On Reactions

I was just asked by Google to give them my phone number.  If I don't, I could lose all my information if I forget my password or get hijacked.  I think I will take my chances.  I don't need anyone else trying to sell me anything by phone.  I don't think I will forget my password.  If I do, then so be it.  Have any of you ran across this?

That is not why I signed on to my blog.  I had a thought that crossed my mind the other day about dealing with spouses.  We have been married 31 years and I do think it has finally gotten somewhat easier.  Don't let this discourage those of you that haven't been married but just a few years.  I am sure it won't take you as long to figure out your spouse and their wierd  different ways.  As I posted earlier, Gary and I have both started trying to use a treadmill faithfully.  We turned Gary's office/guest bedroom into an exercise/guest bedroom.  We moved Gary into my real office which is another whole story in itself that I really can't post about since Gary reads my blogs.  Life goes on.

Since the room has a treadmill now, it must have a tv.  Purchase number two (treadmill being number 1).  Then the tv needed a home so we made purchase number three.  (Maybe it would have been cheaper to join a workout center!)  I looked the internet and local businesses over and finally found the right media cabinet for our room.

I absolutely love the finish it has.  It so goes with our house and the decorating style I have used.  We had to wait weeks for it to come in.  Finally, it arrived.  Of course, where we have this sitting in the room, it blocked a huge G. Harvey print that was hanging on the wall.  The print needed to be on the opposite wall and that is where life's lesson came into play. 

The room is pretty tight on space and due to the weight and size of the painting, I had to have Gary's help to hang it.  I had a small metal table in the room and I put it over next to the new media cabinet to get it "out of the way".  When Gary picked the painting up to see where I wanted it, the painting bumped into the little metal table which fell into the new media center.  Metal against wood.  Not good.  How would you have reacted to your husband sending your precious, one of a kind metal table flying into your new, precious media cabinet?  Precious, or .......

Would you tell him how stupid he was?
Would you yell at him?
Would you go balistic?
Would you point out for him to be careful because he could be damaging something?
Would you have said, "Babe, you need to watch what you are doing"?
Would you have called him something you wouldn't want your children to hear?

That is my point today.  He is an adult.  He didn't pick the painting up and say to himself, "Let's see how many things I can destroy while this is in my hands."  He knew, as well as I did, the consequences of what just happened.  I didn't need to point out his mistake.  He is an ADULT.  He could figure that out for himself.  He didn't need me helping him make that judgement.  What he did need was my assistance to pick up the little metal table, move it over just a little more (and even possibly while moving it, I could check out the new media cabinet for any damage, for which I am thankful to report to you, there was no damage.)  What good would it have done for me to complain?  None whatsoever.  Would it have changed any thing? In fact, the next time I needed help, he might not want to help me.  It was a time to keep my lips sealed and to say nothing and show no disgust on my face.  Stay calm and collected.  IT WAS AN ACCIDENT AND HE IS AN ADULT!  He didn't need a lecture or one of those looks that would kill.

So many times in life, we need to keep our mouths closed.  We don't need to say everything that is running across our minds.  None of us are perfect. 

Matthew 7:12 reads, "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

This one verse could save a lot of relationships.
Have a Blessed Day!

Bacon Grease

It stinks getting old, especially when your life centers around food, and the doc (God love him - he is a dear true friend) tells you that you have to change your eating habits.  Actually, it is probably more like you have to give up ALL your eating habits.  What makes it even worse is when you have the opposite problem that your spouse has.  I am not suppose to eat fat - he is not suppose to eat sugar or carbs.  The only thing left that we can share are green vegetables.  Not good.  But you know, it isn't near as bad as even a few years ago.  New products are coming out all the time to make your life better when you have to eat healthier. 

I grew up where you never threw out the bacon grease (yes, we really ate bacon and still do when the babe and the farmer come to town).  Bacon grease was a necessity if you were cooking in the South.  It was used for cooking almost all vegetables, making gravy, scrambling eggs, greasing the pan for biscuits - you name it.  We stored it in a jar and never ran without.  And if a little flavored the pot, a whole lot made it wonderful.  This was like Paula Deen and her butter.  A real Southern cook had to have her bacon grease.  I am here to share with you that you can get the same flavor without the grease.  I have found three wonderful new seasonings that bring back the flavor in cooking.

This little box is a life saver!  It comes with 6 or 8 little packets.  Just dump one packet into the vegetable you are cooking along with the broth or water that you are using and you will never know you didn't have the bacon grease.  It is wonderful in peas, green beans, and last night I made cabbage in a skillet with this and my next product and water.  NO grease, olive oil, butter, PAM whatsoever.  And it was just as good as the real thing.  And it has all zeros in the nuitrition label except for sodium.  You may not even need to add much salt when using this product. 

I added this to the cabbage also.  It is J&D's Bacon Salt - Original.  This is Gary's favorite new thing to cook with.  He adds it to everything!  Sure glad he doesn't make desserts!  (Oh, we aren't suppose to have those anymore.  oops! Dr. Gabbie - sorry)  It is a low sodium product or so it says on the label.  It is another way to add the flavor of bacon without the fat.  I found both of these products at Super One Foods in the seasoning section.  If you can't find them in your favorite grocery store, you can always order them online.

This last product was actually the first one I found out of the three.  Boy does it make hamburgers taste better, even if you are grilling them.  It is also great in a lot of vegetables.  It just gives them a hint of out doors cooking.  And have you noticed how Wal-Mart is getting new things all the time.  I found mini cucumbers there that looked about the size of a wiener.  They are wonderful and crisp.  No large seeds in them.  They also had mini colorful sweet peppers to add to the salads.  They look like miniature bell peppers.  Use one or two of these when cutting up your salad and you don't waste the other half of a large one.  We love those in our salads.  You know salads and broccoli are about all Gary and I can share these days besides the treadmill. 

Have fun cooking healthy and have a Blessed Day!

Guard Your Heart

My heart suddenly became burdened today for young couples.  I know that problems can happen in all marriages, but it was young couples that spoke to me today.  I just wanted to take a moment and say, "Guard your hearts and your families."  Don't take any family member for granted.  Treat them as special as you would if you knew that you would never see them again after today. 

Recently, I saw a young couple that you would consider the ideal young family.  They are successful, have a darling family, go to church, involved in the community....you name it, they are the epitomy of what you think a young family should be.  But I was told, rather matter of factly, that the young father was known to have cheated on his wife.  My heart was BROKEN!  The family is together and I don't really know any circumstances or details or even if the rumors are even true, but it got me to thinking how easily life can change. 

We sometimes get wrapped up in our children, our jobs, the community, the church and let those closest to us fall by the wayside.  Take time today to tell your spouse how much they mean to you.  Do something, maybe weekly, to make them feel special.  It doesn't have to be big - just special.  And, most of all, never put yourself in a situation where you can be tempted.  Married people do not need to go on a regular basis where singles hang out.  Does that sound anti-social?  Old fashion?  Maybe it is, but maybe it will save a marriage.  Is your marriage worth it?  Don't you think it would be better to do activities with married couples who have healthy relationships?  Why put yourself in the position of having to say "No" to something that could break your marriage apart?  Life is hard enough when you avoid these situations all together.  Sunday school is the best place in the world to find friends trying to make a great life for their families.  They will have more in common with you than anywhere else you might look for friendships.  It is a great place to start life long friendships with people all working for a common good - family.

On another day this past week, I was around a young couple who is doing it right.  They started their marriage by joining a church and getting involved.  I mean really involved.  Before they started their family, they were teaching in the childrens department at their church.  They had made many wonderful friends in their church and you could tell, the church loved them.  When they had the birth of their first baby, the hospital room was proof that the church loved them.  They had visitors coming and going from the church. Lots of young couples visiting.  It gave me chills to see how this young couple has grown in the Lord.  They are guarding their hearts, serving the Lord and trying to do things right and I told them how happy it made me to see how their lives were going in such a wonderful direction.  They are not my biological children, but they are my children in my heart. 

You choose the life you want to live.  Learn from other's mistakes.  Keeping a family together for a lifetime takes work.  It is hard work sometimes.  And, it is even harder when you don't allow the Lord in to help.  One of my favorite verses in the Bible speaks to this.....

Proverbs 4:23  "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

Have a Blessed Day!

Gold Dust

Should I assume that those of you who did not comment on the last post actually got your feelings hurt?  (SMILE).  We all have that happen occasionally.  I decided I needed to make a neutral post so I am going to give you a wonderful recipe for a seasoning mix.  It is from a dear friend of  my mother's.  This lady is now in a nursing home with Alzheimer's which makes this recipe all the more special.  I will give you the recipe and then tell you how I have used it.

MaMa's Brisket Rub
8 - 11 lb. brisket, trimmed
1 cup meat tenderizer
1/2 cup hickory smoke salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
3/4 cup chili powder
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/3 cup paprika

Mix all ingredients together except for brisket.  Store in a jar.  Rub brisket liberally with seasoning mix.  Bake, covered at 200 degrees for 14 - 16 hours, OR,
Bake, covered at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 250 degrees for 4 hours. 
You can also put it in a browning bag when cooking this way.

Now for my story - I couldn't find the hickory smoke salt so I made the mix without it.  I had a pork loin and wanted to smoke it so I added the rub minus the hickory smoke salt to the loin, put it in the smoker for 4 hours and served it to Gary for dinner.  I had tasted it right when it came out of the smoker and thought how good it was!  Gary was eating it for dinner and said he thought this was the best meat he had ever had in his mouth.  Score one for me!  The flavor was outstanding!!

A couple of weeks later, I decided to grill some hamburger patties.  I added this rub to the meat along with some frozen chopped onions and a small amount of real bacon bits.  As Gary was eating his patty (no bread), he said this is really a great hamburger patty.  I confessed I had used the same rub as I used on the pork loin.  Score two for me!  We have started calling it gold dust, because it was really making meat taste better.

Then, I decided to finally use it on a brisket.  Gary has always loved watching cooking shows that deal with barbeque.  He has never quite perfected the art of cooking a brisket.  The last one he tried, he marinated for days in some concoction and then sent it to the smoker.  He ordered me to mist it with apple juice several times during the day.  It was a major ordeal.  I smelled like mesquite wood all day.  The brisket turned out ok, but not perfect.  Really too black on the outside (duh - the sugar in the apple juice burned).  We ate it, talked about what he should do different.  He wasn't quite there yet on perfecting a brisket. 

Well......I decided to cook MY brisket a few weeks later.  I sprinkled the rub on the brisket liberally (still minus the hickory smoke salt) and put the brisket in the smoker. Nothing more, nothing less.  I never misted it.  I totally let it cook on its own.  I cooked it 8 hours and we brought it in.  You guessed it.....a great brisket!  I do think you need to add some salt to the brisket rub if you don't have the hickory smoke salt.  That was all this brisket lacked.  And, if you don't have a smoker to cook the meat in, you would really need the hickory smoke salt to give it that wonderful smoked flavor.  But I think this rub will make any meat taste better.  It was also suggested that the rub be applied the night before cooking to allow it to work better, but I am here to tell you, it was good even when it didn't have time to "work". 

Gary says he is giving the meat smoking up to me.  I assured him it was not me, but a simple rub.  Don't you find most of the wonderful things in life are simple - not complicated. 

Have a Simple, Blessed Day!

GROW UP!

I have a real pet peeve that I am going to rant on today - people who think of themselves as responsible adults yet they get their feelings hurt over and over and even worse, they are always telling people they got their feelings hurt.  I just want to go up to them and say "GROW UP!" Someone doesn't come over to speak to them - they get their feelings hurt.  Someone did this for one person and not for them - they get their feelings hurt.  Someone forgot their birthday - they get their feelings hurt.  Someone has some material possession which they cannot have - they get their feelings hurt.  Someones children treat their parents better than their children treat them - they get their feelings hurt.  Someones child is a starter on the team and their child is surely better than that one - they get their feelings hurt. (That one really bothers me because they teach their child to react in this same way.) Someone is asked to participate in something and they weren't - they get their feelings hurt.  The list can go on forever.  They get their feelings hurt over the small and the not so small.  No one or no thing in life is quite good enough for them - ever. I know the Lord must have blessed me with the gift of over looking most things in life that people do that annoy or should upset me and for that I am SO thankful!  My motto is life is too short to get upset over the little things.  But I also feel life is too short to let the rather large things in life upset you too. 

I think this concept came across to me probably after having a child.  I realized then that life is NOT about me.  So many parents never realize that.  They still want life to be all about them and their children take second place.  Excuse me!  If you want to have first place, then don't conceive children.  Once you have a child, you move on to second base.  They are your responsibility and they should come first.  You should WANT them to be first.  They need their clothes washed, their tummies fed, their minds stimulated, their bodies hugged, their souls loved, their bottoms spanked, their attitudes corrected - the list goes on and on.  It is your job, your duty, your hearts desire to do these things for them.  More than likely, there will not be any time left for you for at least 18 years.  Does that sound awful?  Then you are probably getting your feelings hurt on a daily basis.  You should have so much love in you for that child that it is no more about you, but about caring for them.  When you become selfless like this, then you stop getting your feelings hurt.  That is the beginning of this process. 

You begin seeing your life as how can I help those I love, and maybe even those I don't love, rather than how can everyone help me. Selfishness is the root to getting those feelings hurt.  It is not all about you. You should want to help others and be glad they do not have to help you! There are lessons to be learned when you feel you have been wronged and that is how I try to look at life.  Maybe the Lord put that unjust thing in my life to teach me something.  Don't get your feelings hurt.  Learn from it. You are responsible for making YOUR life good or bad.  NO ONE ELSE is.  Not your spouse, not your children, not your co-workers - YOU.  If you find yourself in the position of having hurt feelings more often than you should, look at yourself for the solution and not to others.  Maybe keep a log of when you get your feelings hurt and what the situation was.  You may be surprised at how often this happens.  When reading over the log, you may even be surprised at how childish the things are that hurt your feelings.  If it were someone else getting their feelings hurt over this, would you think they were being petty?  Concentrate on helping to make others happy.  Forgive the person that hurt your feelings. Ask Jesus to change you. Acts 20:35 says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."  I say, if you concentrate more on giving, you will have less hurt feelings.  Life is not always fair.  It is how you deal with the unfair times that shows the world the real you.

Have a Blessed Day!