I failed...

The other evening, after a very long productive day at work, I deiced to make peanut brittle. The recipe seemed very simple. Cook lots of sugar add peanuts and turn onto a buttered cookie sheet.

I failed.

Apparently peanut brittle has a secret and I am not in the club.

The point of making this candy, was because it reminds me of home. A sweet man from my hometown used to make the sweet treat every Christmas and sell it at the local Mini-Mart. Then it got me thinking.. I made tons of homemade noodles for my first southern Thanksgiving because that is what I am used to for that particular holiday. I will also make my grandmother's orange rolls for Nativity and share them at the lunch I am attending. Now let's add some very chewy peanut brittle to the list.

It makes me wonder why I go through so much trouble to have the same comforts in my life here, in the mid-south, as I am used to back in the great state of Indiana. Then I go to such extremes and wonder why I am even in Memphis in the first place. I know I know.. I should slow it down a bit. But really, what makes people stay where they are born.. better yet what makes people not come back to what was their home?

I do not know the answer. But I hope being a bit homesick every now and then is normal otherwise I feel a bit silly.

Lord have mercy

It is almost here!

I have had to do a few things around my house lately as I prepare for the colder weather.. I put up plastic weather insulator on my windows. Let me tell you how much that is not a job for ladies! Oh, I know.. some of you maybe shaking your head that I just put our society in two different categories and back 50 years. But really.. Do y'all know how hard it is to put plastic around some darn windows!

Let me tell you.. it was hard.

Look at this guy.. I know he is all suave and such.. but I was not as graceful. But the job is now done and I have a tiny, tiny bit more warm of a home.

The second thing wrong in my house was, it's cold. Like not normal cold. So I ring my landlord and well.. the thromostat is broken..

We, my sweet roommate and I, don't know how to program the darn thing! Well that is a problem when it come to our heat.. but also there was a duct that was out of place under the house. I draw the line at that. There is no way I am getting under a house to fix a heating duct.

My landlord did.. and well it is much warmer.

The last solo adventure I had was purching my own Christmas Tree.

I was thinking. How am I going to be able to buy

a tree, strap that sucker down to my car and get the darn thing home.

In my mind I was picturing something about like this. But the man at the Easy-Way was very helpful in assisting me in this adventure. We put that tree in my trunk and I took off down the road. When I made it home that was another story. I had to man handle that tree as I got it out of my car. Spilling only half the needles and laid that sucker on my porch.

Then, I carried the beauty inside and got her in the tree stand and held onto the base while trying to secure the tree. It was funny.. I mean. Funny! Thankfully my sweet roommate came home for just a moment to help my adjust the thing to where it stood gracefully

in our living room. Here the tree is..

I am really in love with how it turned out. It has been a very long time since I have had a real Christmas tree. I usually get an artificial tree, but this year I didn't want to store the thing in my small Midtown apartment. I love all my sweet primitive ornaments. Pig and I slept on the couch last night so we could see the pretty tree each time we woke up. I really love Christmas. I love the cold. I love the lights. I love the smell of holiday baking. I could be my most favorite time of the year.

Until right now, I haven't talked about what Christmas is all about.. Christ.. He came to earth! He was born to a virgin. God himself taking on human flesh and is born. As I grumble about all I have to do alone, and I do grumble quite a lot. I am very thankful that Christ came to earth to teach us to pray and love. I am thankful that I don't have to do all that alone. So say it with me, Nativity is almost here. Rejoice and Praise God for he loves mankind.

Lord have mercy.

What are we trying to say here?

thank you YouTube for allowing me to share this video

Ok, Have you seen this commercial? It is advertising a new fancy car that I am sure is wonderful and dependable and will get 35 miles to the gallon. It will make your life a bit more simple with its stylish design and modern day options.

But it makes me mad.. not the product, but how it is presented. The kid is cute. I will say that, but whoever wrote the scrip was not so cute. Hi, were the dork family.. Really!

Have we come to such a society where even small children demand a very fancy car? Will they feel ashamed when their mothers come and pick them up in a Griswald mini-van. I hope not! How many mothers actually pick up their children now days.

What bugs me is that we, as a consumeristic society, are luring our children in a deeper trap of instant, feel good, look good right now, is all that matters. Where family sing-alongs are viewed as lame. My heart aches by the sound of this. I don't have children, nor will I be the first to say what is best for ones family. But I will say that when I was a child we didn't have much, and that was fine. I remember my dad having an old El Camino and now I have such a soft spot in my heart for such a unique looking car. What will this new generation cherish when they look back on their childhood?

I guess all I am really trying to say is this commercial saddens me, for where are we going in todays modern world. I am not sure I like how "things" will establish people as more awesome. How if something is old we must rush out and trade it in for new.. and well mostly I wanted to use the power of the interweb to voice my unworthy opinion of how this product makes me feel. Forgive me for my rant, but well you get my idea.

A dog..

There once was a sweet dog.. She was left alone to fend for herself on the streets of Memphis.

As you can see, she was a tattered young pup with no place to go. Thankfully a sweet friend found her a home.

The sweet dog had a stump of a nose and kinda snorts when she is looking for her toys.. Her skin was pink with tiny prickly hairs.. all in all she looked like a pig with big floppy ears.

The dog named Pig, that is what she will be! And I brought her home for love and she gives the best company. She runs around and chases things, but I couldn't ask for a better friend.. When It comes to dogs named Pig, she could be the best little pup I have ever seen.

As you can tell, I adopted a dog.. Her name is Pig.

When I tell people that my dog is named Pig, they laugh a bit. Children are the best, they look at me like why in the world? You cant have a dog named Pig! So I thought I would be grand to write a children's book about... you guessed it, A Dog named Pig. I feel as if it has a certain ring to it. Now if only I could do something about that mouse in my house..

Do what you have to not what you want to... darn it.

The other day I realized that if I want to have basic things to live.. I need to go to the grocery store every now and then. Not just like once every 3 weeks. This is sad, you would think that a grown woman would know this, right? Or like the time I was out of coffee for 4 days and didn't do anything about it. Every morning I would go to make coffee and forget that I didn't have any. Then get mad at myself and at the people at my local coffee shop for not being so friendly.

Now most of you maybe wondering, just go to the darn store. It isn't rocket science here. You are right, it isn't. I remember, many moons ago, when I was a way younger than I am now, I ran a home and was responsible for making dinners, doing laundry, going to the grocery. I did it with pride. I wonder what happened? I was raised in central Indiana where women are trained to do this house work. I guess it was moving back in with my parents, living single after being attached for so long that broke these habits of mine. How long does it take for a habit to come back into someone's life? What steps do I need to take to get there.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned from the Orthodox church is to do, even when you don't feel like it. It will be good for your soul.

What does that mean?

How about I say my prayers when I don't want to.. or

Go to service.. when I really want to sleep in..

Fasting when all I want is a Chick-filet milkshake.

By practicing these things, they are good for my soul. I really find this completely amazing.

So to make the first thought connect with the last, I should really grow up. Take on life's responsibilities with joy. It may be good for my soul.. or at least my pocketbook and waistline.

Lord have mercy.

an afternoon project

Some of you may know that I really enjoy a good craft project. I like getting my hands busy and create something new. If any of you like to do the same the I highly suggest this book,

Lotta Jansdotter is my new favorite! I really enjoy how she puts timeless peices together with new hip styles. If you have even the simplest of sewing, no pun intended, experience then I suggest you dive on in. Here are a few projects that I have tackled of hers.

Thanks Lotta!

I created this a few weeks ago, and it perfect for taking to my favorite grocery, whole foods, as well as just a few essentials needed on a bike ride.

This was my afternoon project for today, a simple drawstring bag.

I will say it is very rustic, but a good prototype none the less.

I stitched this design on here as well.. I think I just may have to send this to my mother for a belated mother's day gift. She always get so tickled when I am crafty.

My sweet friend Janna wants me to update my blog. I do not know what to write about.

Some of you know that I recently moved back to Memphis, Tn to work for the man.. SportClips.. I need to learn more about sports, but so far my job is blissful. I am no stranger to conversation and well, my client hear it. I should turn the young men towards the TV, so they can watch a gripping game, but I tend to chat their ears off.

I am enjoying clocking in each day, working hard and then going home. What a blessing.

Another factor in my move was to be back home in my parish of Saint John Orthodox Church. It has been a very good decision. I feel as if I am in a place where I can rest. I have been enjoying growing friendship that were started before I moved back to Indiana. I love the great conversation my parishioners and I have about saints and services.

We prepared for a wedding last weekend, for my dear friend and boy was it beautiful! My sweet friend Caitlyn married her bo of 3 years this past Sunday. Many years my friends.

Well this is all that is new in my life for the past 5 weeks. I have to say my move back to Memphis has been lovely. I am enjoying the hard work, the fellowship with friends, the convenience of finding strange food that is only blocks away. I hope and pray that God will grant me the strength to accomplish this task with his strength and mercy, with a positive attitude.

Lord have mercy.

There is no …depravity of which I was not their teacher. I am amazed, Abba, how the sea stood our licentiousness…when I had entangled in my net so many souls. But I think God was seeking my repentance. For He does not desire the death of a sinner but magnanimously awaits his return to Him. — St. Mary of Egypt

I found this quote on evlogeite.com an ancient church blog. Saint Mary of Egypt is a woman that I can relate to. Her life and my life are similar in many ways. Although her life she repented in a place of seclusion, and she gave her life to repentance.To learn about her life click here. I want to give my life to repentance. How dose one do that without wondering off into the desert and live?

Lord Have Mercy

Quinoa and Black Beans

Hello friends, so this is a very easy fasting recipe I wanted to share. It takes about 40 minuets to make and you can eat on it for a few days.

Quinoa and Black Beans

Ingredients:

1 T of vegetable oil (some may not choose to use vegetable oil, but I will post it anyway)

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

1 red pepper

3/4 c uncooked quinoa

1 can vegetable broth

1 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper Or chill powder since I didn't have any

1 can corn

1 can black beans

Cilantro, optional

lime juice, optional

Saute onion and garlic and oil on Medium heat till brown.

Add red pepper, quinoa and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low to medium heat for 20 minutes

Add corn, simmer for about 5 minutes

Add black beans simmer for another 5 minutes

Garnish with cilantro and lime, optional

I hope you all enjoy.

Also as today marks day 2 of Great Lent, I have a one thing I would like to put into practice, a prayer rule. As the overachiever, I said my prayers yesterday morning and well since I didn't have to work, no biggie.. I had no schedule. Then last night, said them again. Do you know what the first thing that popped into my head was this morning? Oh dang, I have to pray again.. like hello wasn't last night enough? As you can see I have no discipline in my life, and praying should be one of them. As of all the things we get to do as Christians, I should enter into prayer with so much more joy than I do. Forgive me a sinner and Lord have mercy.

I will leave you with this quote from a book I am reading, it has played a few times in my mind.

"The lenten spring is welcomed by Christians in the Church not as the time for self-inflicted agony or self-improving therapy. It is greeted as the sanctified season consecrated to the correction, purification and enlightenment of the total person though the fulfillment of the commandments of the crucified God." Thomas Harko - The Lenten Spring.

I have come to a conclusion..

Hello friends, last year I left you all with my wondering mind of my spiritual life. I was exposed to the Orthodox Church a little over a year ago. This came to be through a man, I think most ladies could relate to how men have a certain affect over women. We have since parted ways, but I was left with being exposed to the "fullness of the faith" what in the heck am I going to do with that?
Well, I spent sometime attending a small protestant non-denominational church, and it wasn't the same, something was missing. Most everyone was there with their bibles open , the book Acts ironically enough. The pastor spoke about many correlations between now and then, we even stood the whole time in "worship". So what was missing?
I have until this point, attending Divine Liturgy most every Sunday. Although I don't fully understand what is going on, I sense there is something more. I feel a connection with Christ was we pray prayers that have been said by other Orthodox Christian all over the world and through all points of history. So why would I stray from this path that I chose? Who care it is because I met a man! Right?
Well, after much debate and encouragement from my godmother, I sent an email to Father David here in my hometown. Thank God there are 2 Orthodox Churches nearby. We met for coffee, and I was brave enough to attend Liturgy on my own. I forgot how much I missed the smell of incense, a visual fragrance of our prayers moving towards heaven. I didn't realize how much it moved me to see icons of Christ, the Theotokos, and other Saints on our walls. It has never touched me as much to see others worshiping God in an orderly obedient manner. I praise God for the way He brought me to the Church, I thank my godmother and wonderful roommate for their encouragement.
Now begins the journey of Great Lent, I am looking forward to worshiping Christ in obedience and fasting, drawing closer to him in prayer and witnessing His love manifest in this season.
I think I will be sharing some recipes, random thoughts of the season in posts to come, until then, Lord Have Mercy.