A Religious Observation

After much thought about what and how to write this, I have decided to just sit down and start writing.  This has been weighing on my mind for quite some time, and really hit home a few days ago.

I've written before about how frustrating it is at times to see people fighting for equality, yet in their battle for equality they become the oppressor.  This specifically comes to mind regarding religion.

Please note, I am not picking on any one belief whatsoever.  I'd be doing exactly what I'm annoyed with!  Rather, I'm just using examples I have seen lately in my own personal life.  Please don't think I am singling out any one religion or belief system!

Recently, I have read numerous facebook posts, news articles, and more regarding Christianity - mostly posted by atheists.  I only point out that they are atheists for one reason: that they do not believe there is a god.  If that is truly the case, then why are they offended so by only Christianity?  Why are we not reading posts by them to also rid the world of all other religions with a god?  I was told by one atheist friend that it was because all religions needed to be accepted.

HUH!?

If all religions are to be accepted, then why not also Christianity?!

Many of those news articles were also full of half-truths regarding Christianity.  Either they did not do very good research, or they didn't care.  It really did hurt me that not only were they bad-mouthing people who believe as I do, but they were also using information that we as Christians do not even believe!

Now, for the other side of the story.  Far too many times have I seen Christians acting absolutely no different. I like to sit back often, and watch how so many Christians behave, and, frankly, it is no wonder we are hated so.  We can be judgmental.  We can be condescending.  We can be....you get the picture.

One of my dearest friends, who I have known for a couple of years, recently opened up to me that she was not a Christian, rather, she was a Buddhist.  I had already gathered this, just from knowing her, but my first reaction when she told me was sadness.  NOT sadness because I was bummed that she wasn't a Christian, but sadness because she felt that she couldn't tell me because I was a Christian.  Had I done something to make her wonder if she could tell me?  No, not I, but others.  I knew she trusted me to open up like that, but it truly broke my heart that too many Christians would have flown off the handle, and tried to make her change.

Since I have known her, I've always told her I would pray for her if she had a prickly situation in her life.  Her response has always been "Thank you!".  She very easily could have said "Yeah, no thanks.  I don't like that, and I am not a Christian so stop shoving it down my throat!!!!"  But she never did.  Instead, she understands that is just one way I, as a Christian, show people I love and care for them.  I could have walked away from our friendship, because she doesn't believe in Jesus the same way I do.  I could have told her why I thought she was wrong.  Instead, I realize that she is still one of the closest friends I have, and regardless, I love her.  Simply, I accept her for who she is.  I feel certain she knows I will pray for her, just like I have always done, but I think she also knows I'm not going to attempt to change her!

Where is the mutual respect?  I know it can happen, because I saw it happen in my own personal life.  (Maybe she and I are just that awesome...hehe!)

What if atheists realized that when Christians say they will pray for them, it is just a kind act rather than an attempt to change them?

What if Christians spent more time silently praying for those around them, in love, rather than acting like vigilantes, and running out on people who disagree with them?

What if an atheist ignored the words "God bless", instead of wanting it removed from everything?

What if Christians stopped treating non-Christians like the plague, and truly showed the love that Jesus taught us too?

Just my two cents worth.

Weekend Plans

Oh thank God.  How happy I am that it is Friday!  This week has just been rough, and for no particular reason, either.  Just rough, and I am ready for a break!

I'm excited about tomorrow, too!  Flower's step-mom is coming in to town, so she and I will be heading over to see her.  I know Flower is really looking forward to getting to spend some time with her.  They don't live close to us, so they don't get to visit very often.  It will be a real treat for Flower!  I am so thankful that her step-mom loves and cares about her as much as she does.  It isn't often, in a divorce situation, when the mom, step-mom, and daughter can all get along.  But, God's hand has been on our relationships, and I can say now that I am thankful for the input, love, and security Flower's step-mom brings to her life.  I'm excited for her that she gets to visit with her!

After I drop her off, the plan is to go shopping with my sister.  Not just any old shopping either.  My sweet sister has asked me to go looking for, and trying on, wedding dresses with her!  I am quite excited!  I have been married twice, so this will be the first time I get to be on the other side, watching someone I love try on dresses!  I'm hoping we can also squeeze in a few stops to some antique stores.  I have my eyes open for a few things I'd like to get for my house.  (Actually, I have a few things in mind that I would like, but don't even know if they exist...so I am *hoping* I can find them in an antique store.)

Let's not tell Barb Wire Man I want to go antiquing.  He will take the checkbook away from me.

Let's do tell Barb Wire Man that I would love nothing more than to come home to an entry way that has been completely textured, and is ready for me to paint next week.

Enough for today.  The kiddos are finishing up their morning snack, so its time to get ready for music time, then on to lunch!

Have a wonderful day and be blessed!

Epic Fail

Yesterday was simply not my day.

The day started off ok, nothing great, but nothing horrible, either.  I got Barb Wire Man off to work, Flower ready for and off to school, and the daycare kids started arriving.  My first clue to the day starting to shift toward sucky started when I poured my last cup of coffee before 7:00.  That is never a good sign.

Then, I took a bite of my delicious, farm fresh, hard-boiled egg, only to watch the yummy middle shoot out the other end and roll from the dining room all the way into the living room.  Despite the fact that I just cleaned and vacuumed the carpets, the yolk of the egg picked up every single string, piece of fuzz and dust that was in my house, making it inedible.

The kids were really awesome yesterday, and that is always a good thing.  One of my little boys is potty training, and he did so good yesterday!  All you moms out there know what an enormous deal that is!  I thought perhaps the dynamics of the day were switching.

I decided to make some baked fish for lunch.  The kids and I love fish, but of course, Barb Wire Man doesn't.  The only time I make it is at lunch.  I stuck the fish in the oven, walked off, and started sing/dance time with all the littles.

We were seriously jammin' to kid's tunes!  The kids were singing and laughing, and I was getting a good workout jumping around the house dancing with them.  Until...

Little Man said "Oh Mama, dere's a fiiiire!"

Honestly, my first thought was "Oh. Holy. Shit."

I quickly told all the kids to grab hands and stand by the door, which, surprisingly, they all did immediately.  They never obey like that.  I assumed they heard the panic in my voice and decided that if there was ever a time to be obedient, this was it.

I ran into the kitchen and sure enough, smoke was coming out of my oven.  And I don't just mean it was a little smokey.  I'm talking, billowing.  Enough so that I literally was choking for lack of air, with tears streaming down my face because the smoke was burning my eyes.  I had somehow mistaken the "bake" button on my oven for the "self-clean" button.

Yes, I know.  I rock.

I turned the self-clean cycle off.  However, my oven locks down during a self-clean cycle until it is completely cool, so I couldn't even take the fish out.  It just sat in there, smoldering.  I made all the kids go to my bedroom, because it is the only room that has a "real" door instead of an accordian type door.  I turned the cartoons on, and told them to "be good for just a minute."

Thank God is was in the 80's yesterday, because I had to open every window in the house.  I turned the vent fan above the stove on to high.  I got all the fans in the house and pointed them so they would blow smoke away from the kids.  I turned all the ceiling fans on.  I cried, though I'm not sure if it was because I thought I was going to die of smoke inhalation or because I was overwhelmed with the thought of what could have happened.

I went in to check on the kids, who were in the only room not filled with smoke.  They were happy as larks, jumping on my bed, giggling, and having a blast playing in the room they are normally forbidden from entering.  It was a huge game for them!

Needless to say, we didn't eat fish yesterday.  In fact, I've never seen anything burned quite like that fish.  We ended up eating microwaved leftovers.  My house stinks so badly.   I have singe marks on my stove top and oven door from the amount of smoke that was coming out of the oven.  I've washed my hair twice because, to me, it still smells like smoke.

I'm so thankful, though, that smoke is all there was.  Most of you know how terrified I am of fire, because it killed my grandmother, but to make matters worse, this happened just 4 days before the anniversary of her death.  And I was using her pan to cook in.  After all the daycare kids left, I broke down and cried.

Later that evening, Little Man came up out of the blue and reminded me that he loves me, our daycare friends love me, Flower loves me, and Daddy loves me.  I'm thankful for God's protection, and I'm thankful that, even when I royally screw up, my family still loves me.

My apologies for not posting pics.  Picking up the camera was the last thing on my mind, though now, I wish I had captured the moment....

Celebrating Texas Independence Day!

HAPPY TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY, my friends!

Yes, many of us actually do consider this a national holiday.  National, you ask?  Yep.  Because many of us who celebrate Texas Independence day still want Texas to be fully independent.

176 years ago on this date, Texas adopted their Declaration of Independence from Mexico, and officially became the Republic of Texas.  Fifty-nine men signed the declaration at Washington-on-the-Brazos, in a blacksmith shed (more on that, later!)

On my Daddy's side of the family, I am a 6th generation Texan.  On my Mama's side, I'm a 9th.  When asked about their heritage, most people will proudly claim "I'm German", "I'm Irish", or, in Barb Wire Man's case, "I'm Norwegian."  They are very proud of that heritage.  When asked mine, I proudly answer "Texan!"  Many of my distant family members were in Texas before some families even came to America.  I'm proud that my family members had much to do with making us the great state that we are.  While we haven't been able to hard confirm it, the little blacksmith shop where the declaration was signed was most likely owned by a member of my family.  I have family who fought in the Battle of San Jacinto, and the Battle of Bexar.  One ancestor was one of the first Texas Rangers!  We have documents and letters signed by Sam Houston that were given to our family, thanking them for their service to our great state (Republic at the time).

Texas is to me, a state of mind.  A way of life.  A heritage I am proud of.

As John Steinbeck said "I have said that Texas is a state of mind, but I think it is more than that.  It is a mystique closely approximating a religion."  Indeed, that is the truth!

"Honor the Texas Flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one stat under God, one and indivisible."

Penny Pinching Meal Ideas

Yesterday I wrote about how to turn one fryer chicken into 6 meals, plus 8 jars of chicken stock.  Writing was about the only productive thing I did yesterday!

Today, I thought I'd tell you another way I use one large cut of meat for numerous meals!

During my big grocery shopping trip, I also purchased a 4 pound roast for $15.92.  When I buy roast, I typically buy the absolute cheapest per-pound cut, so really, that is pretty high for a roast,  It was all that stupid store had, so I really had no choice.  I use roast meat for so many things, and it is something I really need to have around.

Once I got home, I sprinkled Real Salt all over the roast, then placed it in my slow cooker.  I added enough water to come about half way up the roast, then turned it to low and let it do its thing.  (That is why I love slow cookers....how easy can it be?!)

When the roast was completely cooled, I let it cool.  While it was cooling, I poured the broth into my big stew pot, added a little water, then covered it, allowing it to stew for a bit.  I was able to get 4 jars of beef broth, but didn't can them yet.  (I pressure cooked the cans the same day I did the chicken broth, to help conserve energy and water.  Just like with the chicken broth, you must have a pressure cooker to can beef broth.)

I started working and cutting on the roast when it had cooled.  Since Mr. Picky (aka Barb Wire Man) is so picky, we don't eat plain roast with gravy because he doesn't like it.  I was able to get out enough meat for:
4 shepherd's pie
2 round of bbq sandwiches
3 pots of stew

Broken down, I got 4 jars of beef broth and 9 meals out of a 4 pound roast for $1.22 each.  Not the best I have ever done, but still, not too shabby if you ask me!

One thing to keep in mind is that I use the roast and chicken in meals that do not require a huge amount of meat.  Very rarely to I use more than half a pound of meat.  In fact, it is probably closer to 1/4 pound per meal for my family of four.  In chicken salad, I use a small amount of chicken, but once the boiled eggs are added it doubles in size.  The same goes for the beef I use in shepherd's pie and stew.  A small amount of meat goes a very long way once you start adding those fresh veggies in with it!

Does anyone else have any uses for roast?  Be blessed!

Frugality and Health

Two posts in as many days.  Think I am setting a record here!

I am the type of person who hates to waste anything.  My mom says I just can't let things die, and she is right.  But, you know the old saying "waste not, want not"?  I can't throw something away if I know I can utilize it in some way.  Plus, I want to be a good steward of the things God has given me.

Some people have asked me what type of things I do to save money, be frugal, and waste as little as possible.  There are so many, I can't ever think of them all, but today, I will share one thing I have done this week to be frugal.

On Sunday, when I purchased my groceries, I bought a whole, organic fryer chicken for $6.92.  It was a little higher than the chicken I normally by, because it was a hormone free organic chicken, but I am going for health here, so I thought it worth it.  When I got home, I immediately threw it into my biggest stew pot and boiled it until it was done.  I will leave out the story about how I forgot to take the bag of giblets out, because the chicken I usually buy doesn't come with giblets.  We won't talk about how Barb Wire Man laughed his butt off at me for cooking those giblets in the plastic bag the entire cooking time.  Anyhow....  Once the chicken was cooked completely, I chopped it up.  Barb Wire Man does not eat chicken, so a whole fryer goes a very long way.  I was able to get 6 meals out of this chicken for my kids:
1.) Plain chicken with veggies
2.) Mac and Cheese with chicken
3.) 4 bags of chopped chicken, which I froze, to use for chicken salad at later dates

Once the chicken was cool, and completely de-boned, I reserved the broth it cooked in, plus all the bones (which I broke up).  Yesterday I put it all into my big stew pan, along with a carrot, a chopped celery rib, half an onion, and a bay leaf.  I let it simmer for a good 12 hours to make chicken stock.  If you haven't had homemade chicken stock, you are missing out!  It tastes about a gazillion times better than what you can buy at the store.  Plus, I was able to keep salt and other things I don't want in there out!  Once it had simmered until I thought it was just right, I was able to can 8 jars of stock!  (Note:  You must have a pressure cooker in order to can chicken stock.  A boiling bath will not get the jars hot enough to make sure all bacteria is gone.)

So, to break it down, I got 6 meals and 8 jars of chicken stock for a whole 49 cents each!  You can't even buy one jar of pre-made chicken stock for 49 cents!  (Sorry about not having any pictures!  I didn't think to take any while I was actually making the stock!)

It certainly takes time, and energy to do that, however, in the end, it is worth it to me.  I'm saving on my grocery bill, but more importantly, I know exactly what my kids are eating.

I hope to write more posts on the little things I do that help save money, and help me feed my kids more nutritious meals.  In the meantime, what are some things you do to stay frugal?

Be blessed!

Just Call Me Superwoman!

Yes, I know, I have not written in over a month.  No, I have not forgotten, but some things have just had to take a backseat lately.

I've totally changed my family's diet, and believe it or not, that really is occupying a lot of my time.  I really always thought that we ate a pretty healthy menu.  I cooked nearly all of what we made, but took lots of liberties.  For example, my idea of homemade spaghetti involved using a jar of pre-made sauce, though I would never go so far as to make Hamburger you know what.  But, after doing some reading, started to get really disgusted with things we buy at the store, and how misleading labels really are.  Did you know the ingredient "natural flavors" is far from natural? They alter it in labs, singling out the "best" part of the flavor gene, then use that.  Sure, that seems good, except then our tongues are trained to only want the "perfect" flavor, and it becomes addicting.

So, we have become a "real food family".  If it isn't something that comes naturally, we don't eat it.  (When I say we I really mean the kids and I, and Mike sometimes).  That means a lot more time in the kitchen.  I'm not perfect, and sometimes something slips in, but I am really trying!  A friend recently pointed out in her blog how we often hear about how the under-privileged are most often overweight, because they cannot afford "health foods", but that in all honesty, it is hard for anyone, regardless of income, to find healthy, real food in a big chain store.

Boy was she right.

I have two groceries stores in my town.  One being Walchainstore, which I hate, and the other is a locally owned store.  Now, the locally owned store is trying to carry more real foods, but with only about a quarter of an aisle, there isn't much to choose from.  The other has more, yes, but certainly not an amazing selection.  I have also noticed that the healthier, real, and organic foods are almost always way up on the very top shelf.  Or, on the very bottom.  With limited selections, I'm just having to make more on my own.  More of my own bread, sauces, you name it.

Tonight, I made stuffed manicotti.  Oh my lands was it yummy!  I used whole wheat manicotti (which I didn't make myself, because it was organic and had only "real food" ingredients.  For the stuffing, I sauteed red, yellow and orange bell peppers with garlic, Real Salt, and pepper.  I wilted a little baby spinach with some olive oil, then browned a quarter pound of hamburger (for the all beef Barb Wire Man) with about a quarter cup of rolled oats.  I mixed it all together with some freshly grated Parmesan, and spaghetti sauce.  I didn't make my sauce this time (hey, I was making soap and canning chicken broth at the same time I was cooking supper!), but did find a really, really good organic spaghetti sauce.  This has Ragu and Prego beat under the table, and the only ingredients are tomatoes, onions, sugar, sweet basil, sea salt, EVOO, Garlic, black pepper, fennel and oregano.  I topped it with some more of the sauce and sprinkled it with mozzarella and Parmesan.  Oh, was it good!

In the last two days, I have also cooked two roasts, cooked and de-boned a whole chicken, canned 8 jars of jelly, canned 8 jars of homemade chicken stock, and made soap.  So, I have been a little busy!

Hopefully will be checking in more often!  Have a blessed day!