Love is not arrogant

From 1 Corinthians 13 we read: 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;6it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never ends.

Love is not arrogant.

When I think of arrogance I think of someone who is coldly full of himself...thinking of himself better than he aught. (using the he in a generic sense).

According to answers.com to be arrogant is

(ăr'ə-gənt)
adj.

1. Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance.
2. Marked by or arising from a feeling or assumption of one's superiority toward others: an arrogant contempt for the weak. See synonyms at proud.

So I'm right...it's a "I'm better than you are attitude."

Now I find that arrogance can come off in a snobbish sort of way, but it that all that arrogance is?

Romans 12: 3 tells us

³For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

We are not to be arrogant, doesn't say we can't take pride in what we do, but taking pride in what we do is NOT the same as arrogance unless you think ONLY YOU can do it that well. OR that since you did that so well YOU ARE THE BOMB! You aren't. No one is.

God wants us to be a thinking, caring people. He doesn't want us to be so full of ourselves that there isn't room for others.

This is something we are attempting to teach our son. Why are you screaming? Oh... you want us to do something. Hmm... why? Are you being selfish right now? Only wanting what you want? Why? Have you thought about what mommy and daddy want too?

It is hard you know, to take that time, to work at being a thinking, caring person. To be sober in our judgements. It means that we are stopping to think through our actions. It means that we aren't just running through life but carefully considering it.

But it is important to not just run through life, to realize that we aren't "where it's at". GOD is actually where it is at and our actions need to reflect on him.

Previous in this series
These words keep running through my head..
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love does not envy.
Love does not boast.

Mostly a lovely day

If I take away a dead kit, and a doe who had trouble kindling this morning I had a good day.

Out to trivett memorial church's harvest party. The lad went on bouncy air things, rode electric vehicles, built a high building out of blocks with another lad. I got a fair bit of gardening done and killed a whack of yellow jackets. Went back to the harvest party to watch Dufflebag theatre (they did beauty and the beast).

So I spent time with family and was productive as well. That spells for me a good day. :)

will add pics once the lad is in bed. :)

Mac and Cheese

Trying a new recipe tonight.

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Rated: Submitted By: Judy Photo By: Linda Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 50 Minutes Servings: 4

"For rich, warm comfort food start with a simple roux of butter and flour. Add milk and sharply flavored Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses to make a velvety sauce, then bake with macaroni. Buttered breadcrumbs and a dash of paprika make an attractive crust."

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3 cups milk 1/4 cup butter

2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 pinch paprika

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
2.	In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
3.	Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
4.	Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 9/23/2011

baking soda and vinegar?

My cousin over at Jazzy Mamma mentioned cleaning her hair with baking soda and vinegar.

Quotes:

The very first time that I used baking soda (about a tablespoon dissolved in 8oz of water) I was totally amazed at how soft and shiny my hair was. And I was able to comb it while wet without any tugging on tangles! I was really impressed.

and

Specifically, apple cider vinegar. Two tablespoons in 8oz of water.

I used it 3 days in a row and now my hair is shiny and clean. And my scalp feels refreshed the way cucumbers make your tired eyes feel refreshed. Awesome.

Go to her post to read the fill between the lines... but inspires me to give it a shot. :) Got to be better than having an itchy scalp occasionally and needing to switch shampoos because my scalp says "nuts to this". Though what I'm using currently works...but I'm starting to occasionally get an itchy scalp again.

Busy busy day

Started off with caring for three sick bunnies. I'm all out of probiotics now so we'll have to see how they deal with life. It will be a spell before I can find new probiotics in a form easily administered to bunnies so we'll have to see how they do. I don't want to lose them but I have learned that fighting with young kits is pretty much a losing battle. So I'll offer all sorts of supportive care and let their systems sort things out.

Had the joy of holding Mr. Snuggle Butt.
This young fellow is the sweetest most in your face little bit of loving that you'll ever meet. In another week or so he'll be ready to start looking for someone to snuggle up with. :)

Did homeschooling with the lad this morning. It went well for the most part though he does like to whine about doing copywork. :) Instead of getting upset about it I went up stairs and chuckled about it.

Then the lad practiced being an archaelogist. I joined him for a while, and daddy joined him for a while. It was all good. I thought it was cute at one point. "Mommy, when I play digging, am I learning anything? Is it like being in school when I'm playing?" I said "yes, buddy, it is like being in school. You are learning to look carefully through the dirt to find the red clay (red brick bits). You are learning not to stab mommy in the hand (so you are paying attention to your surrounding). You are learning to work with mommy at something. AND you are being an archaelogist because you are finding things that got buried!" He was quite happy and content by that. :)that implement... a pick axe!

he is managing to find his red clay treasures.

I got the front lawn mowed. Spent time with the lad. Got the back yard mowed. Dug with the lad. Removed a variety of things from the garden. Dug with the boy. Did more garden clean up. Then discovered we had a HUGE ant problem. So put ant drops on two nests. Hubby was home from visiting so he raided all the visible ants to death. AND THEN I discovered where the yellow jackets were coming from and that killing them required a different sort of weapon than what we had. So off to Canadian Tire to pick up some more insecticide. WOOT WOOT! No more yellow jackets. No more ants coming in the house. I am one HAPPY woman!

Carrots, peppers, squash and tomatoes.
I brought the ripe tomatoes in the house.
The greens will sit out for a bit.

Cleaning the House

A while back I decided I was tired of letting the house get away from me.

NOT being a person who is naturally clean and tidy, and NOT being a person who loves to clean, I decided that perhaps making a list of what needs doing would be a good idea. Flylady proved of some assistance. She has detailed cleaning lists. :) Mind, you need to modify them for your own use though.

Did you know that sometimes making a list is a good idea? Go figure! it is!

I have some daily goals which are always getting met because sometimes life gets in the way.

My daily goals

1. Dishes

2. Kitchen table

3. All toys tidied in living room/dining room

4. NOTHING in kitchen that doesn't belong there

5. Sweep floors

Dishes and the cat box are almost always done.
Now that the kitchen has been well cleaned doing the floors daily should be more possible, the making sure there's nothing in the kitchen that doesn't belong there well...that will take some continued effort. :) Good thing there's three of us in this household so perhaps we can manage it one of these days. :)

I also made household cleaning tasks up.
thus far I've managed to clean...the front porch, the kitchen (mostly), the upstairs bathroom, the guest bedroom (mostly), the garage was given a once over as well as the basement. I got the hall way done but it needs doing again.

I've the living rooms to do, the main bedroom, the bookroom AGAIN, the linen closet and the lad's room. I hope to do the lad's room biweekly but time will tell. :)

AND THEN>>>>
I even made up a list of things to do before winter.

1. Plant lettuces for the fall DONE
   

2. Finish bookroom

3. Patio stones – put in place

4. Dig up the front garden

5. Dig up the side garden – remove as many perennials as possible.

6. Dig up the corner perennial garden - put in the perennials from the side garden

7. Build a shelf/rack for the rabbitry

8. Winterize the trailer

9. Dig up potatoes DONE
   

10. Freeze beets DONE
    

11. Do up some more applesauce and apple butter

12. Make some pie filling

13. Remove TV from basement DONE
    

14. Clean garage DONE mostly tools and bench need cleaning but that's where hubby dear needs to assist to prevent complaints of "WHERE DID YOU PUT THIS". :)
    

15. Clean basement DONE
    

16. Put lawnmower in rabbitry for the winter

17. Get snowblower ready for winter - Hubby's job
    

So I am making progress. Thought I'd put it here so I can keep updating it. Looks good to see that I am indeed making progress. Life is good. Hubby is patient and kind and sometimes helpful in the process. Once I give the house a good going over I'm going to start making a chore chart so that together we can hopefully maintain it. :)

Loves Does Not Boast

From 1 Corinthians 13 we read: 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;6it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never ends.

Love does not boast.

I find this one a hard one... how does Love not boast. I boast about my boy, I boast about my hubby. I love them both dearly. So is that wrong to do?

Hmm... need to think on this some.

American heritage dictionary tells me what it means to boast:
VERB:
boast·ed, boast·ing, boasts
VERB:
intr.

To glorify oneself in speech; talk in a self-admiring way.

VERB:
tr.

1. To speak of with excessive pride.
2. To possess or own (a desirable feature): "[the] capital of a region in the southeast that boasts bountiful coal fields" (US Air).
3. To contain; have.

NOUN:

1. The act or an instance of bragging.
2. A source of pride.

okay... that puts a spin on what boasting is. When I am proud of my hubby or son, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm bragging on them in an incorrect way. Like with everything there are fine lines to cross, but normal "I'm proud of what they do" type of things isn't a bad boasting type of thing. :)

Love does not boast.

Ergo loves doesn't say "LOOK WHAT I DID? AREN"T I GREAT?" Doesn't do that. What love does is put honour and glory where it needs to be.

Into Thy Word says this:

When God tells us that love does not boast, He means we are not to go around bragging about our accomplishments and abilities.

and

This word in the Greek is used to describe elections won by deceit and manipulations. It is like an elected official winning an election dishonestly and then bragging about it.

Love doesn't require our showing off. It doesn't. People can see what we do, even if they don't mention it. We don't have to say "See what "I" did". It just needs us to act and not call attention to ourselves.

So what does all this mean to me?
It means that when I do something I don't have to say "I DID IT". All I should do is go about living my life quietly and letting others see what they see. It means that I should not expect others to brag on what I am doing either as that's just a delayed type of boasting (I think). It is nice to have people say 'well done". Indeed it is. :) But it is far better for other people to say it rather than to crow about it myself, and that is indeed what I should be doing.

Love does not boast. It merely gets on with doing what needs doing.

What say you?

Previous in this series
These words keep running through my head..
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love does not envy.

HOPE and the Western Fair

Yesterday HOPE days started again.

It was fun. The lad learned about dinosaurs, had gym time (played a game called lemonade that made a big impression on him) and did some science. I enjoyed teaching the children science. NOW.. I have learned that even with two helpers that 14 children ages 6-8 in one classroom is a HUGE number of children to try to teach science to so I need to try to arrange that a bit better. smaller groups doing different things.

Then afterwards we went to the Western Fair. We had an enjoyable day. Hubby's knee has been bugging him a bit so that slowed us down a bit. If you could please, pray for healing in that leg. He'll having surgery on it in about a year.

It was rather cool... they have this free children's play area. Tractors to drive, straw to jump into, a duck race, sunflower seed planting, tractor pull and a variety of other events. So the lad had a great deal of fun. We partially watched a cow calving, petted some pigs, ate cotton candy and caramel corn and corn dogs. Typical fair food. :)

We did miss the horse show, and the extreme canine show this year. We watched reptile ray. Man NOT a good show if you don't believe in evolution, but the information just about the reptiles he showed was quite interesting. I would rather he just talk about the reptiles and leave the evolutionary stuff at home.. cause what's the point? Is it to give a history (in his eyes) lesson or to talk about creatures he really enjoys being around?

At the very tail end of the day we caught a bit of the monster truck show. Very exciting for a six year old lad. :)

Love Does Not Envy

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸Love never ends.

Love does not Envy.

Merriam-Webster defines Envy this way:
: painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage

So in other words... envy is wanting what someone else has in a less than positive way.

Just what does that mean in practical living? And what does that mean for me?

I have to admit, I have a hard time seeing this is me... envy. I tend to let others have what they have and not worry about it. Are there things I see that other people have and go...yeah, I'd like to have that. But is that in a nasty way? No. It's just that I have goals, I'd like to have them met, but I'm not going to resent that someone else has what I want. Is wishing you had something the same thing as envy? Without the negative emotions attached I don't think so. Now...when it turns into resentment that God hasn't let you have what you wish for, or anger that it's not yours, then I think it's envy...and therefore not what God wants from us.

And maybe I'm deluding myself, but this is generally not an area that I struggle with.

So where does envy crop up in the bible?
Cain killed Abel over resentment and envy.
Saul killed David over resentment and envy.
Joseph sold into slavery over resentment and envy.

But we are NOT to be envious, the bible has plenty of exhortations about it.

Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the Lord detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
< - Proverbs 3:31-32

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
- Proverbs 14:30 -

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do it in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the Gospel.
- Philipians 1:15-16 -

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
- James 3:14 -

For where you have envy or selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
- James 3:16 -

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocracy, envy, and slander of every kind.
- 1 Peter 2:1 -

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
- Galatians 5:26 -

Envy can turn us into someone that we don't want to be.
Let us guard our hearts and minds so that we are protected from this dangerous thought pattern.

Previous in this series
These words keep running through my head..
Love is patient.
Love is kind.

Love is Kind

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸Love never ends.

Love is kind.

What does the word KIND mean?
The freedictionary says:
kind ¹ (knd)

adj. kind·er, kind·est

1. Of a friendly, generous, or warm-hearted nature.

2. Showing sympathy or understanding; charitable: a kind word.

3. Humane; considerate: kind to animals.

4. Forbearing; tolerant: Our neighbor was very kind about the window we broke.

5. Generous; liberal: kind words of praise.

6. Agreeable; beneficial: a dry climate kind to asthmatics.

Love is kind. What does that truly mean?

I have to admit, when I think of a kind person I think of someone who quietly does nice things for other folks. That's not always an accurate image, but it's the one that often comes in my head.

Now... I am NOT a quiet person. I'm noisy and busy and I can't sit still for long periods of time unless I'm reading a book or sitting at the computer. I do "stuff" all the time. Does that imply that I don't fit my idea of being a kind person? well...yeah basically.

BUT do I see myself in an incorrect manner? Am I kind?

Well...I think that overall I am but I have a long way to go to be the type of person I believe God wants me to be in this regard.

I am friendly - I'll sit next to you and chat with you. Did that yesterday with a guy looking all alone and kept him company for a spell. But would I have done this if he had grumped at me? no, but he didn't. I was friendly, he was friendly back.

I am willing to help folks out if I am able to. I'll give you whatever I can as long as you ASK and don't demand. Not quite fitting with Luke 6:32 which says "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil." I personally find that people who are demanding are ungrateful for what they've already received...but God calls me to be kind to them regardless.

I'm kind to my critters...but I'm also demanding of them. Act the way I want you to! Don't be a snit...I'm in charge remember? BUT when the pigs all escaped the other night the lad and I didn't leave them to their folly but we went out and caught them up. And I do take the time to train my animals to respond in the manner I prefer. BUT I am NOT patient with the kitten when all he wants to do is suck on something. That sound just irritates me...but I could be nicer to him about it. after all "he's just being who he is mommy".

Am I tolerant? well..... yes and no. My neighbours to the right like to run their ATV around and around and around their house. I don't complain to them about the noise, but I do sometimes mutter under my breath at them. Does that negate my kindness? I don't know as what's in my heart is what comes out....and my heart isn't being kind to them though my actions are. And I do have to ask, when is tolerance not being kind? For instance, if I tolerate your bad behaviour am I being kind to you in the LONG run? Does toleration mean being politically correct OR does it mean just tolerating the foibles that make you you? (I tend to think the later not the former).

Generous: am I generous with my words to others? I'm am not sure. seems odd to say that. But seriously I am not sure. I like to think that I am? And I do know that if I focus on it I say thank you to folks for the things that they do. I think it's polite to do so, and acting in a manner that respects their efforts on my behalf.

Agreeable? hmm... how does that fit with being kind? ah.. when I look at this I see that it is talking about how a place can be beneficial. Such as Hubby dear likes biking a lot lately and the warm (not hot) weather is kind to him as he bikes. But it makes me think...do I help create an environment around me that is agreeable to those I meet in life? that puts a different spin on it. and I have to honestly admit...sometimes yes, sometimes no. :) The better I sleep the better I am in this regard. :)

Kindness seems to be an active way of showing love to those around us. It's a doing, whereas patience seems to be more of an attitude. I may be wrong but that's how this is striking me.

Love is patient (as it takes a longer term view of things) but love is kind in how it plays that out. (as in let me lend you a hand because in the long view I want you to know God as I do).

I may not have worded my thinking out processes all the way correctly...but what do you all think? How do you show love in a kind manner?

Previous in this series
These words keep running through my head..
Love is patient.

Love is Patient

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸Love never ends.

Love is Patient.

So what does it mean when it says that love is patient? The dictionary defines being patient as:

• waiting calmly for however long is needed
• to bear pains or trials calmly or without complaint
• manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
• not hasty or impetuous
• steadfast despite opposition, difficulty or adversity
• able or willing to bear
• bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like
• characterized by or expressing such a quality: a patient smile
• quietly and steadily persevering or diligent, especially in detail or exactness: a patient worker

To have patience is

• the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
• an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: to have patience with a slow learner.
• quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience.

When I read all these definitions what pops out to me is a quality of time. Patient folks are willing to take their time.... whether that means bearing a load, or helping someone, or dealing with something on their own. Patient people don't fear time. They simply take something and work with it regardless of how long it takes.

People often say that I am patient ... when I have a hard time seeing it in myself. I always feel inside like I'm rushed, wanting things done now, but when it comes to other people... there I'm willing to take my time for the most part I think. Start small....work your way up. I wonder why I am more patient with others than I am with myself?

So what does the bible say about patience?

Gal 5:22 tells us that patience is a fruit of the spirit

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

In Thessalonians we learn that we are to be patient with each other

¹⁴And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. (5:14)

In Hebrews 12:1 we see that patience is an active choice, it is something that we work with

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Psalm 37 encourages us to be patient and not to fret.

Patience is often linked to steadfastness, and this is a learned trait. We learn it from going through trials, we learn it through seeing it in others and how they respond, the prophets in the Old Testament had to be patient, Abraham had to be patient... we can learn from these folks.

If one takes a good look at what it means to be patient then you can see how it is of benefit. If you are patient you are less inclined to get bent out of shape over things. It keeps you at a more even keel because you see how things are OVER TIME.

The more I think about this the more I see the greatness of God. God is so everlastingly patient with us. He is HOLY. We are a sinful people. Holiness can't stand being around sin, and yet what does God do? He bears with us, he waits with us, he teaches and trains us, he works with us, and he LET HIS SON DIE for us so that we can be brought back to him.

See this folks, take a good hard look at it. God did this for us! He really takes the long view. He knows what we can be for him.

And then let us learn to be more like him.

I need to learn to be more like him. To take the long view and just relax into the knowing that in time....things will all be better. Jesus will return and all things will be made right. So the little "achs" of the day are not worth being stressed over. :)

These words keep running through my mind....

These words keep running through my head ever since I posted a pictorial list of them a while back. It's like a constant litany of conviction over and over and over in my head.

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

These verses are part of the larger Chapter of 1 Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13 English Standard Version

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ²And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹²For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

¹³So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

And love:

• is patient and kind
• does not envy or boast
• is not arrogant or rude.
• does not insist on its own way
• is not irritable or resentful
• does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth
• bears all things
• believes all things
• hopes all things
• endures all things
• never ends

I'm reading a book lately about a fellow who struggles with porn, and how he and his wife deal with that, and how remembering what love is helps them. It's a fiction book...sometimes rather preachy which is why I often don't like Christian fiction, but I'm finding this particular book at this particular time in my life is forcing me to think. How do I show my love for my family, for my Lord and Saviour, and for the world around me? How DO I honestly do that?

And I find, if I really look at myself, that I am so very often a failure at doing so. Can't say I much care for that but if I'm honest I can't really say that I can change myself or make myself different. I HAVE to pray more and ask God to help me and I'm not so sure that will be an easy road.

I do know that it means some changes in my life.
Going to bed on time.
Getting up a bit earlier.
Changing some of what I do during the day.
It means choosing to make deliberate time.

But I need to do something..having a litany of words running through my head doesn't help one maintain a focus on just about anything. :) So let's see what God has in store for me, for my family and the community in which I am part of shall we?

My boy not feeling well

And I get frustrated with the medical system.

he has a ENT specialist. I call to book an appointment for his tonsils. But no.. I can't get in there because we've only be referred to him for his ears. So now we need to waste time and go to our family doctor so she can make a referral to him for his tonsils.

So yesterday afternoon I got to spend two hours in the emergency room so that we can get a prescription filled for his ear infection. On a positive note: his ear infection hasn't trickled down to a tonsil infection but the two play a role together. I'm seriously starting to think the tonsils need to go.

The upshot is... ear infection (a bad one). Biaxicin to give twice a day. Tonsils very much swollen but not currently infected.

On another more positive note: I met a lady who wants to start homeschooling her six wee ones. :) she lives right here in town, has two sets of twins, and two singletons. She apparently goes to church. I've mentioned HOPE and KICK to her so hopefully she'll email me and I'll get her all connected with that. Also encouraged her to come along down to the picnic in London on Tuesday with us. She seems like a nice lady.

So if I actually get off the poor me I had to do this routine I can actually see the hand of God at work here. A lady who needed the encouragement and some advise was able to chat with me abit about homeschooling. My boy got the help he needed and got to meet a nice doctor. So it's all turned out well despite the inconvenience of it. (and my boy got to spend one on one time with his mommy learning and playing)... what.. you think we went to the emerg unprepared? NO WAY.. one brings along ladybug puzzles and logic game books to keep oneself entertained. :) We also finished our Jason book - which meant we were able to entertain the other hospital patrons listening to me read to him. :) So it's all good. :)

Recipes I want to try

Sunday’s Chicken

This chicken can be baked in a traditional oven or in a large crock pot. Whatever is most convenient for you. It is convenient for me to do this in a crock pot – Sunday’s meal is nearly ready after church services.

Menu Ingredients

First, pan fry 8 strips of bacon and drain, save drippings and crumble up crispy bacon strips.

Place in crock pot or oven-proof large baking dish:
4 Tablespoons of the bacon drippings – spread around bottom of baking dish.
4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast – cut into large portion size pieces.
Sprinkle liberally with black pepper and dried parsley flakes and crumbled bacon.

Mix together and put on top of chicken pieces:
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (remember you can make this from scratch)
1 cup sour cream

Menu Directions

Cook on high in the crock pot for about 3 hours. Chicken should be cooked thru thoroughly and then I take the chicken out and place in a serving dish.

If the creamy white (and very tasty!!) sauce is too thin, I thicken it slightly with 4 Tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with some water.
If the sauce is bubbly in the in the crock pot, just add in the cornstarch mixture and stir and it will thicken quickly. If the sauce is not very bubbly and hot then you can put it on the stovetop in a saucepan and thicken it there if desired. Pour thickened sauce over the chicken.

Serve the chicken and sauce over cooked wide egg noodles.


Cake Box Cookies

Great recipe for small children to make. I used it when teaching my child the concept of the number 3, since the recipe has three main ingredients.

Menu Ingredients

Cake Mix (You can use any flavor you wish.)
1 Egg
1/2 Cup oil
You may add in chips or nuts.

Menu Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix ingredients together until well combined.
Add in chips or nuts if desired.
Scoop onto a cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Crock pot Apple Butter
Makes 3 pints.

Menu Ingredients

5 pounds apples, peeled and finely sliced (approx. 4 apples to 1 pound)
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Menu Directions

Place apples in slow cooker in thirds, layering sugar between each layer.

Add rest of ingredients on top and pack them down as well as you can.
Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.