Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?????

Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 04:51 by AMY JO - 6 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I love the song, "Held" by Natalie Grant.  I have sang it and cried tears over it for some time now, but when they played it on the radio the day after my mom died, it became even more near and dear to my heart.

You see so many think bad things happen to good people, and why would God do this.  Why would God take that person away, or let this or that happen.  If He can do all things, and if He is all knowing, why didn't He stop this???  Simply put???  That isn't who God is....and it isn't who He promised He would be either.

Now, before you turn away and close this blog, hear me out.  God never told us we wouldn't have bad times, and trials in our lives.  He never promised to keep us from sadness, sickness, etc.  He didn't say as a child of His that we would never experience these things.  He simply said, when we do.........He would be there for us!!! 

No, life isn't fair sometimes.  A 3 year old dying while swimming with his family.....is not fair.  A 3 year old having her life taken by her father and then killing himself...........certainly not fair.  Loosing both of my parents at age 63 was completely not fair.  I remember speaking to my pastor after they died, and saying it isn't fair!!!  He said you are right.  You got cheated out of more time with your parents.  You feel like you didn't get what you deserved  and it is ok to feel that way, as long as you don't STAY there long.  I think I was there for months, probably longer than I expected to be.  But then I realized, I didn't want to live in the shoulda coulda woulda life.  I wanted to make my parents happy, remembering the good times, not focusing on the unfair moments.

This song talks about that......when all else fails....and you feel like giving up.......that is when,  you will be held.  Close your eyes dear one, fall into his arms, and let Him hold you.  Cry on His shoulder.  He is always there for you.  If you will only stop accusing Him of hurting you, and let Him hold you, and help you to heal.  He didn't do this TO YOU!!!!  And he didn't glory in your trials.  NO, like any loving father, He doesn't like to see you hurting.   Read the words to this song, and if you have the means, please listen to the song.  Just close your eyes and listen. 

Two months is too little.
They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling.

Who told us we'd be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We're asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It's unfair.

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred numb our sorrow.
The wise hand opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

Bridge:
If hope is born of suffering.
If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

Making You Fall Dinner Menus? (Fall Dinner Ideas and recipes)

Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 04:01 by AMY JO - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link

 Here are some wonderful fall recipes that my family loves.  I hope your family will love them as well!

1.  Porcupine Meatballs

(serves 4)

This is a recipe my mom has been making since we were little.  I remember taking the recipe to school with me for  Home Ec one day and fixing it.  All the class were supposed to make something, and then everyone voted on which ones they liked the best.  These meatballs were one of the winners.  Now after reading this recipe you might think, as my home ec treacher did, uncooked rice??? YES!!!  I am sure Ms. Pauling...uncooked!!!  She called my mother to make sure before she would let me make them. LOL 

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup uncooked rice

2 T minced onion or 1 T dried

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cans (10 3/4 oz) tomato soup

1 cup water

1 egg lightly beaten

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT water and tomato soup in a bowl.  Combine and form meatballs and place in a Dutch oven.  Mix water and soup, and por over meatballs.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until done.

2.  Autumn Pork Chops

(serves 4)

4 pork chops

3/4 cup BBQ sauce

3/4 cup apple juice

1 T oil

Brown pork chops on both sides in oil until done.  MIx BBQ sauce and apple juice together and pour over pork chops.  Reduce heat; simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

3.  Slow Cooker Chicken and RIce

(serves 6)

1 1/2 cup long-cooking rice, uncooked\

2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into strips

8 oz pekg cream of broccoli soup mix

2-3 cups chicken broth

Place rice into a greased crockpot and top with chicken, set aside.  Combine soup and chicken broth and pour over chicken.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, adding more broth if neccessary.

4.  Sausage and Apples

(serves 4)

1 lb pork sausage links

5 aqpples, cored, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp EACH: cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla

Brown sausages in a skillet, reduce heart and cover.  Mix remaining ingredients together and add to skillet.  Cover adn simmer until apples and sausages are tender, about 30 minutes.

5.  Skillet BBQ'ed Pork Chops

(serves  4)

4 boneless pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick)

1 T seasoned salt

1 T butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup water

1.2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup honey BBQ sauce

1 T worchestershire sauce

2 tsps. cornstarch

1 cup cold water

Srpinkle pork chops with seasoned salt.  In a large skillet, brown chops on both sides, in butter until browned, and set aside.  In the droppings, saute' onion until golden brown.  Add the water, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and worchestershire sauce.  Return chops to skillet.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until juices run clear.  Remove porkchops and keep warm.

COmbine cornstarch and cold water until smooth, and stir into skillet.  Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until thickened.  Serve this over pork chops.

6.  Apricot Honey Chicken

For some reason chicken and apriocots were born to be together.  LOL  This is a simple quick dish!

(serves 4)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 T oil

3T apricot preserves

2T orange juice

4 tsps honey

In a medium skillet, cook chicken in oil for 7-9 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.  Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.  Cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.

7.  Cranberry Pork Chops

(4 servings)

1 okg. (5.4) Near East Whole Grain Blends, Roasted Pecan and Garlic

1 T vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced

4 boneless pork loin chops, cut 1 inch thick

salt and pepper

1 can (16 oz) whole cranberry sauce

1/4 cup orange juice

Cook whole grain blend according to package directions.  IN a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion, and cook until tender.  Season porkchops with salt and pepper on both sides, and cook in skillet until browned.  Stir in cracnberry sauce adn orange juice.  Heat just to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes.  Serve pork with whole grains and fruit sauce.

8.  Lemon Chicken

I love this lemon sauce, but hubby doesn't.  So I fix the chicken, and the sauce separately, and put the sauce on my chicken and vegetables while Matthew eats his without the sauce.

(serves 4)

4 skinless, bonesless chicken breast halves

3 T flour

2 T EACH: butter and olive oil

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Pound chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness.  Dredge lightly in flour, reserving the excess.  Melt butter and oil over medium-high heat until it sizzles.  Cook chicken 4-5 minutes, turning once, until done and juices run clear.  Remove chicken.  Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes.  Which in broth and lemon juice; heat to boiling and let thicken.  Return chicken to pan and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper.

9.  Chicken Pot Pie

A favorite of my mom's cooking.  When I miss her, I fix a dish from her favorite recipes to make me feel near her again, and this is one of those. 

(serves 4-6)

2 pastries for a 2 crust pier

1/2 cup EACH: chpopped onion, sliced celery, and flour

3 cups chicken broth

10 oz bag frozen mixed vegetables

6 T butter

3 cups cooked cubed chicken

1 cup peeled and cubed potato

1 tsp celery salt

Cook potatoes and celery until tender; add frozen vegetables and cook another 5 minutes; drain.  Saute' onion in butter until softened.  Blend in flour and salt and brown slightly.  Add broth and cook until thick and bubbly.  Add chicken adn vegetables.  Prepare pastry for the bottom of the pie pan and trim edges.  Pour in filling and top with 2nd pastry.  Seal edges and flute.  Cut steam vents and brush with melted butter or milk.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

10.  Chicken Parmigiana with Homemade Marinara Sauce

This is one of my hubby's favorite dishes.  While we were dating, we didn't have much money, and we ate at my apartment alot instead of eating out.  I fixed this dish with bow tie pasta the night that Matthew kneeled on the floor and proposed to me!!!!  I should have known something was up when he pushed his food around the plate and barely ate any of his favorite meal. LOL

(serves 4)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 Parmesan cheese

2 tsps. Italian seasoning

4 T butter

1 cup shredded mozerella cheese

hot cooked pasta

Marinara sauce, recipe to follow

Place milk, egg, and flour in 3 separate shallow dishes.  Combine bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese in a 4th dish.  Dip chicken in milk, roll in flour, dip into egg, then coat in bread crumbs.  Brown chicken in butter over medium-high heat, until golden and juices run clear.  serve with pasta and sauce and cheese.

Marinara sauce

2 T oil

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

28 oz can tomato sauce

2 T dried parsley

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

Flavors of Fall (Our families favorite fall soups)

Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 03:18 by AMY JO - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Hi all.  I love fall, and the cool weather we have had here in MIssouri for the last two days.  I am afraid it is going to warm up again, and I don't want it to!  LOL  I love fall, the colors, the leaves, the pumpkins, wearing my favorite sweaters, hayrides, etc.  And I do love soup weather as well.  So I decided to share some of my families favorite fall soups and other recipes with you.  I love to cook, and love the compliments I get from my cooking, but like many of you, I simply don't have time to spend 2 hours in the kitchen preparing it!!  So most of mine are crockpot meals (saves electricity anyway), and other quick meals.  Well, here are a few:

1.  South of the Border Chicken Soup

(Serves 4-6??)

(I have posted this before, because I love this soup even in summer with fresh corn and tomatoes instead of frozen or canned, but it is especially good on those cold chilly days.  I shared the recipe with my friend tractorchick72 here on HSB and it is one of her new favs and she says her son loves it as well!!)

1 tsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups cooked adn shredded chicken

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 cans (14.5 each) diced tomato

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

1 can (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup

2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth

Saute' garlic and onion in oil.  Stir in reamaing ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for one hour.  Optional: Garnish with a dollop of sour cream adn some crushed tortilla chips.  (Yes you can do this in the crockpot!!!!  Super easy!  And this soup freezes very well!)

Yummy Beef Stew

(serves 8)

2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

3T vegetable oil, divided

1 cup water

3 large potatoes, peel and cubed (1 inch)

4 medium carrots, sliced

1 large green pepper, 1/2 inch cubes

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsps salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 T instant beef bouillon granules

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoews, undrained

Brown meat in oil in a Dutch oven.  Add water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 2 hours.  Stir in bouillon and tomatoes and heat through before serving.  (This recipe was from a Taste of Home book.  The original recipes calls to put the stew in a nice hollowed out pumpkin and bake it.  Then when scooping out the stew, you scrape the inside of the pumpkin to get some pumpkin in your stew as well.  I am not a real big pumpkin eater unless it is in pie, so I don't do this.  But it does sound interested and fancy doesn't it???)

3.  Broccoli Cheese Soup

(serves 4)

1 cup chopped broccoli

4 cups chopped fresh broccoli

2 cups peeled and diced red potato

1/2 tsps garlic powder

2 2/3 cups chicken broth

1 Bay leaf

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

12 oz can evaporated milk

Saute' onion with non-stick cooking spray in a Dutch oven.  Add 2 cups broccoli, potato, garlic powder, bay leaf, and chicken broth; bring to a boil.  Cover, and reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Discard bay leaf.  Puree broccoli mixture in batches and then return to pan.  Stir in remaining broccoli, cheese and milk.  Cook until tender.

4.  Jeanie's Sausage Bean Chowder

This recipe came from my mom's best friend.  She died about 6 months before mom did and I was so glad when I went through my mom's recipes to find this one, still in Jeanie's handwriting on a recipe card!!!  This is one of hubby's favorites!!!)

(serves 6)

2 lbs sausage, browned and drained

2 (16 oz each) cans pinto beans

46 oz tomato juice

4-5 diced potatoes

1/3 cup dried onion

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 Bay Leaf

1/2 tsp each: thyme, and garlic salt

1 1/2 tsps Lowrey's seasoning salt

Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven (or crock pot) and simmer for 2 hours or until potatoes are done.  Remove bay leaf before serving.

5.  Best In The West Bean Bake

This recipe originally came from my Aunt Mary, my mom's sister, and now the whole family has this recipe and fixes it often.  It is like a baked bean soup almost, and don't forget to serve lots of cornbread with this one!!  YUMMY!!!!  This reminds me of deer season each year at my grandmother's.  They boys would gather early adn go hunting, and the women folk would gather early making hot soups and cornbread and biscuits, pies, cakes and cookies for the gentlemen.  At lunch time, the men came in to show down, and the women folk would clean up afterwards, and then add to if needed for supper.  Supper was the same, eating, and cleaning up.  But the times in between the kids played, the women sewed or crocheted, and visited.  I miss those times!

1 lb hamburger

1 onion, chipped

1 lb bacon, chopped

1/2 cup BBQ sauce  

4 T prepared mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

4 T brown sugar

16 oz can red kidney beans, undrained

16 oz can pork and beans, undrained

16 oz can butter beans, undrained

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Brown hamburger, bacon and onion in a Dutch oven.  Combine remaining ingredients and bake for 1 hour at 350.   Of course this is another that could be done in the crockpot.   The butter beans sound unusual??? Yeah, maybe it is.  I don't like butter beans, but I love them in this dish. LOL  If you don't like them, or the other beans, substitute your own choice.

6.  Easy Texas Chilli

1 lb lean ground beef

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 cups water

1 T chili opwder

1 tsp salt

16 oz can chilli beans, undrained

6 oz can tomato paste

Brown meat with onion and garlic in a Dutch oven until meat is no longer pink.  Return meat to pan and stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

7.  White Bean and Ham Soup

2 cans (15 1/2 oz each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

2 carrots, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 T butter

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp white pepper

1 bay leaf

Mash one can of beans, set aside.  IN a large saucepan, saute carrots and oinon in water and add remaining ingredients, including the mashed beans.  Cook over low heat until heated through and discard bay leaf before serving.

8.  Sausage With Four Beans

(serves 6)

1 can (28 oz) whole peeled Italian tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) of EACH : cannelli beans (or great northern), pinto beans, butter beans, kidney beans

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

2 garlic cloved, minced

1 Bay leaf

2 tsps dried parsley flakes

1 tsp dried basil

1.2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp pepper

1 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage links

4 pieces precooked bacon, crumbled

Combine all ingredients in a 6 quart crock pot, making sure to polke the sausages down into the liquid.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.  Cut sausages into serving size pieces and serve with bean mixture.

9.  French Onion Soup

(serves 6)

2 T butter

3 large onions, peeled and sliced

1 can (14 1/2 oz) beef broth

3 cups cold water

1 Bay leaf

6 sliced french bread, toasted

\1 cup shredded mozerella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a large skiller and cook onions over medium heat until golden brown.  Add broth, water, and Bay leaf.  Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and preheat broiler.  Ladle soup evenly into 6 ovenproof bowls.  Top each with a toast slice and sprinkle with mozerella and parmesan cheese.  Broil 5-10 minutes or just until cheese is golden.

10.  Italian Bread Soup

(serves 4)

2 cans (14 oz eac) chicken broth

4 cans (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undiced

3 cups Caesar-style croutons

1 cup chopped onion

1 pkt. ( 0.7 oz) Italian dressing mix

grated Parmesan cheese

shredded fresh basil

salt and pepper, to taste

In a slow cooker, combine chicken broth, tomatoes, croutons, onion and dressing mix. Cook on HIGH 4-6 hours.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

I hope your family will love these soups as much as mine does.  Maybe you can start making your own family memories with these yummy cool weather soups.

Please feel free to print out these recipes.

Keeping in touch with your homestead blogger friends.

Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 02:50 PM by Rilda - Link

Thank You Jesus For Everything!

I was visiting a blog and someone was wondering how you keep up with your friends. Someone told how.

This is what you do. When you are on your blog your link in the white thingy just go up to it and after / type in friends. Then do what ever to get to that site, I just enter and brings my link up. Anyway it will bring my blog up with the new entries of my friends right on it. It is simple! I then save in my favorites.

I hope this explained it enough where you can understand it.

 I am new at this stuff and trying to learn as I go. It has been a challenge although I love learning something new. It seems to make you think clearer and creative.

Have a blessed weekend ALL!  rilda

Gustav and Summer UPDATES!!!!!

Posted on September 5, 2008 at 12:15 by Karen - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

WE HAVE ELECTRICITY AGAIN!  There were several "Thank you, Lords" and "Hallelujahs"  spoken (loudly) around here by my hubby and I when the power came back on yesterday at 5:pm!!  I even found out today that at least one of our grocery stores is up and running and has replenished what they lost.  So after being shut in for days I'm off to the bank and the store today.  I hope I never take those things for granted again...try going for very long without your bank, grocery store or gas station...

As for my daughter, Summer, she is expected to be in the hospital on into next week we know.  They are trying to reach her Urologist but haven't been successful due to the phone systems being down in the city where he is.  They have found that one of her kidneys is not emptying like it should.  It's emptying at about half the speed her other one is and there is a blockage.  That's probably why she's been swelling so much.   All along it's been kidney stones and infections but now kidney function?  That worries me a lot.   Poor thing.    Thank you for remembering her in your prayers.  God bless you for that!

Final Storm Preparations & Oh Yeah, The Ants Were Right!

Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 08:13 by amanda - 4 Comments - Post Comment - Link

 Family & Friends~

It seems that Hanna is heading our way. We are now under a Tropical Storm Warning/Hurricane Watch. The forecasters say that we should "feel" the brunt of the storm during the early morning hours of Saturday.

 I like it much better when these kind of storms come in during the day. Just listening to howling of hurricane force winds with no lights on in the house is a scary experience.

We won't evacuate for this storm. We'll ride this one out. We made it through Fran with 120 mile an hour winds. Hanna's winds are expected to stay between 65-75 mph. We feel safe enough where we are and that's about 45 miles from the coast.

Now, that other storm out there, Ike, looks to be a different storm altogether. If that one keeps up its wind speeds and heads our way, we will be evacuating. We live in double wide mobile home and know that winds in the excess of 120 would tear our home apart.  Sweet Lord, please keep all of us safe and in your hands!

Here goes the list of the final preparations:

Wash all clothes
Bake some brownies (hurricane comfort food)
Clear the yard of all debris
Put up all of my hanging baskets
Clean the house  (I do that all the time)
Get ice and fuel (hubby is taking care of that)
Fill tubs & washing machine with water (for flushing toliets)
Precook extra meals to be put into the coolers for dinner if power goes out
Make up extra gallons of tea
Get radios fitted with new batteries

I really should have paid more attention to those ants that invaded my home earlier in the summer. They really are a sure sign of a hurricane in our area. They have ALWAYS shown up in the house, everywhere, before hurricanes come. I should have listened to hubby. (Read my post about the ants from earlier this summer. Trust the ants people!)

 Please keep us all here in southeast NC in your prayers. I know that The Lord is in control of all. I just get a wee bit apprehensive when these storms come our way.

Bless all who pass this way and for those who are in the path of this storm, stay safe!

Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7

Hanna, go away and don't come again another day!

Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 08:25 by Isabella - 3 Comments - Link

All of the outside chairs and such are put in the garage out of harms way. Dh and I worked on this before he went to work this morning. Dh didn't know if he would be home afterwork or if he would have to work later (this evening or for a week). We just never know what will happen with a storm. Just pray for Dh and all the people he works with.

Today is a "scheduled" day off for our homeschool. We need a break every six weeks, cleaning one day(Tuesday) and today is a free day. I stocked up on books yesterday so I will read. One more load of clothes to wash and dry. I will try and have supper finished by 1:00PM. Never know when the power will go out. We will use paper plates and paper towels if it does. That saves a bunch of mess in this situation. Hope everyone has a blessed day. Say a pray for us and all the people in the path of the storm. God Bless. I

No Manners, No Eye Contact, and a Permissmon Face

Posted on Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 11:21 by AMY JO - 4 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I did some light shopping this last Sunday after church at the Super Wal-Mart.  We weren't in the store long, but while there, I noticed several people that I just wanted to toss on the ground and tickle till they laughed and couldn't breath.  LOL  I mean there were people in that store that look at you while pushing their cart and if looks could kill, I would have been 6 feet under!!!  ONe old lady had the most sour persimmon, or maybe lemon face on.  She looked at everyone with her nose wrinkled and her brow wrinkled and an awful look on her face and "Do not even try to make me smile" was virtually written across her forehead.  After passing her and making sure no one was looking, I tried to make the face she was making, and it honestly HURT!!!  My forehead and brow hurt from making that face.  I can't imagine how badly her face must hurt after hours and days, possibly months and years, after making that face continuously.

I try to be polite in crowded areas like this, and even if it is not my fault, will always say, oh excuse me ma'am, or excuse me sir when I walk past them, or have to swueeze up the aisle. But I get the stare down when I do.  As if, what the H#%& do you want lady???   When I am walking up an aisle and someone is in the middle of it, I will try to move over and wait until they are done to pass them, and I try not to take up a whole aisle while looking for my own purchases.  It is amazing how you can come up an aisle and all of a sudden, the woman who was so nicely helping her daughter pick out just the right kind of hairspray, will push her cart in the middle of the aisle blocking your passage, and not only that, but give you the look, as if to say, "I was here first!!!  You can just wait until we are good and ready to leave!!!!"   I see parents letting their children drive grocery carts like they are little racecars all over the aisles without supervision, and think, shouldn't you have to have a lisence to drive one of these?? LMSO  Shouldn't you be mature enough to handle all that power first, or possibly shouldn't the parents PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR CHILDREN AND DISCIPLINE THEM A LITTLE?????  I mean most parents just smile at you when their child almost side swipes you with a cart!!!!

Now when I first starting telling hubby this when we had finished our mini shopping spree and were headed home, he made a comment that older adults are treated so poorly by most, that maybe they think you are going to treat them with the same disrepect.  Then I told them, no no, these were not mature eldery people on medicare.  No no, I have fun visiting with them in the store.  They usually light up when they see Noah and he waves at them, and if I say hi to them they just beam and ask me all sorts of friendly questions about Noah and is he talking, how old is he, etc.  No, these were people between their 40-60 maybe.  These were people that are old enough to know better.  People who I am sure if their own parents were alive, would have repremanded for acting so selfishlessly and ignorant in public.

Let me also add that in my case, it is mostly the women who are treating me and acting like this.  I don't understand it.  Now, there have been a few men who have given the death glare, but most are nice and polite and say excuse me ma'am, or will move out of the way for you to come down an aisle when needed.  I think it is mostly gentlmanly politeness, and maybe it is simply because I am a woman, but I enjoy it, and I thoroughly expect my husband to be like that with other women!!!  He opens doors for me, but for other women as well.  If we were on a bus and there was no place for a woman to sit, he would stand up and let her sit while he stood next to me.  I want him to be polite and help a little lady out if she has dropped her groceries in the parking lot, and I have seen him do it before too!!

So tell me ladies, have any of you experienced this same thing??? 

Please make sure, at any age, that you are not one of these sour puss faced ladies!!!  Remember when you are out and about, that you are supposed to be showing them who you are, a Child of God.  Show them the love and respect, and unselfishness that God would want you to.  Even if you only see that person for 5 seconds, make sure you are polite and they remember your smile and kindness instead of your sourpuss face and rudeness!!!

In fact, even when I am in line at the store, I make sure to speak politely to the check out guy or girl.  I have watched while standing in line how rude customers can be.  Crossing their arms and huffing and puffing and complaining about how long of a wait they have, and whispering loud enough I can hear, so I know the check out gal hears them as well, about how slow she is.  I started thinking one day about how they must get that all day long!!!  Or the people who just see them as "woking class" and don't think they have it in them to speak to someone who is "beneath" them on the ladder of success.  Yeah, I have seen this many times in line as well.  You can tell they want to hurry up and get out of there and hopes no one talks to them before they do.    I have found out that I get better service where I shop or eat when I speak to the check out lady or the waitress.  If I see a name tag, I will call her by name and say, sorry you got stuck with me in your line today, I have 2 carts worth of groceries!!!  LOL  (We shop monthly)  And that usually breaks the ice, and she will repond with no problem, its my job or something.  I will ask her when she gets off work and what she plans on doing after work.  This usually gives me a little information about her, whether she is going home to fix dinner for hubby and the kids, or whether she is going home to do homework, etc.  I just keep light conversation while she is checking me out, and I always try to say thanks for taking care of my groceries for me, and tell her to have a nice day before going.  I always leave her with a smile, and even the most sullen faced, tired, aggrivated check out gal, or waitress will return my smile by the time I leave.

So, my other question is, do you converse with people at the store, or the resturant??? Or do you treat them like workers, and that this job is theirs to do??  Oh how I hope you all are the first!!!  Remember these servers and clerks are people too!!!  They work hard for the money to take home.  They leave their family and friends to work and deliver your food and sack yoru groceries!!!  Don't treat them like you have absolutely no appreciation for what they do.

Just think about it next time you go into a resturant to eat our, or the next time you go into a store, whether it be a large chain store, or a small mom and pop store, to be personable.

Finally a Pair of Overalls That Fit (Especially for you Pregnant Gals!!)

Posted on Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 11:18 by AMY JO - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I am so sorry, but I could not resist!!!  LOL  The first thing I thought of when I saw this was, that would come in handy while 8-9 months pregnant!  LOL   Ok, I am not sorry!!!!  LOL  I think it is hilarious.

For anyone who sees this and might be offended:

Get over it!!!! LOL  Loosen up a little and have a great laugh once in a while.  And wipe that stern look off your face.  LMSO   I crack myself up!!!  I really do.

Yours to live

Posted on Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 10:02 PM by Rilda - Link

Thank You Jesus For Everything!

This day is yours to experience. This life is yours to live. This world is a place in which you can act to make a positive, meaningful difference. This moment is one that's filled with possibilities.

It can often be difficult to make your way forward, and it is all too easy to lose sight of the unique and beautiful person you truly are. Take time to remember the best that is within you, and know that your authentic, miraculous life is stronger than any obstacle.

Choose to fill this day with your very own special expression of what it means to be alive. Right now is your opportunity to fulfill those yearnings that have always called to you.

You have the power to take any ordinary moment and put joy into it. Your happiness comes not from what you may seek to take away from life but from what you give, what you create, and what you share.

This is your moment to live with all the purpose and richness you can imagine. Realize that nothing is really holding you back, and make this the best day ever.

-- Ralph Marston

We limit ourselves I believe because we allow fear to control us, lets become childlike and then the sky is the limit cause you never knew what you can do until you try. Let's not look to others to make us happy~ we can do that ourselves just by looking within and finding the real us that has been hidden and then discovering the real I AM.

Living, laughing and learnin, rilda *U*