourdough bread. The San Fransisco style no less. As I typed away in the early morning hours I was chuckling to myself about how comical mistakes can be. But as the day grew longer, and the temperature grew higher, my attitude began to change. Would I let some little saccharomyces cerevisae beat me?? Would I allow a bunch of FUNGI drop me to my cooking knees? I think NOT! EVERYONE boo-boo's their first attempt. I had not really focused during yesterday's venture. I was still suffering car-lag from visiting my new grand baby. I was not some whimpie JR. Girl Scout. I was a seasoned wife, with over 32 years under my belt. Come ON! I could throw dough with the best of them! I was gonna conquer that bit of yeast. The tables were turned!
So LATE LAST NIGHT, as per directions, I took some starter, flour, water, and salt, and kneaded it until the counter top was screaming. My elbows had given out, but I had a nice, smooth, organized, calm, ball of sourdough. I wet a crisp, white cloth with water, covered the dough, and turned off the light.
If you had tuned in for yesterdays show, you would have known that I am now a master at FAGE, properly pronounce fa yeh. I was so impressed with myself, that I served this Greek Yogurt for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Is is soooo versatile! It has multipurposes. Yogurt, sour cream, mayo, on cereal, waffles, pancakes, with sugar and fruit, with honey, this stuff is AMAZING! Anyway, we had eaten most of the quart, sooo it was time to show my expertise again. I heated up 1/2 gallon of milk, slipped in 1/2 cup of some of the homemade yogurt I had left, shook it up a bit, wrapped it in a blanket, and carefully placed it in a cooler with it's favorite toys, two hot water bottles. I blew everybody a kiss and went to bed.
In the morning I fought the urge to race to the kitchen. The milk had cultured all night and again I had a huge jar of fresh FAGE.
And on the counter was a pudgy little round ball with dimples! It was so cute, and had that tangy smell of SOUR DOUGH! The next step was to punch the poor thing, reshape, slice and X in the top and let rise for 4 more hours then bake.
But wait there's more!
I'm gettin' in the food group grove now! Why not try something else? I had read a recipe for homemade granola. It called for corn syrup, nuts, grains, ovens, oats, germs, and wrinkled fruits. After checking my pantry, I threw some oatmeal, honey and wheat germ on a cookie sheet and set it on top of the meatloaf that was already occupying my 350 degree oven. After 20 minutes the oats looked nice and toasty, tasted great, and I quickly ate all the 'chunks' before anyone saw me. My daughter ate two bowls, I ate a bowl, and my husband asked if this was cheaper to make than horse feed! I imagined that this cereal would be so nice with my FAGE and some fresh picked mulberries. I need my own cooking show!!!!
Then another idea, who's roots come from wanting to feed more healthful foods to my loved ones, came to me like a cabbage in the night. SPROUTS! The new super food on the horizon a few years ago was SPROUTS! These little greens are filled from top to the bottom with all kinds of vitamins and mineral you do not find in Doritos! Just a handful gives you the energy of a big bowl of salad. Think of all the Ranch dressing you could save!!!!!
So again I view the source of all knowledge, the Internet, and found YES YES YES, I CAN GROW SPROUTS IN THE PRIVACY OF MY OWN HOME. & I do not have to buy any type of machine! Sprouts can grow in any room of my house, facing any direction I choose. They don't even LIKE the light! So while my sour dough was rising, I thought I'd just run out to my handy dandy Farm King and get some organic sprout type seeds......................
Being a former Queen Of Multi Tasking, I decided to do a few errands while I was out. Farm King also carries vaccinations for my horses and flee medicine for my dogs. When I strolled down to the pet department and nice man in a red vest asked if I needed any help. "Yes, I need two 4-in-1 Rhino virus, 2 equine rabies, and 2 west nile booster vaccines." The fella unlocked the special refrigerated display case. While he was sorting through the hypodermics he mentioned that you can only get the rabies shot from the vet across the street. He then turned, took the meds, and placed them in a big, plastic, blue box. With interest I watched as he took two 5 inch locks and locked each side of the box, and handed the ginormous parcel to me and queried, "Anything else"? Pretending that this was normal, I just nodded my head, and waddled toward the checkout. While I was writing my check I asked the gal about the 'security". Were they afraid I would stab someone with the shots? Did they think I was a vaccine junkie and would 'shoot-up' in the ladies room? The gal informed me that by law they have to treat equine vaccines with the same precautions as hand guns. WOW! I am sure glad I live in a state where not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can buy, carry, and use booster shots!!! I am now listed in the store computer, and the powers that be can monitor my equine purchases. It made me wonder if some little guy sells medicinal vaccines out of his trunk on dark nights in the city....................
Anyway, we need to get back to the BREAD story...............
Let's speed this up.
I went to the vet & got the rabies stuff. Then went back to Farm King, because in the shock of getting the controlled substance I had forgot the SPROUTS & the flee medicine. Much to my shock, Front Line Flee & Tick drops ARE ALSO A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. Heaven forbid some KID could just walk around the store holding the box. OH NO! NOT in this state! Again I got to lug a huge blue tote holding a 2 oz. box of flee stuff, with 2 locks securely keeping America safe for future generation.
Now for the SPROUTS. They have 3.7 million seeds for sale in this store, boxes, bags, sachets, rolls, and loose. I was looking for alfalfa, clover, radish, or mug beans. Organic with no junk sprayed on it. I was going to eat these buggers, not plant 'em. I asked a helpful salesperson which products were organic. She asked another helpful sales persons, who said, "ASK LON". Oh my, THAT would be an entirely different blog. Just his name sends shivers down my spine! So I bought 3 different kinds of seeds, and will tackle that mess later!
OH, I almost forgot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Being a teacher, I love learning. So I decided to peruse some sites about sour dough. During the gold rush in Alaska, sour dough starter or 'sponge' as the liked to call it, brought more money per oz. than gold! Well, this highly informative site also gave directions for Sour Dough Blueberry Pancakes! I was impressed just READING the directions. I wanted that feather in my cap, yep,the I-made-sour-dough-blueberry-pancakes feather. I went ahead and made them this morning. They looked and tasted good, not great, and after cleaning up the mess I knew why folks by instant pancake mix...........................
OK! I am still running errand and YIKES! It is time to bake the bread. Luckily my daughter, Boo, was home. I called, gave instructions, and finished my list.
Now this list included items for a dessert party tonight, 2 pies for the pie ministry, more homemade granola, and a fruit basket for a special evangelist who will be preaching tonight.
When I got home I immediately trotted to the kitchen to view the bread. It was no where to be seen. Boo said it did not look done when the timer went off, and was giving it a few more minutes. I peaked in the oven, and my spirits fell. The flat, lifeless bread was thin, pale, and sickly. It looked like someone had let the air out of it and left it on the road to rot! It was even more pathetic than yesterdays loaf. When I tried to slice it, it actually broke the knife I had just bought at a yard sale for a dollar!!!!!!! It tasted horrible, even when I dipped it in some expensive presto. It is sitting on the counter right now, getting dried out, so I can feed it to the birds.

Strike Two!

I'm gonna go eat some yogurt and regroup.....

I think I am becoming a foodie!!!!

DEATH AT THE OK CORRAL

I killed ''em.
With a twist of the wrist, and a mind elsewhere, it was over in about 5.3 minutes. I then spent the next 8 hours trying to resuscitate the dying mass, to no avail...........
But let me start at the beginning, where all good murder mysteries open..
I had just gotten back from visiting my daughter. She had mastered the art of sourdough bread making, and had sent me home with some 'starter' in a Tupperware. This 7 letter word entails water, yeast, flour, sugar, time, talent, and treasure! This precious cargo was wrapped, coddled, and about strapped into a car seat.
Since I was aching to return to the Happy Homemaker mode, I decided to tackle this new project right away. After looking at the official San Fransisco Sourdough Bread recipe, I was ready to rumble......
Step One: Take out cup of starter, and let it come to room temperature.
Step Two: The remaining starter will miss it's friends, so it must be fed. 3/4 cup of flour and 3/4 cup of distilled water will keep it happy for a few days sitting in the cool fridge.
Step Three: Make first mistake. OK, I wanted to use my bread machine's 'dough' cycle since it really kneads the snot out of the flour. While it was humming away, I got another BRIGHT idea.....
Step Four: I like this new, extremely expensive yogurt called FAGE. It is all natural & tastes amazing, even without fruit, sugar, corn syrup, MSG, chemicals, or pectin. FACE is Greek for, "three different kinds of fungi swimming in milk". YUM!
Anyway, I went to the source of all knowledge, the Internet, to see how this happy housewife could produce this fabulous product in privacy of her own kitchen.
Now let me insert here that I really felt God's leading since JUST THE NIGHT BEFORE someone had given me a gallon of fresh from the farm cow milk. I will here after refer to this product by the code word 'moo', since it may be a controlled substance, & I don't want to be arrested by the Moo Police! I had thought of making butter with the 'moo' since there was about 5 inches of 'moo' cream that had risen to the top, but I had done that dozens of times, and today was a day for adventures!
So, back on the farm.......
The directions to fresh yogurt were ridiculously easy. Heat milk, let cool, add some good yogurt, let sit in 90-100 degrees forever, and walla ~FAGE! It took longer than I though to heat a quart of milk over low low low heat. It would have been a bit quicker using a flashlight. But eventually the correct temperature of 180 degrees was reached, and then it was time to watch it cool to a tepid 100. While this is going on, the 1/2 cup of all-natural-plain-yogurt was warming up on the counter. Eventually the milk cooled and the 'gurt' warmed, and they were mixed in an old 1/2 gallon mason jar. Then this new concoction was wrapped in a blanket, tucked in, and placed out of the sun on the back porch. The directions said to keep the soon-to-be-yogurt warm. It was very warm outside. 112 degrees with the humidity. I would check on this baby in about 6 hours.
Step Five: By now the dough cycle was done and I was ready to proceed. Next step, let the blob double in size in, you guessed it, a nice warm spot. I did not guess, though, that this would take 12 hours!!! Then you shape the loaf, slash it with a knife a few times, let rise AGAIN for 4 hours, then bake in a 400 degree oven!!! YIKES!! We would be having hot from the oven bread at 3am! Right then and there I should have stuffed that white, bald, glob in the trash, and RUSHED to the nearest grocery and BOUGHT a loaf of THEIR sourdough bread. But no, I was on a mission. No offspring of mine was gonna conquer a culinary feat without me! Forge ahead.............
Step Six: The instructions encourage the cook to place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a warm damp towel, cover with plastic wrap, place in a pre-warmed 100 degree oven, put a bowl of warm water under the other bowl, then close the door and check ever so often to make sure everything is just right for the next 12 hours. I've had newborns that took less care. I faithfully set the oven timer, and every hour rushed in to check the water, temperature, and happiness level of my bread!!!! This was getting ridiculous...
Step Seven: At 5:00 it was time think about what to cook for dinner. It was then I got "THE IDEA". At the time it seemed like a good idea, but fate would prove me wrong. Oh so wrong. I figured that since the bread had risen 8 hours already, when cooked, it would be edible. I wanted to present my family with this labor of love, this work of art, this whole day project of gluten. I could speed up the yeast growth in this lump, I could probably bake it in about an hour. I intended to pre-heat the oven again, add some more hot water, shape the loaf, and let Mother Nature do her job. I pushed the 'On' button, and began to refill the bowl................
Step Eight: BOOM! Was that thunder? YIKES! A storm had quickly blown in and it was raining like crazy, the wind was whipping, and my pour yogurt was lost out in the flood! The poor thing was soaking wet, cold, damp, and whining. After wrapping it in a new clean towel, I figured the bestest place for it would be next to the bread in the warm oven.
Step Nine: So while the storm is raging, this Susie Homemaker is frying her husbands favorite meat, tearing bits of lettuce, and chopping helpless veggies. With all this destruction, it is no wonder what happen next..............................
Step Ten: BEEP, BEEP... Oh my, the oven!! It was pre-heated. BUT in my distress over my poor wayward FAGE, I had forgotten to set the temp to 100 and it was on the default temp of 350!!!!!!! Way way to high for my yeast and mold to live!!!!!!! I quickly pulled them from the firey inferno and set them on counter as tear streamed down my cheeks.
I had killed 'em.....
Step Eleven: We ate dinner in silence. The sadness of the situation gripped us all. Not really, but I was sure cross at myself for spending 400 hours working on some nice stuff for NOTHING!
Arugh!!!!!
Step Twelve: After eating and washing dishes it was time to regroup! My pathetic, dead moo and flour had not moved. But would I quit? never! Should I quit? probably. But I am an American Housewife. We look in the face of trials and laugh. We figure out ways to salvage the unsalvageable. It was time to reach down, dig deep, and restore order to the mess. I need to get my rear in gear, stop sniffling, and get the job done!
Step Thirteen: By now the moo had cooled a bit. Hummmmmm, why not just add a bit more yogurt and see what happens? Another 1/2 cup, another towel lovingly wrapped around the jar. I cradled the jar and laid it down carefully in a cooler. I then added two, filled hot water bottles, said good night, and closed the lid.
Step Fourteen: The bread was another story. But it was too noble a bread to be tossed out the back door to the chickens. I decided it deserved a chance to live. So I added some more flour. Patted it, put it in a pan, and stuffed it in the oven for the night.
Step Fifteen: It is now 5am. I couldn't wait to see if my friends had survived. With anticipation boardering on 'tizzy', I peeked in the cooler. YES! FAGE was staring me in the face. It is perfect! It looks smells and tastes like the real thing. Right now it is cooling in the fridge and will be part of a balanced breakfast in a few hours!!!
Step Sixteen: The bread's dead. It has not moved in 10 hours. There is no life left. Oh well, I tried. Right now it is cooking into a hard, rock, mass, that my dogs can use to clean the tartar off their teeth.
I learned a few things from this event. Things like- it is fun to learn new skill; they keep you young. Ideas like- I am very proud my daughter is a better cook than me. Thoughts like- I will continue to make mistakes, that's OK.
I can't wait 'til breakfast. And later on I am going to the store to get some fresh made sourdough bread.
It's gonna be a great day......................................

Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the LORD hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

E SUNDAY SCHOOL SAMPLE

E Sunday School June 13, 2010

Mornin’ Wonderful Friend! I will be visiting my daughter Rachel this week and my grandbaby KYLA! I pray for you faithfully and think of you often. I told you about the kick-off of E Sunday School. Here is a sample:

GENESIS 3
Once upon a time, a young lady and her mate lived in Paradise. They wanted for NOTHING! Both loved the Lord, and had daily devotions together. The man was self employed, the gal a housewife. They had no financial, family, or health issues. It was a perfect life.
One day the woman was looking out her kitchen window, and she saw something she really wanted. She wanted it so badly, that she thought and looked, and mused, and thought some more of a way she could get it. She really needed it. She really wanted it. She deserved it. It was right and easy for her to get! Logically it was PERFECT for her. Low and behold her plan worked! Then her husband returned home for the day, the gal jumped up and down, was so proud to show her new possession, & offered to share with him.
BUT, the tale does not end there. To make a long story short, her misplaced zeal eventually cause her to loose her home, her husbands job, and they had to move to a distant place. The couple stayed together, but their marriage was never as fun or sweet as before. They had a few kids, and one of them followed her example of wanting his own way. This son argued with his brother one day. Blood was shed and the brother died.
You probably can guess that the gal we are talking about is our sister Eve, and her blood is still running through our veins. The devil is still out there using the same tempting tricks, trying to get us to make horrible decisions that seem so right. Then we wonder why our marriages are not close, our husbands are discontent, our children run from God and all the while we sit in despair and claim, “I was really trying to do right!”
Let’s look at how the great deceiver tries to trip up us girls, so we can better avoid his awful traps.

1. “I need it!”
You need food & clothing. But you don’t need to go over budget. You don’t need to ‘save’ your husband money on sale items. You don’t need to be in charge.

2. “I deserve it!”
What do you really deserve? Lake of Fire? Once you start thinking, “I work hard, I do all this stuff, I can’t ___________ without_______________,” Satan has you. Then you deserve $$$, affection out side of marriage, material possessions, fame, fortune, and a new car!

3. “It is logical!”
How many times do I have to say, “STOP THINKING”. We are so smart we can justify ANYTHING. Sure it is logical to not tithe. But it is NOT biblical. And once Satan has you in his sights, he will use the same trick over and over. Eve thought her logic trumped God’s Word, and we are doing the same thing today.

4. “It is OK!”
The devil just wants you to do ONE little thing your way rather than God’s way. Just one. Just little. ONE mile over the speed limit is speeding. ONE item that the grocery store charges you less for and you do not say anything is stealing. ONE time you lay out of church is disobedience. ONE penny of tithe you keep is wrong. ONE out- fit that is not modest is not right. We gals get deceived! Here is how you can test YOURSELF to see if you are deceived: Anything, anything, anything, you do say or think that does NOT line up with God’s Word~ and you think it is, “OK“, “God does not mind“, “Nothing will happen“, “Everyone else is doing it“, “I don’t see it“, “I don’t believe it“, “I don’t see it that way“, YOU ARE DECEIVED……………….
Once you are deceived, the devil just keeps heaping more and more deception on you to where you are out of church, out of soul-winning, out of your marriage, out of motherhood, and into a big snare the rest of you life. And that life will be filled to the brim with bitterness, and confusion. All the while you will be like Eve saying, “What happened? I did the best I could”

Take time this week to read Genesis 3. Be aware that there is still someone out there trying to get your thinking wrong, your decisions wrong, and your relationship with God wrong so he can ruin your family.

E Sunday School

I am starting a new ministry this week, drum roll please: E Sunday School!!!!!!! Each week I can send you my prayerfully prepared lesson, prayer requests from class, memory verse, and any important news. Just let me know, & I will be HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY, to email you the package on Monday!!! Regular class members don't worry, you will get it automatically when you miss (ouch) Sunday School so you will not feel out of the loop.

It did not take much time or effort to prepare the place for the party, but it was so wonderful to enjoy the next 7 hours!!!!!!

I could not help but ponder on how my Lord is preparing a place for me. John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. He has been working since he ascended into heaven. We will enjoy HIM for more that 7 hours, more than 7 years, more like all eternity. I can't wait!

How about you? Is Jesus preparing a place for you? Very important question, with a 'yes' or 'no' answer.

Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John 14:6)

Good works cannot save you.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me."

Trust Jesus Christ today! Here's what you must do:

1. Admit you are a sinner.

   "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)

2. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you, was buried, and rose from the dead.

   "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

   "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)

3. Through prayer, invite Jesus into your life to become your personal Saviour.

   "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)

   "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

What to pray:

Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I am trusting Jesus Christ, who shed His precious blood, to take me to Heaven when I die. I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Saviour. Thank you for saving me. AMEN!

It is that simple! Settle the question today!

Now for you who have already accepted Christ as their Saviour, let's invite some folks to come over with us!

i am sooooo blessed, thank you LORD!

Time to set the table. Eat outside for sure! Even if it is raining. Be informal, use an old door, wooden table, or haul out your kitchen set. I collect white dishes. This makes it very easy to know what to look for at Good Will. I also just use clear glass items drink out of. I have jars, stem ware, and some old mugs. My silverware is also miss-matched. That's OK, I can serve about 40 folks, and it has a quaint shabby chic look.
My green contribution is to use linen napkins. White, of course, to match all the white table clothes I have. A stroll in the yard yielded some Queen Ann's Lace for the table & long blades of grass to tie around the cloth before they were placed on the plates. The setting looked both informal, relaxed and classic all at the same time. Maybe a better word is inviting....

Lastly, what to drink? How about peach iced~tea (instant), ice water with lemon, and homemade cold coffee. I 'm sure some poor soul in the viewing public does not care for cold coffee, but we love it. Make some real strong coffee, add some milk and sugar, chill, and serve..............

two~hand~slam

We must not, can not forget the protein. I decided when I went shopping which meat to grill. I let the Lord lead by the price per pound. My store had raw shrimp, already cleaned, and on a wooded skewer for $1.00. That's a deal for such a nice treat! This was not going to be a the main event, but with some healthy garlic and butter painted on them, and grilled for 5 minutes, they were a stunning side-show! But the grill was really happy when I showed it a nice center cut pork tender loin that was already marinated ! It was a 3 pound pork loin ON SALE for $2.99. Your read that right! While everyone else was frantically buying burger in bulk, I noticed this lonely roast hiding in the corner. It took 35 minutes to grill, 5 minutes to sit and rest, 2 minutes to slice, and an hour and a half of leisurely eating to wolf it down. Oh my...........

I had previously defrosted a loaf of Amish Friendship Bread. I had traded a table and 5 chairs for 5 loaves of the bread. I know, I KNOW, I got the way better end of that deal.......

I also wanted to make a homemade, from scratch, the hard to make, Southern Banana Pudding! I like to make this dessert because my daughter-in-law adores it, and my husband pants after it. Two great reasons to get out my mixing bowl. Now~I have typed out the original recipe for you, but I double it when I make it. By the way, it does make a difference what bowl you use. It needs to be a deep bowl. I visit yard sales searching for perfect bowl to give as gifts.

ORIGINAL BANANA PUDDING
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Dash salt
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
45 NILLA Wafers, (do not substitute, it does make a difference)
5 ripe bananas, sliced (about 3 1/2 cups), divided

1. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt. Blend in 3 egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

2. Spread small amount of custard on bottom of bowl cover with a layer of wafers and a layer of sliced bananas. Pour about 1/3 of custard over bananas. Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard to make a total of 3 layers of each, ending with custard.

3. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Spoon on top of pudding, spreading evenly to cover entire surface and sealing well to edges.

4. Bake at 350°F in top half of oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Serve hot, warm, cool, or cold.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!
You must stir the pudding constantly. This takes quite a few minutes. It also takes quite a few minutes to mix the meringue. SO... I use the patented two~hand~slam to whip and swirl at the same time. This double whammy should not be tried by amateurs or non-multi-tasking gals.

I already shared my secret recipe for Pico de Gallo, but here it is again. Take 3 plum tomatoes, 3 nice sized onions and chop them nice and small. I think this works better by hand than using a food processor, plus you can hear your CD playing in the next room, your grand babies squealing in a bucket of water, and your dogs barking at the blue jays. Now add lime juice, enough to soak everything, I used 2 medium sized limes. Sprinkle every thing with just a bit of salt to taste. NOW you CAN add some jalapeno pepper. We do not enjoy food items which burn so bad you have to wipe your tongue on barn board to get it to stop achin', but I did cut the tip of a pepper off and cut it tinny tiny little. It was still too hot for some family members, Oh well........... now hopefully you planted some cilantro. You need to get a nice pinch of leaves and snip them over the top of your Pico. If you can't skip out your back door to your kitchen garden, hop to the produce section of your grocery store and grab a bag of cilantro. Dried won't work here friends.................
Let this sit in the fridge to keep your cut fruit and chopped vegetable company.

Next, open up some nice fresh cans of black beans, and pour them in a very decorative bowl. Sprinkle some garlic, fresh cilantro, & a tad of crushed red pepper and set the bowl in the microwave, ready to zap! Now make a big pot of hot fluffy rice. Long grain, short grain, instant, par boiled, brown, white, wild, boil-in-a-bag, pick your choice, they all will work. I like the long thin jasmine rice. YUM. Make a big pot, you can do oodles of things IF there are any left overs.

Now wash, chop, and arrange some fresh veggies. I like carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumbers, and green peppers. Serve this with bottled ranch dressing.....talk about EASY!

HOMECOMIN'

Summer is the perfect time to dust off your hostessing skills. Invite your friends and loved ones over for some easy, easy, entertaining. Start with the menu. I am not a good cook, but I serve good food. How can you mess up cut up fruits and vegetables? Impossible! Throw together strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and a few kiwi for color and whoala, you have perfection in a bowl. I do not add sugar to my fruit mix, but i have a nice dip on the side. Just mix together a jar of marshmellow cream and a package of low fat cream cheese. Decorate with a sprig of fresh mint. BINGO! Everyone is happy, it look pretty, and is good for the heart and waist-line.

to be continued.......................

WAR & PEACE

Coyotes were bad last night. Real bad. They howled, yelped, screamed, and sang an opera. The ole' sayin' is true, the varmits were howlin' at the moon. They had come to visit the ranch, hoping for some chicken dinner. Positioning themselves just outside the fence-line; up on the RR tracks, they were driving my dogs bizeek. For hours... yes, hours... yes, the entire night; the canines barked and yelled back and forth; both teams finally collapsed around sunrise, panting with laryngitis. By day break the coyotes were snug in their beds while visions of drumsticks danced in their heads. But the hens were safe. Yep, Ranch Security, namely Andrew Jackson (Jack), & Hankie Doodle Doo (Hank) had saved the day once again. These two mutts had patrolled all night keeping the flock safe from the literal jaws of death. WOW, what an action packed story so far..........
Then Came The Morning.....
At 5AM, when the sun was teasing the day, I went out to check on my man's best friends. Both dogs were in a coma. They were stretched out on the deck, paws scraping the air; in their dreams they had caught the villainous coyotes. Jack was actually smiling in his sleep and Hank was drooling. Ranch Security was tucked in for the day.
Before I went back inside, the sweetness of the air grabbed me. A second pause made me aware of the of doves, larks, finches, and whippoorwills. No extra notes in this song, just the pure bliss of God's symphony welcoming a new day. What an overwhelming sense of peace, and joy, and rest overcame me after a night of sharp sounds and little sleep. All was right in the world.
The events had taught me a little bit about peace. Psalm 29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace. Hum....... I must have times of weakness in order for the Lord to give me strength, and times of turmoil will cause me to appreciate the blessing of peace. The pleasantness of the morning was made sweeter after the horrors of the night. I did not enjoy for one single second the bray, fray, or gray of the coyotes. But I think it made the chirps, tweets, and whistles of the song birds that much clearer, nearer, and dearer. God balances our lives with ups and downs so we can need Him more, and He can love us more. Psalm 55:18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. Here again we see the contrast of a war and peace. A battle, and then comfort. A trial, then rest. One is kinda hung to the other.
Next time the coyotes visit I'll be ready. I might just yell out the window a few times myself. As I roll around the bed spending a sleepless night, I'll remind myself of the twitter in the morning. Next time I am facing struggles, I will look for the peace. Next time burdens are dropped on my doorstep, I will know that comfort is coming soon. Peace is there.....I'm gonna look for it, find it, and thank God for it.

MY FAVORITE RECIPE!

Who could NOT love Bisquick? The San Francisco treat, ding~ding......
Do you realize that this post-modern marvel can make pizza, cheeseburger pie, sausage rolls, and oven fried chicken? Then, for a nice side item, you've got biscuits, dumplings, and quick herb bread. As the grand finale' there is monkey bread, impossible apple pie, shortcake, cupcakes, dream cakes, I believe you could even make a wedding cake with this miracle mix! But wait, there's more! Don't forget breakfast! Pancakes, waffles, muffins, and danish! Is there anything this product can't do? World Peace?
I've heard that someone went through Julia Child's Amazing French Cook Book, and made every single dish and wrote a blog about it! Then it became a best seller, & is now a film. Pooh! Pooh! Who cares about sauces, flambee', reductions, and saffron? I just might go through every single Bisquick recipe known to womankind to prove how VITAL this product is! I'm talkin' about rib sticking, high carb treats like: Ultimate Chicken Fingers, Crock Pot Volcano Cake, Easy Fresh Fruit Tart, Taco Chicken, or Spinach Cheese Bread! My mouth is watering like crazy just typing these delights~~~~
Now for the good new: You can read the ingredients on the box! Amazingly, this product, which is a God-send to the culinary world, only has the following ingredients: Enriched Flour, Cottonseed/Soybean Oil, Leavening, Dextrose, Salt, THAT'S IT!!! For your reading pleasure I googled 'dextrose' so we could all be informed eaters. Here's a little hint~ any word that rhymes with 'GLUCOSE', is kin to it! Since glucose is sugar, SO IS DEXTROSE! YIPPEEEEE I love modern science! Anyway, back to our story.....................
Since this is turning into a chemistry lesson, I went ahead and averaged the amount of Bisquick used in most of the recipes. It is 1.3479 cups. Remember this number..........forever if possible....
With this in mind, each serving of this Miracle Mix Meal Maker has only about 200 calories! And NO, that's right; ZERO colesterol, and the added bonuse of 1g of fiber.....WOW! Of course a serving is the size of a nickle, but who minds when you are eating Easy Sweet & Sour Pork that's on the table in 20 minutes?
WARNING! DO NOT CONTINUE READING IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH!
Unfortuneatley not all baking mixes are created equal. Someone high up on the food chain of command decided to make 'knock-off' Bisquick! It's strange but true. "Why", you may ask? Because they want to SELL it to poor unsuspecting folks who also buy knock off Gucci & Coach bags! There's a huge, gigantic market for this kind of thing! BUT WHAT KIND OF COOK ARE YOU? Hopefully not the kind that wants to save $0.60 in order to feed their loved ones cheap white flour, white lard, white salt, white sugar, white baking soda, and white baking powder!
But wait there's more.
Right now, for a limited time only, you can get a $0.60 coupon at the fabulously official Bisquick web page. Run down to your favorite triple-coupon-store and get an entire box for just pennies!
Be warned~ Bisquick is addictive!!!!!!!!!!!! Just to get you started I have included my very special recipe for Garlic Biscuits ala' Red Lobster. If you have ever eaten at this famous restaurant, you will know the BEST item on the menu is their hot, buttery, fresh from the oven, garlic biscuits. Here is how to whip up these melt in your mouth morsels:

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix (do not substitute)

¾ cup cold whole milk (do not substitute)

4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)(don't substitute here either!)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder (no substitutions allowed)

1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese (do not substitute, please)

Bush on Top:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes (you may cheat here)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

pinch salt (you can cheat here too, but don't blame me if your family feeds them to the dog)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter, large fork, two knives, or a hoe. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix. This is VITAL............

3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. If you make them too small, they sort of dry out too much.

4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.

That's it! These biscuits stand alone! Serve these Yum Yums with anything you want!

Psalm 34:8
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

clothes pins

I just finished hanging out some white items on my newly hung line. They look beautiful rippling in the breeze. As pretty as dancing daisies. Daintier than a passing cloud...........

The linens smell wonderful. No candle or spray can compare, though it's been tried. It is like earth, and wind, and flowers, and clean........all wrapped up in a hint of summer.....................

I had two choices of clothes pins. The old fashioned wooden soldiers that you cram down over the corners of your laundry, or the spiffy wood and wire, spring loaded clips that look like an alligator head when view sideways. I have both. I use both. Both work.

Now, sometimes the stiff solid pine pins get dirt inside of them and leave stains on the corner of my best garments. And sometimes the springy pins explode into three untidy pieces when i stuff too-thick-of-an-item between its jaws. Then my once clean skirt floats to the ground and rests in a puddle. The gator type clips wait for me on the line, patient for my return. The straight and narrow clips hide in an old ice-cream bucket under a tree. No matter, each little tool fills the cotton twine when needed. I have both. I use both. Both work.

When rearing my family, I find that words are my biggest tool. Claiming Proverbs 31:26 helps me to stay focused on what type of words should be spoken, "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Wise words, kind words. Wise words direct paths, organize thoughts, and express God's authority. Kind words comfort, encourage, and love. I have both. I use both. Both work.

Once, I was in a hurry and just threw wet blankets, quilts, and comforters over the line to dry. The hodgepodge eventually scattered all over the yard. A big casualty that had to be presoaked, spot-cleaned, & rewashed. In my haste, I actually made more work for myself! Ditto when I scatter words without thinking about their eternal value. A harsh word here or an impatient snarl there can add up to a child that scatters. It will take tons of wise and kind words to wash away the stains of a hurt spirit because of hurried, mean words.

So while I fold my crisp whites, I'll practice some. When I see my family I want to clean their spirit with words. Wise & kinds words. Words that dance like daisies.............

I have both. I use both. Both work.



I might have to google who invented cloths pins & send them a thank you card.........

BE SURE!

I had to go t0 Pekin today (about 30 miles away) in order to purchase a much used baking ingredient that is not carried at the grocer in my town. On the way home I was enjoying the scenery, nice green fields, nice brown marshes, and nice red cows. The farm folks, farm trucks, farm implements, and myself were just amblin' down the two lane enjoying the speed limit.
In my rear view mirror I could see a dark sedan coming up in a hurry. The car passed me in a flash, then overtook the Chevy in front of me. Quick as a wink the blue blur maneuvered around a large tractor/road grader ON A CURVE. It is a good thing we all slammed on our brakes and the semi in the opposite lane did some fancy foot work! I was sure it was going to be a head on collisions & I had freezer items so I could NOT have a delay!
Up the road I could see the navy auto winding in and out of traffic in an effort to be the first in line to somewhere!
Everyone settled back into a nice line of defensive driving, but in a hand-full of minutes, low and behold we came up upon the sports car. It was being visited by a very nice black & white car with some very festive lighting on top. I could not tell what the occupants were discussing, but no one was smiling. Except ME! Ha, ha, I was giggling like crazy and felt very smug!
Then it happened!
I had been listening to a CD by the Committed Quartet, and skipping around so I could listen to the songs that featured my son-in-law Heath Bartlett. He started belting out, "Everlasting Blood". Oh, my......................
My mind fell to spiritual issues and Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
That gal with the crazy driving was found out! She was busted! But I was reminded of the times I do not obey. My black and white BOOK may not have fancy lights, but it contains the Words of the Lord of Lights! Daily I break HIS law. Often I drive along in my life thinking HE is not watching or caring. Now, God does not sit around in a speed trap waiting to bust me, but I need to remember my wrong actions have consequences somewhere down the road. Just like that dark car, my little mind gets going too fast, trying to get ahead of God, not caring about others, and just doing what it wants. AND just like that dark car, it will catch up with me, God says so. It won't be worth it, it never is....................
So, I prayed a little prayer that the mercy and patience shown by God toward me would be the same mercy and patience the State police might show toward the vagrant driver. But I was still crackin' up the whole way home.............

BABY SITTING

I am baby sitting my granddog, Eyelee. Her mommy is away, and her daddy is working so I am taking care of her this week. I had planned to take photo's and write a little book called, "Eyelee Goes To Grandma's". The idea was to make her pancakes, take her to the park, go swimming, read her books, nap together, and document all the fun times my granddog had at my house this week. After today the new title will be, "Eyelee Lives To See Another Day."
It started when she dug under the fence and went on a running spree down the highway. Being half greyhound she could outrun papa and granny. So, papa got in his pick-up and went lookin' for the now named, "Devil Dog From Hades". He could tell where she was by the blare of horns and the disarray of cars in the ditch. While papa ventured in the truck, grandma jumped on her trusty steed, Ezra, and raced around the acreage screaming at the top of her lungs, "EYELEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Papa finally spotted her in the next town over. That naughty girl ran from pops, but he faithfully stumbled after her in his worn cowboys boots, trying not to have a heart attack! As Devil Dog ran away, she inadvertently stumbled into a goat pen and gramps was able to collar her and drag her to the truck. Meanwhile back at the ranch, grandma is having a complete nervous breakdown thinkin' her 8 million dollar granddog is squished on the interstate or even worse: kidnapped! I didn't know whether to kill her or give her a pedicure when grandpa pulled in the driveway with our wayward child. My heart was racing until midnight while Eyelee snored on the couch.
Now it is 4:16am and I am writing yet another adventure. My 50+ year old bladder aint what she use to be, so I visit the bathroom about 3:00am. My house is dark so i am use to feeling my way to the restroom. I am NOT use to feeling warm wet on my feet or warm squish between my toes. The over head light told a sad tale of what a dogs tummy does with a new type of dog food after an exciting day. It is an amazing act of science how a 50 pound dog and leave 75 pounds of poo on the floor. It is also magical how one bowl of water, when added to a dog, converts to 578 gallons of pee on the carpet. Grandma,(me), had to get her entire arsenal of carpet cleaners, floor cleaners, mops, buckets, rags, gloves, and gas-masks in order to bring order to her floors.
I wanted to mumble, I wanted to grumble, I wanted to whoop some dog flesh. But as i knelt and scrubbed, it was the perfect position to analyze the situation. I was not caring for the dog, because I love the dog, I was caring for the dog because I love her owners. I thought of how precious my daughter and her husband are to me. I thought of the fun we had had together just the night before. I remembered the laughs and words of encouragement. I mused on the shopping trips smelling candles, and the crazy talks on the phone. I realized that although I no longer have any Windex, Tilex, or Kleenex, I have a special spot in my heart for two folks who I am glad to," Be What They Need".
My husband had taught me this concept years ago, and I don't know whether to hate him or love him for it. His theory is that as your children age, you not longer get to dictate how and when you want to show your love and affection. THEY determine how and when you will demonstrate your care. Being what they need means getting a pizza when you would rather hold your new grandbaby. Being what they need means driving 3 hours to have lunch with them. Being what they need means forking over some cash, no lots of cash, when they call. Being what they need mean sending important documents next day mail. Being what they need means spending your grocery money on treats. Being what they need means lending your car, painting a dresser, driving through the night, scrubbing a garage floor, and typing a term paper. Being what they need involves cooking banana pudding, Ezekiel bread, chicken and dumplins, stuffed shells, and making tons and tons of tea. It means buying special outfits, sending care packages, going to a T-ball game, cleaning up after a wedding, praying faithfully each and every day, and even watching an 8 month old pup. Being what they need is showing a level of selfless love that emulates how our Saviour loves us.
It will probably be another hour before I get the Mount Vesuvius explosion under control. But I will enjoy every second. Yep, this cowgirl is smilin'. Smilin' because she loves her children. She loves being what they need.

THINE HEARTS DESIRE

Psalm 37:4

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

What is your hearts desire for your spouse? What is your hearts desire for your children? What is your hearts desire for yourself? Think about any other desires you have.
According to Psalm 37:4, If you delight in the Lord, He shall give the desires of your heart. So, it is important to study what exactly delight is. The Bible tells you what delights God.
Obedience Delights God. 1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. Read His Word and follow scripture as closely as possible. Purpose in your heart to obey each day.
Rejoicing Delights God. Proverbs 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Keep a joyful heart. Situations may be bleak, but your attitude and response can be positive. No one can take your joy, and don’t give it away. Smile from the inside out!
Honesty Delights God. Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. Be honest with your words. Watch the way you deal with your taxes, bills, and finances. All actions and business transactions should be done above board. Be honest.
Lovingkindness, Judgment, and Righteousness Delights God. Jeremiah 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. Lovingkindness is favor, kindness, and mercy. This is how you should treat others, with kindness, mercy, and striving to meet needs. Judgement is to govern according to God’s Word. Live a principled life that lines up with the Bible. Righteousness is morally right. Live a separated life.
REWARD: Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. When you obey, rejoice, behave honesty, show lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, you delight God. He then promises to give you the desires of your heart. But there is something else He promises. Isaiah 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. He will cause you to ride upon the high places. Doesn’t this sound nice? Soaring around on the mountain tops? The Lord also says he will feed you with the heritage of Jacob. This is exactly what we want for our families, a Godly heritage. A heritage where the Lord reigns.
God is so very good to us. He loves us, meets our needs, cares for us, guides us, and then on top of everything else, He gives us a recipe to receive the desires of our heart. Thank you Jesus, help us to delight in You daily.

i just received the bestest gift on the whole planet from my friend Annette. A HAM BONE! What could be more useful?? I hurried home from church just to play with my new prize! The extra fatty part went to Jack (the mutt in charge of yard security) and some of the crunchies went to Hank (loyal friend of Jack). Then i got my 72 in butcher knife and sliced off some pieces to fry up in my perfectly seasoned cast iron skillet. After finding a bandaid to cover the gash i made with the butcher knife and throwing a few more pieces to my furry friends, I placed the bare bone in a crock pot with 2 pounds of dried white beans and filled the pot to the top with nice cold water. I'm gonna let that baby go for the entire night then make some fried cornbread in the morning. I might even eat it for breakfast. YUM!!! It does not get any better than this. Yippeeeeeee!!! I am so blessed!

There is nothing on the planet better than a Sunday nap zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Deteronomy 11:7

But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.

GOOBER LOVE

BEANS! I love those interesting goobers! God just didn't make a better carbohydrate! Boiled, baked, refried, cold, hot, lukewarm, they fill the gullet and hang around for awhile! Nothing at the grocer will be less expensive or feed more faces!
COOKING: Best way, with the least after blast, is to do the over-night-soak method. Clean your dried beans in warmish water while rubbing them between your hands. Then place in a huge pot or bowl and fill the bowl up to the rim with nice cold water. Let that sit over night. In the morning, dump the water out, rinse the beans, then get ready to rumble! A nice rule of thumb is 3 cups of water per one cup of beans. Throw this in a crock pot or a nice big soup pot. Simmer for about 3,000 hours. lol no just kidding, in the crock pot it will take ALL day, in the soup pot it will take about 4 hours. Now, if you want to add fat-back (bacon), or some special seasoning now is the time, but DO NOT ADD SALT. This will make your beans tough and take longer, like forever, to get soft. When your pintos, etc. are done, then add salt, pepper, red pepper, garlic, onions, you name it!
USES: A well seasoned pot of beans goes great with rice or over mashed potatoes. Navy beans scream to be eaten with crunchy cornbread. Black beans sit mighty well on top of nacho chips! Pinto's or black beans are super duper smashed up and made into refried beans. You just need to drain them, then whirl them around with your mixer adding the reserved bean juice as needed. Want to go traditional? Use your potato masher instead of the mixer. NOW, comes the fun part, after you add salt to taste and a few dashes of garlic, you get to sort of fry them in a skillet. Traditionally they are 'refried' with lard. I'm not sure it is legal to buy lard anymore, but any shortening will do. This step gives the beans that authentic Mexican flavor. Throw these on tortillas, tacos, quesadillas, and other fine Latino flat thingys. You can also add well drained beans to salads for a bit of color that is cheaper than winter tomatoes and taste 91.2% better!
RECIPES: My numbero uno favorite is black beans seasoned with garlic served over just cooked steamed rice, and served with lime slices and a side of pico de gallo. I would be doing you dirty if I did not include my SECRET-NO-LONGER-A-SECRET-RECIPE for Pico de gallo which mean rooster's beak (go figure) Method: Chop two tomatoes (roma works great) and then add double or triple the amount of onions. Don't fret if they are hot, they will calm down once they sit in the fresh lime juice. Add chopped jalapenos to your taste. Honestly you can leave this out if you want, I have! Add some fresh cilantro, I love cutting it with my new red kitchen scissors, and then squeeze some lime juice (one or two limes) over the whole thing. Salt to taste, it will need a bit. Mix and stick in the fridge for a few hours. This keeps amazingly and is better than salsa. You can use bottled lime juice if you want. This is a super condiment on anything you whip up!
Go to allrecipe.com today and gather some great goober useres. Your budget, and ranch hands, will thank you!

O*B*E*D*I*E*N*C*E

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.
Ephesians 2:2

‘Children of disobedience’ sounds like a visit to Wal-Mart or the doctor‘s waiting room. It seems in every store, each parking lot, and most public places, children are whining, crying, running away, screaming, or begging for attention.
Most of these issues are obedience issues. Somewhere along the line an authority is not being obeyed. It could be God, a Pastor, a parent, or a teacher. In Ephesians chapter two; I believe God put some principles that can be followed to help our children obey.
1. vs. 4 But God…. Obedience starts with God. If a child knows who his authority is, he will grasp the idea of obedience. Children are trained to obey so that they will obey God. Ultimately it is God who should be pleased with a child’s behavior. Mommy; pray, read your Bible, and seek His help.
2. Vs. 6 ….hath raised us up together…. Together is a wonderful family word. Parents need to decide on a game plan together. The family needs to obey authority together. Mom needs to obey dad. Dad needs to obey the preacher, policeman, and boss. The entire family should be a picture of immediate, joyful, obedience.
3. Vs. 6 ..sit together in heavenly places… The closest place to heaven is your church. Bring your child to every service. Your plan for obedience will be reinforced at church. Train them to sit still, pay attention, and follow the preacher. Place them in the nursery. Let them attend Sunday School alone. All these tasks teach obedience. Have your child sit next to you until they are married.
4. Vs. 7 ..That..he might shew… You need to show, or train your child to obey. Let them know exactly what you want. Practice situations with them and make it fun. While driving, train your children how to behave at your destination. They should know how to behave in stores, restaurants, church, school, and when company is over. Ask questions and drilled over and over and over. Train how to come when called, and to smile and say, “Yes Sir”. Train in one area at a time. If children does not obey joyfully and immediately, it is not obedience.
5. Vs. 7 …in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.. Training should be done with kindness and patience. Yelling is not training. Spanking is not training. Children learn by love and example. Kindly explain 1,000,000 times how to do a task with immediate, joyful, obedience.
6. Vs. 8 ..it is the gift of God… Reward immediate, joyful, obedience with the gift of praise. It is the best gift you can give, and it does not cost anything. When your child is especially well behaved, allow him to call dad at work, or grandma to share the good news.
7. Vs. 10 ..good works… Remember that obedience takes work. Train daily. Be consistent everyday. Have a game plan and stick to it. Pick your battles and work hard.
8. Vs. 14 …peace… This is what we all want in our homes, peace. The peace that comes from children who do their chores, don’t fight, enjoy each others company, and love the Lord. This is God’s plan for a happy home.

Sure this is a bunch of work. Sure it takes tons of time and a heap of energy, but what worth while doesn’t? Ride em cowgal!

All Creatures.............

I love animals. I love their hair, their smell, and their teeth marks on my shoes. I also enjoy what they teach my child. Like which cleaning products work best on pet stains, and what happens when a dog eats a box of crayons. But pets teach life lessons, too.
Pets teach responsibility. They teach the PARENTS how to be RESPONSIBLE in training their child to care for the animal. Kids will not naturally feed, water, or clean up after the little critter. Make a chart of what needs to be done daily. Do the chores with them until they have mastered them. Then they can do the chores alone and just check items off the list. It is not the animals fault if your child neglects it, it is YOUR fault for not training your child to obey and finish a job.
Pets teach unconditional love. Animals naturally love their owners. Pets want to be with, sleep with, and slobber on your children~their special eating partners. Dogs go into super-hyper-frenzy when you pay them the least bit of attention. A piece of fat back tossed on the floor turns into a sultans feast! In turn, kids learn to love beasts that stink, make messes, cost money, and ruin their new Nikes. Children learn patience when pups yelp all night and need to go to the fire hydrant every 8.2 seconds. Real character is displayed when there are “O No’s”, on the rug, “What’s?” in the closet, and “Yuck’s” on the front porch. Yelling does not solve these problems. Taking the time to work through them does. What better way to prepare for marriage? In sickness and health, poverty and wealth, the kitties, doggies, horsies, and fishies need to be fed, sheltered, cared for and loved.
I went a bit overboard with goats, turkeys, chickens, pigs, cows, horses, dogs, cats, fish, iguanas, salamanders, frogs, turtles, snakes, hamsters, ducks, rabbits, and birds. But 4 of my children are happily married so maybe it was a good plan. Get your kid a pet!