Bad blogger bad bad blogger-goodbye for now

 I have figured out that I only blog when it is easy and convenient for me. I know that is selfish and I am sorry to any of you that had any hope of me putting out regular posts.
 All I have ever really wanted in life was to plant roots deep and have a quiet life. I have finally come the the realization that is never going to happen for me. I am constantly uprooted and tossed about on the wind. Half the time I don't know if I am coming or going. Right now my only focus ( despite having to move and having no where to move to) is getting my daughter through school and ready for life away from mom and dad.  I really just want to quit everything right now ,God wants me to be a vagabond and I hate it and it makes me depressed.  I honestly don't care about church or moving or any productive thing I could be or should be doing. It feels like it is all too much and that I am drowning. I hate thinking about my son it makes me unbearably sad. I go back and forth between praying for him and trying to forget I ever had a son. I am simply just a shell of myself going though the motions to keep my household running. I promise to blog again when I can pull myself together. Again I am sorry I have not done all the wonderful things that I had so hoped to do.

The Parable of the Lost Son

  
¹¹ Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. ¹³ And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. ¹⁴ But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, ¹⁹ and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
²⁰ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring^[b] out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. ²³ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ²⁴ for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
²⁸ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

The brown sugar video

I have broken this up into 3 short videos so you didn't have to watch 5 min. of mixing. : )
So the ingredients are: 1 cup of sugar and 2 Tablespoons molasses
Instructions: Pour 1 cup of sugar into mixer add 2 TB molasses to sugar . Turn mixer onto stir or low setting for the initial mix and the up to the first or second setting to mix . Mix for about 5 min. stopping once or twice to stir any molasses off the sides of the bowl and back into the sugar.

Brown sugar slightly postponed.

I'm very sorry I didn't get the brown sugar video up this week but I expect to have it done for you and up on the site in the next few days. : )

Stay tuned- next week - Brown sugar

Next week I will be posting a video on how to make brown sugar at home.

You might say well I don't use it very often and its pretty cheep to buy. That's OK this is good to know in case you have the (emergency ) oh no, I don't have enough or I forgot to get some at the store or even for something you decided to whip up at the spur of the moment. Like croutons this is easy and good to know how to do.

Croutons from Scratch

Ingredient list:
4 slices of bread
2 TB Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. each of seasonings
2 TB olive oil

Instructions:
cut bread into 1 inch cubes
They can be sliced with a knife ,cut with scissors or torn for a rustic look. They can be cut smaller if you prefer but remember to cut the cooking time to compensate for the smaller cubes.
Choose your seasoning ,your cheese and your oil.
Mix your seasoning ,cheese and oil into a small bowl
then pour in bread cubes and toss well.
Put in 325 degree oven and bake for 10 to 15 min. or until crisp to the touch.

I hope you enjoyed this video and are ready to make some croutons of your own. : )

Ladies you have been heard

 Thank you for your comments. I am really excited to start this !
Videos on from scratch cooking is definitely doable.

I love to try out new things in the kitchen and I have had hits and misses for sure.

I am going to start with spices because they are a fun way to liven up foods you already make.

Have you ever added a little dried yellow curry to your mac n cheese ? 

Understanding spices

This link will tell the main uses for most of the herbs and spices in your kitchen. 

But with that said, You shouldn't be afraid to try an herb or spice in a new way.

Cinnamon

This is one just for cinnamon

My oatmeal cookie recipe uses cardamom 

Spices
a visual tour

A red powder made from grinding dried sweet red peppers; used as a garnish and seasoning. The color varies from bright orange-red to deep red, depending on the peppers used. Most commercial paprika comes from Spain, South America, California and Hungary. Hungarian paprika is thought to be the finest, and will be labelled as from the Szeged region. In Hungary there are six classes or types of paprika ranging from delicate to hot. To maintain the stronger taste that consumers expect, some spice companies add cayenne to heat up Hungarian paprika. Commercial food manufacturers use paprika to add color. If a food item is colored red, orange or reddish brown and the label lists "Natural Color," it is likely paprika. Paprika releases its color and flavor when heated. Thus, sprinkling ground paprika over colorless dishes may improve their appearance, but does little for their flavor. Similarly, if you want to color the contents of a dish, stir the paprika into a little hot oil before adding.
Ingredient
Season: available year-round
How to store: Paprika deteriorates quickly, so it should be purchased in small quantities and stored in a cool, dark place for no more than 6 months.
Matches well with: cauliflower, chicken, crab, fish, goulash, lamb, potatoes, rice, shellfish, stroganoff, veal
The info above is from Food.com

I like to use smoked paprika in potatoes and cheese sauces.

Curry ,turmeric and paprika can all be used to color foods in small amounts. Which I learned from trail and error trying to color my homemade mac and cheese. My personal preference is paprika because it imparts a nice color and a nice flavor. As a side note a tsp. of hot sauce in a large dish of baked mac n cheese really takes it to a whole new level.

My next personal favorite spice is CHILI POWDER which is actually a mixture of spices. It also has variations of hotness.
Chili Powder recipe

I like to buy most of my spices in the bulk section at Winco Foods , I know it has equivalents in most states here in the U.S. It a warehouse type store. You will pay significantly less for your spices. Now I said most because there are certain spices they just have not carried in the bulk.
 How long can bottled spices be kept; what is the shelf life? 

They don't go bad but they will lose flavor over time. 

Next is spice storage :

Store in cool place away from light. Do not store in a window or in sunlight. Heat and light are not a friend to your spices. With that said I keep my most used spices right out on the stove because they will not last long enough to be affected enough for me to tell. Now all of my lesser used spices are in a drawer away from the heat of the stove.

Those of you who know me know that I don't like onions or garlic. I do use both onion and garlic powder sparingly in some of my cooking. That is what led me into a whole world of other spices just waiting to be explored.

This is a list of spices I use all the time: creole seasoning,black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, yellow curry, cayenne, dry mustard. I also use several kinds of salt. I only use regular salt to put in boiling water for pasta and in baking because otherwise the amount called for is affected. So alternatively in my cooking I use either kosher salt, Sea salts- flake salt (larger than kosher) I like it on home fries, fine and coarse .

I hope this has been helpful and please post any questions on spices that you have. This was really kind of an overview but I can certainly write about any specific spices and how you could use it.  

Like to cook ? Hate to cook? tell me why !

Watch for up coming post on cooking for the kitchen impaired.
Please leave comments and questions about what you would like to see or know about.
I will even try to make a video if you would like.

We will be discussing things like : What is that spice ? and What do I do with it?
How much can I really do with a crock pot?
I will also tell where I was, Where I am and where I want to be. Cooking wise that is. : )

Love: More than a feeling

We are assured of God's love again and again in scripture and in Christ's death for us.
Romans 5:8 ; 1 John 4:9,10
Love isn't simply to make us feel good. Rather it is an action that often demands very practical and even uncomfortable ways of giving love.

• Love is NOT optional- We are COMMANDED to love one another. ( 1 John 3:11, 23 ; 4:11)
• Love IS demonstrative- Our love for God is demonstrated in how we love others. ( 1 John 3:14; 4:7, 20)
• Love is ACTIVE, an act of the will- We must DO acts of love. If we close our eyes to the needs of others,our love for God is called into question. ( 1 John 3:17)
• Love is Responsive- We can love because we have first been loved and are loved by God.(1 John 4:19) God's love causes us to respond lovingly to others. ( 1 John 4:21)
• A few other scriptures to read : Romans 5:8; 1 Cor. 13:13; 1 John 5; 1 Cor.13; Gen. 2; 2 Sam.6;
• Prov. 5;  Hos. 2; Amos 3; 2 Cor. 13; Heb.12; Song 2
•  

Deeper love ...
down to our very soul
It's there we have an anchor who will not let us go;
The Lord who calmed the sea is the One who sees us through;
He's given us...a deeper love.
By: Diane Machen

All About Love
 Question                                    Answer                      Reference
The source of love                         God                           1 John 4:7-10,16
The model of love                          Christ                           1 John 3:16
 The manifestation of
love by believers                         Love for others              1 John 4:21
The extent of love                       Sacrifice of life                1 John 3:16
The results of love                      Abiding presence
                                                   of God and life               1 John 4:12,16; 1 John 3:14

Lord, You are the beginning, the end,
and the very essence of love in me
. Open my eyes to see as You
see and love others through me. 
By: Sandy Smith 

The attributes of love reflect both feelings and loving acts .( 1 Cor.13:4-8.) True love is characterized as :
 patient and slow to anger
kind and gentle to all
unselfish and giving 
truthful and honest 
hopeful and encouraging 
enduring,without end.

Love:
Agape (gk.) -Indicates a choice to serve God, to love your neighbor,to accept without expecting something in return

Love:
Philos (Gk.) -Refers to esteem and affection reflected in the loving concern friends have for one another.

Eros (Gk.) -Describes appetitive, self-centered love, including sexual desire and physical craving.

Stergos (Gk.)- Alludes to affection, especially among family members.

Homemaking in the Bible

Household tasks

Women have traditionally invested much of their time in the daily tasks that are necessary for maintaining the family household. These things are commended in PROVERBS 31:10-31 and the admonition instructing women to be "homemakers" (Greek oikourgos, Literally means "homeworkers" in Titus 2:5
These tasks were routine :

• drawing water ( Genesis 24:19,20,43,44)
• grinding grain ( Isaiah 47:2 ; Matthew 24:41 ; Luke 17:35)
• spinning wool, weaving fabric, making clothing, laundry (Provervs 31:13 ; Acts9:36-42)
• preparing food (Proverbs 31:21)
• caring for children (Proverbs 31:210 
•  

Social tasks

• offering welcome, food, and rest. HOSPITALITY (Genesis 18:6 ; 1 Timothy 5:10)

Spiritual tasks

Women have always played a vital role in the spiritual nurture of their children. They,by nature of time invested and their own natural nurturing skills, have a unique role of influence and responsibility for instruction.

• 
  Shaping the spiritual values of children (Deuteronomy 6:7-9 ; Proverbs 31:21 ; 2 Timothy 1:3-5)
• Preparing for the Sabbath- filling the oil lamps, cooking special foods in advance of the Sabbath, drawing extra water.
• For many generations in Judaism, the wife and mother has prayed for her family after lighting the candles on the Sabbath.
• Someone in the family would then recite Proverbs 31:10-31 in her honor.  (how awesome is that?)
•  

  Ladies: to those of you who work either because you want to or by circumstance have no other choice I say this to you:  We have been sold a lie ! We cannot have it all ! When we attempt to have it all something or someone will suffer. Be honest enough to realize that work or home takes the higher place in your life.
It is almost always home that suffers most because work leaves no room for home nor does it care.
Home is more forgiving and more neglected. It takes a huge amount of time and energy to keep a house in tip top shape -husband and children fed home cooked meals -and your time and love given to each of them.
Being home is a full time job their is no doubt about it. If you work outside the home you are only working part-time in your home.
  I often hear women say things like that a clean house is overrated and home cooked meals are not important.
I don't believe them I believe it is a defense mechanism formed out of guilt from not fully caring for their home.
I know this because I did it myself. Working ladies I do not tell you this too be hateful. What I am asking is that we do not continue to spread this lie that you can work and have family without any loss. It doesn't mean they still cannot choose to work but they need to know it with their eyes wide open.
In my own case when I worked both home and work suffered because my allegiance was split between the two.
I know the first thing some of you will say is that there are women that worked outside the home in the Bible.
Yes this is true. I am not saying it is wrong to hold a job. I am saying holding a job and caring for a household is more hours than there are in a day and you will never do both fully.