Holding Hands

Back in May of 1982 I went on a road trip with this guy I knew to attend the weddings of some friends from college. This guy was someone I knew through my involvement in the college Christian group InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. This guy and I were fast becoming best friends. He was very loyal and seemed to really care about me and my well-being. (And as some of you might guess, this guy became my husband two summers later.) My most vivid memory of that trip (aside from the bright pink sundress with matching bolero jacket with white trim I had made and wore to one of the weddings) was that this guy, who was becoming my best friend, held my hand. In my mind's eye I can still see our hands, fingers intertwined, resting between the seats of his 1980 Mazda GLC hatchback. I remember the security and peace and comfort and even love I felt when he held my hand.

Zip forward to 1990. We added a sweet little girl to our family that February. Her big brother was smitten with her and loved to hold her hand and kiss it. When she got big enough to pull her hand away, he would say to me wistfully, "Mommy, remember when Megan used to let me hold her hand?"

 

Then that little girl learned to walk and I would hold her hand as we walked through a parking lot or in the grocery store to keep her safe and close to me. I remember when Megan was 4 or 5 or 6 or 7, I would feel that sweet little hand slip into mine whenever she felt nervous about a new situation. I grieved when she became confident in herself and the big world around her and didn't need to hold my hand anymore.


I also remember the couple of times I have had to go back to the doctor for "further testing". Both times as I was walking in I prayed, "Hold my hand, Jesus" and reached out my right hand to His and we walked in there together. (Both times the test results did not show anything serious. Praise Jesus.)


There have been many nights in our 27-plus years of marriage that I have fallen asleep holding my husband's hand feeling safe, connected, loved.


This morning I was reading in a new devotional Jesus Calling (by Sarah Young) that I received for my birthday. The last couple of sentences in today's reading:

"Enjoy the tempo of a God-breathed life by letting Me set the pace.  

Hold My hand in child-like trust, and the way before you will open up step by step." 

I read these verses to my mom when she was in the ICU two years ago:

Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, 

and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You?

And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, 

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

                                                              Psalm 73:23-26 

Isn't it just the coolest thing that Jesus holds our hand? When I visualize that I feel loved, safe, peaceful, secure, protected, and cherished.

Hold my hand, Jesus, hold my hand.

Cooking

I like to cook.

Lately I have been working on using up some things I've had on hand for a while. Last week I made some brownies and realized after I had it all mixed together that the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and chopped walnuts (those were all in my freezer and needed to be used) were supposed to be a topping. As in put on the top of the batter after it is poured into the baking pan. Oops. (They still tasted quite good.)

Tonight I made "Gingery Pork Meatballs with Noodles."(It was amazing!)

 After I had the meatballs in the oven, I saw that the recipe said to refrigerate the meat mixture for 30 minutes. And after we had finished eating I saw the sliced green onions that were to be a garnish sitting on the counter. Oops again!

That reminds me of a M*A*S*H* episode where Hawkeye and Trapper John are diffusing a bomb. They are following directions that someone is yelling across the compound to them. The directions are something like "Locate the red wire. Snip the red wire. {they snip it} But first, cut the black wire." They dive away to have the bomb explode with propaganda papers.

That's how I've felt like I've been reading these recipes lately. **Sigh**

Friday

Today I'm sitting here in our sun-room watching the snow fall outside and listening to the snowplow. It's all of 3 degrees outside. Brrr! We're supposed to get about 5 inches. I kinda think there already is 5 inches out there. Hubby drove my car today since it has four-wheel drive, so I'm stuck here. Not that there is anywhere to go in this small town...

So today's activities will include finishing up the homework for Believing God. (Hubby and I have been working through that study together.) And I am in the mood to bake something. Something chocolate. There will also likely be some wandering around on Pinterest looking for more ideas of things to sew or cook. I made these rolls for dinner the other night and they were very yummy and quick!

I also want to work on the cover I am making for my sewing machine. It's taken me a long time to get it finished, I admit. But there have been a few things going on around here since I started it, more than two years ago. Things like a wedding and moving to another town. I'll take pictures of it when I'm done and post them here.

Speaking of quilting... (I was you know...) I should show you pictures of the T-shirt quilt I made for my daughter. I think I had a picture of her with it on my Christmas post. But here are a few more details.

I cut apart Megan's T-shirts, ironed on some woven fusible interfacing and squared them up with my rotary cutter and mat.

Up the squares went onto my design wall.

Then my sweet hubby went to work arranging them into rows. Hubby has a great mind to figure out a puzzle like this. He worked on this one Saturday afternoon when I was gone and texted me the photo of the results. I was tickled!

I filled in the blank spaces with more blocks I made from the backs of the T-shirts.

After I had the blocks all sewn together I used spray adhesive to layer the top, batting and purple flannel backing together. I used some good old 3M painter's tape to mark where I wanted to sew the quilting.

 The last step was to sew on the binding. That was a perfect activity while I was at my parents' house celebrating Christmas. I could talk with people, watch my sweet great-nieces be adorable and get a project done.

Here's another shot of both of the kids with both of their quilts!

I hope to one day to make another quilt with Hubby's and my old T-shirts. One day.

The Happenings

Outside my window... there is only a tiny bit of snow! I am beyond happy that we have not had very much snow this winter. It snowed a bit yesterday, but was in the 40s today so it mostly melted! Yay!

I am thinking... that I need to live somewhere warmer. It's only January and we've had a pretty mild winter, but I am already tired of winter and would love to just wear flip-flops and capris.

I am thankful for... my husband's immense patience with me. Today he patiently took me shopping. He stayed in the car and read while I wandered through several stores and ended up not buying a single thing. I told him I had a severe case of DMD (Decision Making Disorder). Oh well. I guess I save money that way.

I am wearing... a red sweater that my daughter helped me pick out when she was in high school and new jeans (that turn my hands blue) I bought when we were in Houston.

I am going... to finish a cover for my sewing machine. I have the top done (for over a year...) and need to layer it and quilt it, then make it fitted to go over my sewing machine. Planning on working on that this week.

I am currently reading... a biography about Eric Liddell. He was the inspiration for the movie Chariots of Fire (1981). He also was a missionary in China. I bought the book for my hubby last year because hubby is a runner and Eric won a Gold Medal in the 1924 Olympics for the 400 metre run.

I am hoping... we can find a church where we come away encouraged. We have been attending a church in the country about 13 miles from here. We really enjoyed it when we first started going there about 10 months ago even though they had an interim pastor. Last fall they hired a new guy and we have been less than impressed with his sermons, but kept going hoping for something better. Today's sermon? Well, let's just say it was marginally Biblical. We're going to see what we can find for churches in a town about 50 miles away. I tell you, this is truly frustrating to us. Truly.

Noticing that... I rarely win a SCRABBLE game on Facebook. But I keep playing. Guess I'm in it for the fun and not the win.

Pondering these words... Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your lord. (Psalm 45:11) 
 
From the kitchen... some extremely gooood Raspberry Sorbet I made last night.

One of my favorite things... Spending time with my husband. (I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that here before a time or two.)

From my picture journal...
Here's a shot of the Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream I made for my mom's birthday celebration.

 [I don't know if it's a good thing or not that I learned how to use our ice cream maker.]

She's Eighty

On the second day of this month my mother turned 80. Isn't that just crazy? I don't think she looks 80 (whatever 80 is supposed to look like), do you?

We gathered at my sister and brother-in-law's house to celebrate her. All my siblings and their spouses were able to be there and that made Mom very happy.

My mom has this thing with chocolate. She loves it. So we indulged her with chocolate covered strawberries, homemade ice cream and cupcakes. Lots of yummy cupcakes!

We all enjoyed spoiling her all weekend. We all pitched in and gifted her with her very own Kindle. (See? Not your typical 80 year old!) She loves to read and travel, so the perfect gift!

Here's a shot of me with my siblings and my parents. (I think my brother-in-law was taking forever to take the picture, that's why I have a goofy look on my face, Yeah, I'll go with that...)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

A New Year, A New Hodgepodge!

Linking up with Joyce today and answering her Hodgepodge of Questions for the week.

 

 
1. Lake Superior University has once again published a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen's English in 2012-

amazing, baby bump, shared sacrifice, occupy, blowback, man cave, the new normal, pet parent, win the future, trickeration, ginormous, and thank you in advance.

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Go here to read more about how the words are chosen.

I laughed at most of the reasons the people in the article wanted these words banned. Buzz words annoy me. Hubby has shared a lot of the buzz words in the business world (move the needle being his least favorite). From the list above I would say that I find these the most annoying: Baby Bump (Your pregnant and it shows, so what?). Man Cave (So many things wrong with that I can't even start...). Thank You in Advance (What if I don't do what they are thanking me for doing???)

2. Are you easily embarrassed?

I don't think so. I can't remember very many times when I felt really embarrassed. We went out for lunch yesterday with some very good friends to celebrate my birthday. He likes to make fun of how old I am (even though he is 9 years older than me). The waitress kindly asked if I was 26, (I liked her instantly) and my friend said, "No, twice that!" (Very! Loudly!) He was trying to embarrass me. Didn't work. (But please know that I am NOT 26 times 2!)

3. What is your go-to snack?

I know I should answer something like carrots or an orange or celery. But in reality it is more often that not, nuts or crackers. This is my favorite trail mix of late:

4. Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? If not do you have any desire to go? What site/attraction would you most want to see in that city? If you have been, what's your favorite site/attraction?

Nope, never been to D.C. I will admit I've been nervous about going there since 2001. But, if someday I went, I would like to see the White House and go to the Smithsonian Museum.

5. Sit ups-planks-lunges-squats...which do you hate the least

Sit-ups. At least I can do a few of those. I think.

6. What's a small act of kindness you were shown that you've never forgotten?

I've been trying to reach back into my memory to think of something that has stuck with me over the years. Not coming up with anything. I'll probably think of it as soon as I hit the publish post button.

But an event from last week stands out to me. Several days ago, I texted our good friends to see if they were available to get together to celebrate my birthday. We live about 2 1/2 hours apart, so I figured out where half-way was and hoped they could make it. He called me last Thursday asking if we could do lunch and while we were hashing out the time, he told me that he was working on moving up some meetings so he could get done early enough to make the lunch because I was very important to them. Brought tears to my eyes. Very kind of them. Very meaningful to me.

7. Have you ever been a blood donor?

Yes. Once in college. I've been turned down a lot because of low iron and I gave up trying. I think it's very important. My baby girl was the recipient of blood when she was tiny and I am forever grateful to whoever donated that blood and likely saved her life. (Go here to read that story.)

8. Insert your own random thought here.
As I've mentioned once or twice in this post, (smile), yesterday was my birthday. Hubby made a big effort to make it special for me, as he always does. He put up our Happy Birthday banners to cheer me in the morning when I woke up. He came home at 11:30 and showered me with presents. (smile) Then we took off for a three hour lunch with our friends. For supper, we drove to another town to meet another couple that evening. That meal only lasted two hours. (smile) In between and after we did a little shopping and I talked to my kids. Fun, fun day.

Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do or Do Without

I decided this morning that I am going to use up the things I have in my house. I was inspired also by a conversation with my daughter and after reading this blog-post from our sweet friends in China.

We've only been in this house for 1 1/2 years and we purged quite a bit as we unpacked boxes, but somewhere more stuff crept in.  I've been thinking about this for a while, but after cleaning out my train-case this morning, I decided to make it a goal. Anyone know what a train-case is? My hubby gave this one to me on our wedding day. It matched the luggage that I had at the time. 27 years later I still use this when we travel.

As I cleaned it out today after 6 weekends in a row of being out of town, I found all these things in there I got from all sorts of different hotels we have stayed in.

and then I found this in an overflowing drawer in the bathroom.

All these things are the small sizes you get in a hotel. That's a lot of shampoo, conditioner, lotions and soap! I am on a quest to use them all up. I'll sure be clean and smell good!


Last month I re-organized the freezer and found a bunch of food items that need to get used. There were several meat patties I had bought sometime last summer for on the grill. I really don't have any idea if they were pork or chicken or turkey. One night I broke them up and browned them, added BBQ sauce and put it over some baked potatoes with some grated cheese. Hubby asked what we were having for supper and I answered, "I have no idea. I'll call it.... BBQ Mystery Meat." Despite the mystery, it was quite yummy.

My quest to purge also took me to the medicine cabinet and, sure enough, there were some expired cold medicine and things we never use that ended up in the trash. 


This morning I looked through the pantry and tossed some items that had expiration dates from the year 2009. I don't think I can consume something knowing it's that old. Yuck. I'm going to try to figure out how I can use the things that are in there and then only replace them when I am planning on using them in a recipe

Boy, I guess I am on a roll, huh?

Next stop all the condiments in the refrigerator. Where do they all come from?

I'm also going to try to extend this using it up thing to my sewing room and see if I can make at least one quilt from just the fabrics I have. Believe me, that shouldn't be too hard at all!

Even though I don't set New Year's Resolutions, I think this quest could qualify, don't you?