Friday 's Feast

Appetizer: What is your middle name? Would you change any of your names if you could? If so, what would you like to be called? My name is Rhonda Virginia. I've gone by Ginnie all my life, except for when teachers in school refused to go by my nickname. It was my grandfather that started calling me Ginnie.

Soup: If you were a fashion designer, which fabrics, colors, and styles would you probably use the most? My lack of knowledge and eye for design is exactly why I didn't choose this profession.

Salad: What is your least favorite chore, and why? Laundry, it's never ending.

Main Course: What is something that really frightens you, and can you trace it back to an event in your life? Snakes. When I was young, I came across a snake in my grandmother's house. We had just gotten toy snakes earlier in the week, so when I told her that a snake was curled up under a table in the bedroom she thought I was teasing her. Later that evening we were shelling peas and the snake crawled into the living room and went up under a baseboard. When she tried to get the snake out with a rake he wrapped around her leg. I was scared to death. It turned out to be a rat snake, but to this day I am terrified of snakes.

Dessert: Where are you sitting right now? Name 3 things you can see at this moment. In my office. The pre-school director (she's in her mailing something), the wall and outside the window by my desk.

Pictures

Angela and Cheyenne went over to Wellington to Picture People yesterday to have pictures made for the Jr. Miss Hendry County pageant. Phyllis took them over for me since I had to work. Not only was I impressed with their prices, but the quality of their work speaks for itself. These were just a few of my favorites.

Cooking Mania

I have cooking mania right now. . . not sure how long it will last, but for now at least one child is enjoying it. Angela throughly enjoyed her dinner tonight.

Since David had school tonight I offered to save him a plate, but he knew I was trying a new chicken recipe and potato recipe so he asked that I just cook him some chicken strips to go with the baby lima beans. Any idea how to get him to try new things?

Here's the recipe for the chicken parmesan and the roasted onion potatoes. . .

Chicken Parmesan

1 clove garlic, minced
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 1/4 pound), melted
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
A large pinch of Italian seasoning (herb mix)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 lbs of skinless, boneless, chicken meat, cut into pieces no larger than 2x2 inches

1 Preheat oven to 450°F.

2 In a bowl, combine the minced garlic with the melted butter. In another bowl mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into garlic butter, then into crumb mixture to coat.

3 Place coated chicken pieces on to a 9x13 baking dish. Try to leave a little room between each piece. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter and bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Note that the chicken will get much more browned on the bottom side than on the top.

Serves 4-6.

Roasted Onion Potatoes

4 medium potatoes, washed and cubed (we used red potatoes...about six-eight)

1 package dry onion soup mix

1/4-1/3 cup (really, I just drizzled) olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare potatoes and place in a jelly roll pan. You can even line the pan with aluminum foil if you want easy clean up. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and toss. Pour the onion soup mix over and toss. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender.

Excited About Cooking

One of the many things I have resolved to do in 2008 is become a better cook and to cook more often. I used to enjoy cooking, but over the past year I have become lazy in preparing meals for our family. I have graciously been given cookware by relatives in the past because they no longer needed it (mainly my parents or my late grandmother), but I've never owned a set of cookware that I bought for myself. So a few days after Christmas I made the decision to purchase a set of cookware with the hopes that this would inspire me to cook more often. It arrived yesterday!
As I unpacked it last night I became more excited about cooking and found two recipes that I am going to try out tonight. I'm anxiously awaiting 5:00 so I can go home and try out the cookware and the recipes. I'll let you know how it turns out!

New Recipe

I mentioned in an earlier post that I found a new recipe for green beans and tried it tonight for dinner. It was simple and inexpensive to prepare. Thought I'd post the recipe for others to try.

Bundle of Beans

1 or 2 cans whole green beans (for our family I used 1 can)
1 package bacon or turkey bacon (you don't have to use the whole package)
Catalina dressing (regular or light) or Russian dressing (I substituted with Italian dressing)

Set the oven to broil. Drain the beans. Gather a bundle of beans. Wrap half a sliceof bacon around the bundle. Lay bundle in a 13X9 pan (or smaller pan if you are using 1 can of beans). Do this until you have as many bundles as you want or are out of beans! Pour dressing (as much as you like) over the bundles. Place pan in oven and broil until bacon in done (maybe 10-15 minutes). Remove and enjoy.

This & That in the New Year

The new year is already one of busyness but it has been great so far. We didn't do anything big to ring in the new year. Angela spent the night with a girlfriend, David had a friend over, and I went grocery shopping.

The Wilkerson's hosted dinner on New Years day. We enjoyed being with them and several of our other friends from church. Laughter was heard throughout the evening as we all enjoyed each other's company. Not to mention that the food was delicious as well.

The rest of the week I've worked and battled a cold that refuses to go away. On Friday night a group of us ladies from the church got together for a "Girls Night Out" at Sunrise. We had planned on going to a movie after dinner, but the particular movie we wanted to see stopped showing here in town on Thursday night. We ended up just staying at Sunrise talking and laughing after dinner. I absolutely loved the time with these beautiful women.

This morning I redeemed a gift certificate from a friend of mine for a 60 minute stone massage at the local spa. Words cannot express how good the massage felt and how relaxed I was afterwards. After returning home, I slept until 3:00 this afternoon. I am still relaxed and tension free. After my nap, I packed away the Christmas decorations and cooked dinner. I tried a new recipe with green beans that I found on a friend of a friend's blog. Of course David being the picky eater that he is would not try them, but Angela and I enjoyed them.

So that's what we have been doing in the new year. David begins new classes on Monday, the Bible study I'm leading also starts back on Monday, and Angela returns to school on Tuesday. It will be nice to get back into a regular routine.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: When was the last time you received a surprise in the mail, and what was it? It's been so long ago that I can't remember. However, I had an unexpected gift during Christmas from a very special friend.

Soup: If you could have a summer and/or winter home, where would you want it to be? It would have to be a summer home in mountains (somewhere in Tennessee) because I wouldn't want to be there in the winter due to snow.

Salad: Pick one: pineapple, orange, banana, apple, cherry. Banana.

Main Course: Describe the nicest piece of clothing that you own. A little black dress that I borrowed from a friend and she ended up giving it to me.

Dessert: If you could forget one whole day from your life, which day would you choose to wipe from your memory? I can't think of anything that I'd choose to wipe from my memory (even though I've had my share of unpleasant times). . . through all the trials and sufferings God's grace and mercy have sustained me.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7

Christmas 2007

We spent our Christmas with our family in Tallahassee. We had an entire week to catch up with family, some of which we had never met(my great-niece, Arlen and my nephew, Caleb, were born since we had been home the last time). On Sunday night we had dinner at Applebee's with my parents and my youngest brother's family.

On Monday we spent the day lazing around the house. David and Angela walked around the neighborhood exploring and enjoying the cool weather. Later that night my sister's family along with my nephew's (Jeffrey) in-laws. Christmas Eve night we had 18 people sleeping in various areas of the house.

On Christmas morning we opened gifts and enjoyed watching the little ones as they played with their new toys. Later in the morning, my parents, David, Angela and I went to my nephew's (Matt) house for Christmas dinner. My oldest brother, Lamon, and his wife came over as well as my brother, Robert. We enjoyed being in Matt's and Kim's home and the meal was great. Later in the afternoon we dropped David and Angela off at their dad's house before heading back to Tallahassee. On Wednesday afternoon we went back to pick them up from their dad's.

On Thursday we went to see my youngest brother's (Ken) new home and out to dinner with my parents.

Friday we spent the day exchanging some gifts at the mall and doing laundry in preparation of returning home on Saturday.

A special treat for us was getting to see my brother's ex-wife, Aunt Neicy, along with my nephews (Malachi and Jesse). We met them at Steak & Shake on Friday afternoon to visit with them. Lanisha got married today and my brother did not have them for Christmas this year, so it was special that she took the time out from wedding preparations to meet us so we could see them.

The only family we didn't get to see was my nephew, Chris, and his boys. He had to return to Savannah on Christmas Eve so his boys could be home with their mom on Christmas day.

We had a wonderful time being with our family and hope to be able to see them all again soon. Pictures can be seen here from our trip.

We're Home

We are home from a wonderful time with our family in Tallahassee. Watch for a longer post detailing our week. For now. . . it's time for bed so that we are rested up to worship with our family here at home tomorrow morning!

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008. Pay off some bills and stick some money away in savings.

Soup: With which cartoon character do you share personality traits? According to this test I share personality traits with Bugs Bunny

Salad: What time of day (or night) were you born? Had to ask my mom(she couldn't remember), my dad said he thought it was about 2:00 a.m. and my sister confirmed it. She said it had to be around that time because I was always keeping them awake.

Main Course: Tell us something special about your hometown. My hometown is the capital of Florida and has changed so much since I moved away at 15.

Dessert: If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from? Robert Redford or Harrison Ford.

Straight A's

We got David's grades tonight. He made straight A's his first semester. I am so proud of how hard he worked. He is registered for spring classes and currently enrolled for 3 classes. He's waiting to talk to an advisor regarding the next math class he needs to take. Once he talks to the advisor he will be taking 4 classes. Currently he will be taking College Comp, Microcomputer applications, and Earth Science.

My Princess

Angela was in her first Quinceañera last night and she was beautiful. Although I may be prejudiced.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Make up a word and give us its definition. I give up on this one, I am not creative.

Soup: What is currently your favorite song? Angels We Have Heard on High by Chris Tomlin. Actually I enjoy all of his music.

Salad: What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list this year? I have everything I could wish for. Not one to make a Christmas wish list.

Main Course: Name a scent that reminds you of someone special in your life. Old Spice, it reminds me of my dad.

Dessert:Who is someone on television that you feel probably shouldn’t be, and why? Jerry Springer! Not that I watch him, but his show is disgusting.

She Tagged Me

OK, I've been tagged by Lori. Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I have never broken a bone or required stitches. Does that mean I'm lazy?
2. When buying greeting cards, I have to buy the funny ones. Otherwise, I end up crying over the sentimental ones.
3. I do not like to speak in front of a lot of people. Put me in a small group setting or one on one and I'll talk forever.
4. I do not enjoy being alone. I'm happier when I have people around.
5. Even though I don't like being alone, I'm not good at talking to strangers. When I first moved to Clewiston there were actually people that thought I was shy. However, now they wish I'd be quiet.
   
6. I blush when someone is complimenting me.
   
7. I'm at the point in life where my children tuck me in at night.

Ok, hope that is enough random things about me. Let's see what Ken, David and Brian can come up with. I ran out of people to tag.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: What was the last game you purchased? Scene It Squabble.

Soup: Name something in which you don’t believe. Evolution. God created all things. . . He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:15-20

Salad: If you could choose a celebrity to be your boss, who would you pick? I wouldn't want a celebrity as my boss. I have a humble and godly man as my boss currently and I enjoy working for him. Ultimately, my boss is God and it doesn't get any better than Him.

Main Course: What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way? Be careful how you speak to someone or the words you use. It can cause relationships to be broken.

Dessert: Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room. A room with relaxing neutral colors, a comfortable reading chair or sofa and soft lighting.

Which Personality Am I?

So I was bored today and did one of those "Which Personality Are You" tests. This was the result. How close do you think it came to pinpointing my personality?

The Nurturer

You have a strong need to belong, and you very loyal.
A good listener, you excel at helping others in practical ways.
In your spare time, you enjoy engaging your senses through art, cooking, and music.
You find it easy to be devoted to one person, who you do special things for.

In love, you express your emotions through actions.
Taking care of someone is how you love them. And you do it well!

At work, you do well in a structured environment. You complete tasks well and on time.
You would make a good interior designer, chef, or child psychologist.

How you see yourself: Competent, dependable, and detail oriented

When other people don't get you, they see you as: Boring, dominant, and stuck in a rut

On My Christmas Wish List

I want one of these for Christmas to go on my desk at the office. Today was one of those days where I had someone come by the office to do nothing but complain. First it was "why haven't we had the friendship cultivation on Sunday mornings here lately?" Next it was, "is anybody going to fix that toilet in the women's restroom that is leaking? I've told a dozen people and it still isn't fixed."

Is any of this really going to matter in eternity?

Appetizer: What is your favorite carnival/amusement park ride? The Carousel. What can I say I'm a wimp when it comes to roller coasters.

Soup: How do you react in uncomfortable social situations? I get quiet (hard to imagine I know but there are those moments when I say very little).

Salad:On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy discussing deep, philosophical topics? Depending on whom I have the discussion with, if I feel comfortable with the topic and person I'd say 7. If I know little about the topic or am not comfortable with the person it goes down to a 2 or 3.

Main Course: Did you get a flu shot this year? If not, do you plan to? I never get flu shots. I avoid shots at all costs.

Dessert: Approximately how many hours per week do you spend watching television? There is one show I watch each week (CSI) so an hour typically. However if college football or pro baseball is on I will watch a game.

Spiritual Adultery

In scripture God often chooses imagery related to marital unfaithfulness to communicate the nature and seriousness of sin. God is seen throughout His word as a faithful husband who is jealous for an exclusive relationship to his bride (that would be believers). When we sin (are unfaithful to), God is seen as a rejected lover and he is angered (righteously) and grieved.

I had never thought of sin as spiritual adultery until I was preparing for this week's lesson. In her book, Holiness: The Heart God Purifies, DeMoss uses the imagery of an adulterous relationship between a husband and wife to drive home how our sin grieves God. Here is an excerpt from this weeks chapter:

Imagine your mate walking in the door and saying in a casual tone of voice, "By the way, honey, I've been carrying on a little affair with that gal who works down the hall from me. Nothing serious, really - just a fling. OK, I'll admit we've slept together - but probably not more than six or seven times. I want you to know that I still love you, and I really hope you'll stay with me and keep meeting my needs." Worse yet, imagine how you would feel if your mate refused to break off the illicit relationship, but continued to sleep with his girlfriend once or twice a week, month after month, year after year, all the while insisting that he really love you and wanted to keep living with you when he wasn't with her. (pg 69 -70)

I don't know about you, but when viewing my sin in this light it brings about a whole new perspective regarding sin.

Father, would you open my eyes to see the sin in my life. I am so tuned to looking for sin in other people's lives. A lot of times I miss, I know a lot of times I miss, those sins, those things in my own life that are destroying my vision and keeping me from seeing you correctly. Lord, help me to view sin as You do and to take it as seriously as You do and to realize my great need for repentance every time I choose my way against Your way. Give me the gift of repentance, I pray, that I might grieve and mourn with all my hearts over that which breaks Your heart. Thank You that when I mourn over my sins, I will be comforted and I will receive mercy. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Imagine that you are deaf, dumb and insensitive to touch.What other image of happiness could you have? I would have my eyesight so I would be able to see the beauty God has created and

Soup: Do you collect anything? Yes, dust in my house.


Salad: When do you start your Christmas? As far as the worlds view of Christmas, I normally start decorating either the first or second week of December. However, as a Christian I celebrate the birth of Christ all year long just as I do his death and resurrection.


Main Course: What would you do if you were in a corner and a snake was staring you down? Scream at the top of my lungs and more than likely wet my pants.

Dessert: If you were in the library and had gas I would excuse myself to the restroom.

Small Groups

We are now into our third week of the Women's Small Group Bible Studies. God is at work among these women that are participating in the studies. I have had many opportunities to talk with the ladies (even those outside my group) about how the studies are going and I have received numerous reports that they are learning, growing together and thankful to be a part of these groups. They not alone, I have so encouraged each week as we meet at my house. These ladies are beautiful and I look forward each week as we come together to study God's word and discuss the book (Holiness: The Heart God Purifies) we are reading together. As we have studied holiness each week we have seen where we each fall short of the glory of God and just how totally dependent on our Lord to redeem us and sanctify us so that when we appear before him, we will be free from all defilement, clothed is His righteousness, to be His holy bride forever.

Over the past three weeks we have discussed the following:

1. What a radicial pursuit of holiness looks like.
2. How holiness and joy are inseparable companions.
3. Biblical motivations for holiness.

There have been many quotes throughout the book thus far, but my favorite is by J.C. Ryle that says:

Without holiness on earth we shall never be prepared to enjoy heaven. Heaven is a holy place. The Lord of heaven is a holy Being. The angels are holy creatures. Holiness is written on everything in heaven. . . How shall we ever be at home and happy in heaven if we die unholy?

A Biblical Look at Marriage

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Friday's Feast

Appetizer: What was your first “real” job? When I was sixteen I worked during the summer at a pickle plant (Roddenberry's). I was in the packing house for a week and then moved to the grading yard.

Soup: Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity? I'm not real creative so I have no clue.

Salad: Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when… I put my foot in my mouth. Which happens quite often.

Main Course: What values did your parents instill in you? Honesty, love for others, to protect my reputation, and to be on time.

Dessert:Name 3 fads from your teenage years. Feathered hair, leg warmers, Rubik cube.

Good Company

Now that David is 18, I have the opportunity to visit friends without having to worry about the plans that he and Angela have for the weekend. This weekend was one of those occasions. My best friend, Tom, asked me to go down to his house on Friday to spend time with him. As much as David and Angela enjoy going to his house, they had a concert they were going to on Saturday so I left on Friday when I got off work to go down. When I arrived, Tom cooked a wonderful meal of steaks, steamed veggies and mashed potatoes. He made gravy but was not happy with the result (it looked better than any gravy I've attempted to make). After enjoying the meal he prepared we enjoyed just talking and watching television. It always amazes me how we can talk about anything and never run out of things to talk about it. He's better than any girlfriend I've ever had. On Saturday morning, we enjoyed his famous scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. Then read the morning paper and more conservation. Later in the day we enjoyed some shrimp while watching the movie "The Fisher King". It was a good movie and I don't know how I managed to miss this movie over the years. Tom had planned on cooking me chicken wings for dinner, but after eating shrimp and breakfast I didn't have an appetite. And as usual it was time for me to make the hour and half drive home. Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to experience his chicken wings another time.

Appetizer: Which snack do you like to get when you go to the movies? I used to love getting Sweet Tarts at the movie, but for some reason they don't sell them now. Now I opt for the buttered popcorn.

Soup: What year did you start using the internet? 1996

Salad: What is your first name in Pig Latin? inniegay

Main Course: Name something you are picky about. The cleanliness of my home.

Dessert: Fill in the blanks: I ____ ____ yesterday and I ____ ____ today. I longed for today yesterday and I am waiting to see my best friend tonight (so I didn't use today).

Women's Small Groups

Over the past six months I have been praying for a Women's Bible Study to be started at our church. After much prayer, I approached our pastors about starting a Bible study in my home for the ladies of the church. Within a week of discussing my ideas with them, they asked me to make an announcement on a Wednesday night about it and invite the ladies of our church to participate. I was amazed to see that within one week we had well over 20 names on the list that were interested. It was an encouragement to see that the women of our church have a desire to study God's word and to grow spiritually together. Due to the response, we have split the group into 3 group. I had no idea that we would have such a response, but God knew and he prepared two other godly women to lead a study in their home.

We are reading Holiness: The Heart God Purifies by Nancy Leigh De Moss and discussing a chapter each week for the next 9 weeks. Each week we will not only discuss the book, but look to scripture as well. The groups begin meeting this week and tonight was the first night (we meet on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoon). Tonight's group met in my home and what a joy it was to sit with 10 other ladies and study God's word and have discussion. It was an encouragement to me as I heard these ladies talk of spiritual things. I'm already looking forward to next week when we come together again. Please be praying for all of us as we study God's word and encourage each other in our walk.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: How much money do you plan to spend this upcoming holiday season? I have no idea. Certainly not as much as last year.

Soup: What was the last television show you watched, and was it good? CSI - I always enjoy the show.

Salad: If you had to paint the walls of your living room tomorrow, what color would you choose? An off white. In fact, Angela has been trying to convince me to paint the walls in living room.

Main Course: Name something clever or practical you have thought of that should be invented, but hasn’t yet. I'm not clever enough to think of anything to invent.

Dessert: List 3 things you would like to receive as gifts this upcoming holiday season. The only thing I can think of is to spend Christmas with my parents this year.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Name a great website you would recommend to others. Solo Femininity.

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how often do you dream at night? A five. I can't always remember what I dream.

Salad: Did you have a pet as a child? If so, what kind and what was its name? We had cats and dogs. The cat that I remember was Tut (named after King Tut) and the two dogs I remember were a German shepherd (I don't remember his name) and a little mixed dog (Shorty). Now that I'm typing this I do recall family members talking about a dog we had when I was diapers. They say that when I was still in diapers my sister's boyfriend (now her husband) came over to take her out on a date and while he waiting for her that the dog wet on his lap. My brother-in-law however tells it differently in that he accuses me of wetting his lap. He loved to tell this to my friends and the few boyfriends I had when I was younger.

Main Course: If you had the chance to star in a commercial, what would you choose to advertise? First of all I would never have a chance to star in a commercial, but someone needs to advertise purity in our teenagers.

Dessert: What is your favorite kind of hard candy? Sweet tarts hands down.

Grace Alone

Earlier this week our dear friend, Jessica Wilkinson, passed from this life into eternity. We have grieved over our loss and rejoiced in knowing that she is home with her Lord. Jessica was diagnosed 3 months ago with Sacrcoma.


Jessica would have been married on December 8,2007. In fact, we had to postpone her bridal shower because she was in the hospital. As I have thought of Jessica's death this week I have thought often that although she did not make it to her wedding here on earth, she had the wedding of her life on Sunday morning. I have many fond memories of times spent with her and I am thankful that God placed her in my life to love as a friend and as a sister in Christ.Today as we celebrated her life at her memorial service I rejoiced in knowing that she has seen God's glory, she is free from pain, suffering, tears, and that she has entered into God's kingdom hearing her savior say, "well done thy good and faithful servant."

Pray for her parents, her brother, and her finacee as they trust in God's mercy and grace to strengthen them in the days, months and years to come.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: If you were a dog, what breed would you be, and why? A Yorkshire Terrier. People seem to love them.

Soup: What does the color purple make you think of? Barney

Salad: Approximately how long does it take you to get ready each morning? About 45 minutes to an hour.

Main Course: How many cousins do you have, and are you close to them? I have no clue. From that response you can tell I'm not close to them.

Dessert: Take your initials (first, middle, last) and come up with something else those letters could stand for. (Example: SFO = Sweet Funny Otter) RVF (Really Vain Female)

Appetizer: When was the last time you were surprised? Just today when I was asked out on a date for tonight.

Soup: Fill in the blanks: My eyes are ________, but I wish they were __________. My eyes are hazel, but I wish they were blue.

Salad: If you were a Beanie Baby, what would you look like and what would your name be? I would be a soft cuddly teddy bear and my name would be cuddles.

Main Course: Name two things you consistently do that you consider to be healthy habits. Brush my teeth and shower.

Dessert: What brand of toothpaste are you using these days? Do you like it? Why or why not? Crest Cinnamon Expressions. I love it. It makes my mouth feel fresh.

Happy Birthday Hannah

Happy Birthday Hannah! Although you are miles away from us, you are being thought of today as we celebrate your birthday. We hope your day is filled with joy and you will know how much we love you!

Surprise After Surprise

Saturday was a day filled with surprise birthday parties. The first birthday surprise was for our associate pastor's wife, Cari. Her birthday is actually this coming Sunday, but some of her family have to be out of town this coming weekend, so Joshua planned her party for this past Saturday instead. The party was held at their home and we had a great time of fellowship and left with our stomachs filled.

The second birthday surprise was for our friend Tracy Bethea. He turned the big 50. His wife, Cindy, surprised him with family and friends gathering at the Clewiston Inn for dinner. He was caught totally off guard when he walked in the dining room and saw all of us there. We enjoyed celebrating with him and Cindy.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Share your baby pictures

Appetizer: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you look forward to your birthday? It's just another day, so I'd say a 5. Each day is a gift.

Soup: What is one word you don’t like the sound, spelling, or meaning of? The word hate.

Salad: Do you wear sunglasses when you’re outside? If so, what does your current pair look like? I don't wear them constantly. My current pair are just a cheap brand I don't even remember the name of them.

Main Course: If you were to write a book, to whom would you dedicate it? My kids.

Dessert: Name a beverage that you enjoy. Sweet Iced Tea.

New Associate Pastor

God is faithful to give his churches pastors to lead them, care for them and teach them. Joshua, Cari, and Benjamin moved to Clewiston last week in obedience to Christ's leading in their life. Joshua will be our Associate Pastor and his leadership, encouragement, and other gifts God has blessed him with will be add a tremendous amount to First Baptist Church of Clewiston. The Vincent family has already shown us as a family their love and hospitality. On Tuesday night, we were honored to have dinner with them. Cari prepared a wonderful meal for us and we were blessed being in their home and beginning to develop a relationship with them. Please pray for them as they begin their ministry here.

Friday's Feast on Sunday

Appetizer: How are you today? Reflective and appreciative after hearing a wonderful sermon this morning from 1 John 2:1-6. The appreciative is two fold. . . praising God that I truly know Christ and have a relationship with Him. The second is for my neighbor who has weed wacked around my mobile home and is now pressure washing it as well.

Soup: Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis. Not much of a television watcher. I generally watch CSI on Thursday night and college football on Saturday when it's on.

Salad: What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced? Hurricane Wilma hands down.

Main Course: If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be? England

Dessert: What do you usually wear to sleep? Pajamas. That was a weird question.

Have We Met?

I just began reading a new book and as I read the first six pages I couldn't help but wonder if Stasi Eldredge has met me somewhere. Seriously, I know we have never had the privilege to meet. However, this section I just finished reading led me to believe we have.

UNSEEN, UNSOUGHT, AND UNCERTAIN

I know I am not alone in this nagging sense of failing to measure up, a feeling of not being good enough as a woman. Every woman I've met feels it - something deeper than just the sense of failing at what she does. An underlying, gut feeling of failing at who she is. I am not old enough, and, I am too much at the same time. Not pretty enough, not thin enough, not kind enough, not gracious enough, not disciplined enough. But too emotional, too needy, too sensitive, too strong, too opinionated, too messy. The result is Shame, the unviersal companion of women. It haunts us, nipping at our heels, feeding on our deepest fear that we will end up abandoned and alone.

After all, if we were better women - whatever that means - life wouldn't be so hard. Right? We wouldn't have so many struggles; there would be less sorrow in our hearts. Why is it so hard to create meaningful friendships and sustain them? Why do our days seem so unimportant, filled not with romance and adventure but with duties and demands? We feel unseen, even by those who are closet to us. We feel unsought - that no one has the passion or the courage to pursue us, to get past our messiness to find the woman deep inside. And we feel uncertain - uncertain what it even means to be a woman; uncertain what it truly means to be feminine; uncertain if we are or ever will be.

Aware of our deep failings, we pour contempt on our own hearts for wanting more. Oh, we long for intimacy and for adventure; we long to be the Beauty of some great story. But the desires set deep in our hearts seem like a luxury, granted only to those women who get their acts together. The message to the rest of us - whether from a driven culture or a driven church - is try harder.

Does this sound like how any of you ladies have felt in the past? I'd love to hear from you.

Chicken Noodle Soup & Lap Quilt

Tonight after work I came home to try out a new recipe. Tonight was the perfect night since David is at school and Angela is at Evangel Assembly Youth group. Both of them were eating away from home and this gave me the opportunity to prepare the new recipe without being distracted and also have a meal prepared in advance for tomorrow night. I knew by looking at the recipe that David would not want to try it, so I made him chicken and rice to have tomorrow night.

The recipe was very simple and it turned out well. I was pleased when I tried some tonight and think Angela will like it as well. Here's the recipe in case someone wants to try it for themselves.

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 cups cubed peeled potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast

2 cups uncooked yolk-free wide noodles

1 cup fat-free evaporated milk

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, saute the onion, carrots, celery and garlic in oil for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the flour, oregano, thyme and poultry seasoning until blended; saute 1 minute longer. Gradually add broth, potatoes and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in the chicken and noodles; simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Reduce heat. Stir in the milk; heat through (do not boil). Yield: 8 servings.

As I was cooking the soup, I thought of a single friend of mine from church and decided that if she was at home I wanted to take her a bowl for her dinner. After calling to make sure she was home and if it was a good time to drop by with a bowl soup, I served her up a bowl of the soup and dropped it off. We chatted for just a few minutes and before I left she told me she had something for me. She is an excellent seamstress and loves using the talent God has given her to make things for others. Before leaving she gave me a beautiful handmade lap quilt with the instructions to go home, put my feet up and wrap up. I love it! I am sitting on the couch as I type this wrapped in the quilt. God is so good! I went tonight to minister to a friend and yet I was the one that walked away with the blessing. I treasure this ladies heart for God and for others that serves daily.

For some unknown reason I can't blogger to load pictures so I made a slide show in Bubbleshare of the soup and lap quilt.

X-Ray Results

After twenty eight hours I finally heard back from the doctor concerning the x-ray. The report showed that my foot is sprained. I am supposed to stay off of it as much as possible, evaluate it, and ice it. If it is still giving me problems next week I am supposed to call and he will do a MRI.

My patience had worn thin by the time I finally got an answer. But at least now I have my answer.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: What is your favorite type of art? Music it is hands down.

Soup: When was the last time you got a free lunch (or breakfast or dinner)? Who paid for it? This past Tuesday. A friend from church that lives in north Georgia was in town and we had lunch together. She refused to let me pay for my meal.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how emotional are you? I'm pretty emotional. I cry when reading greeting cards unless I go to the humor section. I cry at movies, I have a temper (although I've learned to control it more as I get older), and I laugh easily. I'm just one big bag of emotions.

Main Course: Approximately how long do you spend each day responding to emails? An hour, but not at once. I don't get many emails as I once did.

Dessert: To what temperature do you usually set your home’s thermostat? It stays at 73 unless David lowers it when I'm gone or asleep.

Foot Injury

Yesterday morning I injured my foot at the office. I always sit at the computer with one leg under my rear end and this is the way I was sitting yesterday prior to getting up from my desk. When I got up, my leg buckled and I turned my left foot completely over on it's side. When I realized that I was falling I grabbed the desk but the glass on the top started sliding so I turned loose of the desk and landed on top of my foot. I was thankful that no one was standing in my office at the time of the accident because I know I looked foolish.

After falling my foot began to swell and ache. Pastor Brian tried to get me to go to the doctor to have it x-rayed, but I put it off until today. This morning I went to the doctor and he ordered a x-ray after examining my foot, my ears, eyes, nose and throat. I still don't understand why he felt it was necessary to do a complete examination since I went in strictly to get an order for x-rays, but I'm satisfied that he wanted to be thorough. On top of having me go for x-ray's I have to go back tomorrow for a complete blood work up because I haven't had one done in over a year. I still haven't heard what the x-ray showed but am hoping that when I go for the blood work in the morning he will have the results.

The kids have been awesome waiting on me and helping out around the house. They have tried to get me to use the crutches but I am afraid I'll injure more than my foot if I use them. I tried them last night at church and I was very uncomfortable on them. I'll just be relieved to have my foot return to normal or at least know if it's fractured or sprained.

Fourteen and Still Amazing

Today is Angela's 14th birthday. My how time has flown, it seems like yesterday you were so tiny and needed me for everything. My heart is overflowing with love and joy that you have brought into my life. As I think back on the last fourteen years I feel so blessed to be the one that God picked to be your mother. You are a beautiful young lady with a heart for everyone you meet. You are always encouraging others, sharing the material possessions that you have, and lending a helping hand. You speak your mind and love to make others smile. I pray that as you continue to grow into the woman God desires you to be, you will seek after God's heart and stand firm in his truths. Happy Birthday!

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: When was the last time you visited a hospital? When Angela had her ACL surgery in July.

Soup: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how ambitious are you? I'm pretty average so I'll go with a five.

Salad : Make a sentence using the letters of a body part. (Example: (mouth) My other ukelele tings healthily.) Leg - Let's eat granola.

Main Course: If you were to start a club, what would the subject matter be, and what would you name it? A club for parents to be encouraged to teach their children the importance of being committed to Christ and his church. I have no clue what I would name it.

Dessert : What color is the carpet/flooring in your home? The carpet is a light green and the tile is white.

Dinner with Girlfriends

Two of Angela's friends (Jena & Cheyenne) threw planned a dinner at Sonny's with her friends in honor of her 14th birthday tomorrow, since everyone will be at the Tiger game tomorrow night. I wasn't allowed to eat with them, but I stayed in the main dining area and enjoyed dinner with Kathy while they partied. Cheyenne and Jena brought a Hello Kitty cake for all them to enjoy for dessert. In all there were 13 girls, so you can imagine the laughter coming from the back room. It was sweet of the girls to come out on a school night to be with her. She enjoyed it and I managed not to embarrass her too much. Only when the Sonny's crew sang the "Happy Birthday" song to her. I couldn't resist getting in the line with them as they sang and clapped.

Here are some snapshots from the night.
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Changes

Every now and then change is good. So today, I made some changes to my blog. I love autumn and wanted something to reflect that. I love the new header since I can change it to fit with the different seasons. Let me know what you think.

Our Weekend

Angela and I spent the weekend at home while David was in Orlando at Rock the Universe. He and Tommy left Friday at 1:30 p.m. for a weekend at Universal Studios for a weekend of Christian rock. Angela and I would have went, however, we it was time to purchase tickets we weren't sure if she would be able to walk around Universal all night.

On Friday night we drove to LaBelle for the Tiger football game. Sadly the Tigers lost the game in a shut out (28-0). We enjoyed it in spite of the loss. Next week we will be traveling to Belle Glade as they take on the Glades Day Gators.

On Saturday I woke up early to meet a group of ladies from church to clean the staff house in preparation of our new associate pastor and family moving in the week of September 17. Although we were cleaning it was a wonderful time with this group of ladies. I tried to convince them that they could come to my house afterwards to clean it, but they just wouldn't go for it. Later in the evening I met up with Kathy & Skip at Beef O'Brady's for dinner and watched the 2nd half of the FSU game and the 2nd half of the Georgia game. At least the weekend wasn't a total loss for the teams I like. Florida State won, but I was hoping Georgia would win against South Carolina. Maybe next year.

Today we went to church and we were back in our Sanctuary for the first time since June. George and Grace Thall graciously opened their home to us for lunch after church. The meal was delicious and the fellowship sweet. Then it was off to the monthly meetings at church. Grace and I had the opportunity to share ideas about small groups, women's Bible studies, and other ways to get together with the women of our church. Now to figure out how to implement some of the ideas we talked about. It was refreshing to hear another woman share her desire to see the women of our church come together for time spent in God's Word.

Appetizer: Using only one word, how does grocery shopping make you feel? Frustrated.

Soup: What is your favorite part about the season of Autumn? Football!

Salad: Have you ever had any bad experiences online? Just not being able to get online.

Main Course: Name three things that make you happy daily. My children, my job, and my salvation.

Dessert:What one household cleansing or organizing item would you not want to be without? A broom.

The Newest Member of Our Church Family

We are blessed to have Luke as an addition to our church family. We praise God that we have the opportunity to love, encourage, and pray for this little one as he grows up.



Luke Andrew Hamrick is doing well. Mom and Luke will be coming home tomorrow morning. I can't wait to hold him.

Big brother, Nathan, Dad, and Luke.

I wanted to post a picture of Katherine with Luke and Nathan, however that will have to wait. I'm not sure how Katherine would feel about a picture of her in a hospital gown appearing on my blog. So here's one of Katherine and Nathan at a Tiger Football game.

College Football

So this weekend was the kickoff for college football. No, I didn't sit in front of the television all weekend watching the games. In fact the only game I watched was the Florida State - Clemson game while babysitting our pastor's son, Nathan. Around 9:30 p.m. Nathan was ready for bed but he enjoyed the first hour and half of the game with me. He was so cute talking about the game. He has been to the high school games and he kept asking where the blue uniforms were. The Noles didn't win the game however it was great to see them try to come back in the 2nd half of the game. It's gonna to be a tough season, but as always I'll be there cheering them on win or lose. But at least one of the teams I like won this weekend. Go Dogs!

I'm sure going to enjoy watching the games with David this year!

Luke Andrew Hamrick

Congratulations to Brian, Katherine and Nathan Hamrick on the birth of their son and brother, Luke Andrew Hamrick. Luke was born this morning weighing in at 8 lbs 8 oz. and measuring 21 inches long.

I will try to post pictures of Luke as soon as his daddy email's them to me.

What We Have Been Up To

We have been busy getting back into the routine of school, homework and such for the past two weeks. It's been a couple of weeks since I took the time to post anything regarding our lives, so I thought it would be nice to give an update of what has happened in our lives in the past few weeks.

Angela started school on August 19. She has all male teachers except for two (reading and typing). She actually likes having men as teachers, although at first she wasn't sure how she would like it.

Her latest doctor's appointment for her 1 month check up after the ACL surgery went really well on Friday. Dr. Shannon released her from crutches and the wheel chair use at school. He increased her therapy to include working with weights and told her to begin to increase her activity but not to be running just yet. He was impressed with her progress thus far. He told us around the 12 week point we should notice that the fluid (swelling) on the knee will decrease and return to normal. He also advised us that it's typical for patients to become over confident around the 12 week point and that she needs to beware that it is still healing and not overdo it.

We have also hired an associate pastor, Joshua and his wife, Cari, and son, Benjamin, and our church is trying to get the house ready for them to move into in mid September. I am in charge of getting a group of ladies to clean on next Saturday.

Football season started Friday night for our high school. We went to the game on Friday night to watch the Tigers take on American Heritage Plantation. Although we lost 14-3 we enjoyed the game. The Tigers have a young team this year however they have potential. Over twenty of the players graduated in May so this will be a building season. Win or lose we will be there to support the Tigers. Also with the high school football season starting Clewiston Middle School has a football team and we went to watch them play on Thursday night of this week. They won their game 50 - 14. I love fall with high school football on Friday night and college football on Saturday's. Florida State will play Clemson on Monday. Go Noles!

Today we drove to the east coast to look for David a new car. We spent 7 hours driving from one used car dealership to another. I was amazed at how well David handled talking to the salesman and asking questions about the vehicles. He even talked two of the salesmen down to the price he was willing to pay. He's a man that knows what he wants and will walk away before letting someone convince him otherwise. When all was said and done today he drove away in a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer ES for the price he said he was willing to pay when we left home. Below is a few pictures of his new car.

Friday Feast

Appetizer: Who is the easiest person for you to talk to? I can talk to almost anybody, but when it comes to a heart to heart conversation I find that I'm more open with Tom.

Soup: If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose? I have never had the desire to live in an ancient city. I'm spoiled by the luxuries we have now such as electricity, indoor plumbing, etc.

Salad: What is the most exciting event you have ever witnessed? The birth of my children.

Main Course: If you were a celebrity, what would you do for a publicity stunt? I can't imagine being a celebrity and if I were I wouldn't want a bunch of publicity.

Dessert: What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child? I'm not sure I think there is an ideal age to have your first child. For each married couple it is different.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Say there’s a book written about your life. Who would you want to narrate the audio version? Meg Ryan, I love her voice.

Soup:Take the letters from your favorite kind of nut and write a sentence. (Example: Perhaps every avenue needs understanding today.) Okay I'm not good at this kind of stuff, but since Peanuts are my favorite. . . Put every anxious thought under the son.

Salad: If you could go back in time and spend one week in another decade, which decade would you choose? I'd want to spend more than a week and I would want to be in a different state, but I'd like to go back to the 70's.

Main Course: Name a song that brings back memories for you. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You." by Elvis Presley

Dessert: Do you prefer to wash your hands in cold water or warm water? Warm water.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Describe your laundry routine. Do you have a certain day when you do it all, or do you just wash whatever you need for the next day? My laundry routine consists of washing a load every night and drying them. Sometimes they get folded the same night. Laundry is the one chore that seems never ending.

Soup: In your opinion, what age will you be when you’ll consider yourself to truly be old? At 41 I certainly don't think of myself as old. When I was in my teens that seemed really old, but the older I get the less age matters. I'm not real sure what I would consider old.

Salad: What is one of your goals? Is it short-term, long-term, or both? One of my goals is to be debt free. It's a long-term goal.

Main Course:Name something unbelievable you’ve seen or read lately. It amazes me to read or watch the news concerning people leaving their young children in their cars and not realizing for hours that they left them there. I don't understand how someone doesn't notice they left their young child somewhere.

Dessert: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how happy are you today? I'd say a 5. It could be worse but it could be better.

This & That

God has been good to us this past week. Even though I've struggled this week with issues I have seen God's hand at work and have so much to be thankful for. I haven't done an update concerning Angela's therapy nor concerning David's car. So here goes!

Angela is progressing very well with her therapy. She is diligent in doing the exercises at home on the days she doesn't go for therapy and the therapist says she is moving ahead of her protocol. The therapist added an exercise this week and will continue to add them as she progresses. One of the concerns Angela and her therapist have is regarding her return to school. Although she is very mobile with her crutches there is concern that someone could bump into her at school and that her left leg would not be stable enough to keep from falling if that were to happen. Another concern was that she is not sitting long periods of time with her leg hanging down. She still sits with it extended to some degree, although she is bending it more every week. The therapist shared her concerns with me and I contacted the doctor's office about them. Dr. Shannon then wrote a prescription for wheelchair rental and a doctor's excuse for school for the next month. The school has assured us that they will assign someone to push her from class to class and that they do what is necessary to accommodate her in the classroom. Angela is much more at ease with returning to school in a wheelchair instead of the crutches so that is a praise that things worked out for her to be able to return to school and be comfortable while in the classrooms. So tomorrow we will be going uniform shopping.

The insurance company has contacted us regarding the status of David's car. I expected a much longer wait, but as the slogan says "Your in good hands with Allstate." The adjuster made the decision to total the Sable since damages were more than the value of the car. This was not surprising to us, but the surprise came when we were told how much they would be giving us for the car. I had researched the blue book value when we purchased the car, so I knew what it was valued at. I guess I just didn't look at the same book the adjuster was looking at. The title has been mailed to Allstate and we should be receiving the settlement check in a week to 10 days. So we are now in the process of looking for another used car for David. Neither of us wants to be in a rush.

David also registered for classes this week at PBCC. He isn't taking a full schedule because he wants to be able to work some as well as attend classes at least for the 1st semester. He will have classes on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. With us being down to the one car that is also a praise.

He has been busy with looking for a job but hasn't had much luck. Most places are waiting until the high school students return to school before they hire anybody. Eventually he will find something. In the meantime, our custodian is going on a mission trip next week to Nicaragua and he will be working while he's out of the country.

That is all the news from the Fountain household for this week.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: What is your favorite kind of pie? Apple Pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Soup:Name something that made you smile this week. A conversation I had with Tom earlier in the week.

Salad:What do you do to cool off when the weather is hot and humid? Sit inside with the A/C kicking and a glass of sweet iced tea.

Main Course:You receive $1,000 in the mail with a letter that says you can only use the money to redecorate one room in your home. Which room do you pick, and what do you buy to spruce it up? The two bathrooms. I'd re-paint them a pale yellow, put tile in my bathroom and then buy all new towels, wash cloths, and shower curtains.

Dessert: Fill in the blank: My _________ says __________, but I __________. My heart says be patient, but I rush it.

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." ~ Ephesians 6:4

This is a verse that keeps coming to mind this week. I have struggled immensley to keep from snapping or in general having a bad attitude in when dealing with my children this week. Don't get me wrong we aren't screaming at each other constantly, but I find myself being short with them or snapping at them more than usual. Granted it may be justified, but I am the adult and I shouldn't be responding in this manner. I found a quote that speaks of this and it speaks to my heart.

"Children don't make you who you are, they REVEAL who you are"

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how polite are you? I would give myself a 5. Sadly, there are times when I have been downright rude.

Soup: What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud? Since putting in the projection system at the church, David has been the one that runs it. If he is out of town we have one of the other youth, Josh, that runs it or I run it. On Wednesday night, I offered to run the projection system and give David a break. I got lost during one the songs, so David came over to me and said, "Alright, you stick to driving and I'll stick to running the projection system." It was good to see that he was laughing at himself concerning his accident.

Salad: Who is your favorite cartoon character? Winnie the Pooh or Tigger.

Main Course: Tell about the funniest teacher you ever had. Most of my teachers were pretty serious, except for my 9th grade literature teacher, Mrs. Brown. At the time I thought she was funny, but now realize she had a drinking problem. She would bring a thermos to school each day with coffee laced with brandy. I had her class the last period of the day, so to say the least she was drunk by the time our class started. I remember her reading Romeo and Juliet and acting the characters out. She was of course let go, but it sure made literature fun.

Dessert: Complete this sentence: I strongly believe that ______________________. I strongly believe that God is sovereign in all things.