Awakening

Do  you ever wake up from a good nights sleep and find a song floating through your mind?
For me, it's songs of worship. Some, myself included, often wonder how we know if we are hearing from God or if it is us hearing what we want to hear. But, when I awaken to quiet with only a song's melody and beautiful words, I know I've heard from God. I know.

The song this morning is Holy (Wedding Day) by The City Harmonic (featuring JJ Heller). Enjoy the video with lyrics below.

This is the story of the Son of God

 Hanging on the cross for me

 But it ends with a bride and groom

 And a wedding by a glassy sea

 O death where is your sting

 Cause I'll be there singing

 Holy Holy Holy

 Is the Lord

 

This is the story of a bride in white

 Waiting on her wedding day

 Anticipation welling up inside

 While the groom is crowned as king

 O death where is your sting

 Cause we'll be there singing

 Holy Holy Holy is the Lord

Holy Holy Holy Holy Holy Holy

 Is the Lord Almighty

 Holy Holy Holy Holy Holy Holy

 Is the Lord Almighty

 Who was and is and is to come

 Who was and is and is to come

This is the story of the Son of God

 Hanging on the cross for me

 And it ends with a bride and groom

 And a wedding by a glassy sea

This is the story of the a bride in white

 Singing on her wedding day

 Of the God who was and is to stand before a bride who sings

 Holy Holy Holy Holy Holy Holy is the Lord Almighty

The Older Man

Eyes in the crowded waiting room fell upon us as we stepped in the room. Oh great. Dad will certainly win our bet.

This particular doctor's appointment most certainly ends up with an extreme wait time. As we were pulling out of my dad's driveway a half an hour earlier, I threw down the gauntlet and made my best guess on how long we were going to have to wait. I wagered forty-five minutes. My more optimistic dad laughed and countered by waging an hour and a half.

 

While we were waiting [and waiting some more] I noticed a woman helping her mother with her jacket and telling an older man it was nice to meet him. I soon discovered this older man was waiting on his wife, she is 85 years old, she's an artist, she is beautiful and how long they've been married. I smiled to myself as I continued to read my book.

 

Soon another person came in the door and he started an interrogation process. I was ever so glad I wasn't the object of his interrogation. "Where are you from" "Why are you here" "Who are you picking up" "What are you having done" and on and on. Phew, I was glad I had my nose in a book and he wasn't talking to me.

 

It wasn't long until I felt eyes upon me. I looked up and this older gentleman and a few others were looking my way. Apparently I was supposed to be paying attention to their conversation??? This is where it got a little weird. He soon turned his attention to my dad. He asks my dad if I was with him. As in if I was his wife or girlfriend. Ick. My dad doesn't like to give out personal information, especially about his health. Nor does he like it when someone asks way too many personal questions. I just kept reading my book and let the two older men talk. Well, it was more like the older man doing all the questioning and my dad giving one word answers. Awkward.

 

Soon I heard him commenting that I must be rude and find the book more interesting than him. Excuse me? I looked up to see him leaning across my dad staring at me. I smiled and mentioned I thought he was having a nice conversation with my dad and didn't want to intrude. Well played, Deanna, well played.

 

He soon turned his attention to another person who was reading a book. I began to wonder what this man had against reading. I honestly wasn't paying attention to their conversation until I heard him say, "That is not what God's Word says." I tuned in at that statement.

 

Apparently he found out this woman used to work in the school system and thus began children’s' behavior 'now-a-days' conversation. Soon the woman said she can't talk much about that because her daughter had a baby when she was twenty-one and she wasn't married. Oh boy here we go. However, soon his wife's appointment was finished and she was at the receptionist area making another appointment and his attention turned to her and proceeded to tell my dad how beautiful she is and she's an artist, she is beautiful, she is eighty-five...

 

To be brutally honest, I was glad he was leaving. Although he seemed to be a delightful man, I wondered about his tactics. He told everyone around him, "God bless you." as he finished his conversation with them. Even grabbed a nurse’s hand and told her. But, I wondered if his approach was a turn off to some.

 

If you are representing God, do you tell a stranger that having a baby out of wedlock is not God's plan when you don't know her daughter is that "sinner"? Are you representing God when you ask 101 questions? I'm not sure. I just know it was a turn off to me. Yes, I was polite when he talked to me but one must remember we are all created differently. He, obviously, an extrovert. Others in the waiting room, introverts.

 

I'm a representative of God. How do I represent Him in the waiting room? I don't have the answers. I do know God made us all different. What a boring world it would be if we were all the same.

 

I have nothing against this older man. He seemed sweet. Others may love his approach. Perhaps God used him so I could think and search how I represent Him.

A Little Fun

During this time of an election year, things can get a little nasty.

I'm not sure about you but I get tired of it. I want to go into hibernation mode so I don't have to answer the phone only to find out it is a political call. I don't like to see commercial after commercial of political ads of candidate bashing one another like little boys (or girls) on a playground fighting over a ball. I don't like facebook/fakebook/farsebook (whatever name you call it) status updates when it consists of anything political. Call me cynical or apathetic. I'm sure I've been called worse.

So, let's forget about all that is going on in the world at the moment...even if for a short period of time. Let's have some fun with our children or neices and nephews or neighbor kids. Play. Remember what it was like when you were a child without a care in the world. If you are in a fall climate, play in the leaves. Curious about something? Find the answer. Shut off all the noise and just be. Be with God. Be with a loved one. Be with yourself. Just be.

And, for a laugh and/or a huge smile check out 1:31,  1:47 & 1:53 on the video below.

“If life gives you lemonade, make lemons. Life will be all like ‘whaaat?’” (get it? hahahaha! You're welcome!!!)

Phil Dunphy on Modern Family (1:47 on video)

Mmmmmm...Sandwich

Sandwich--With a Side of Romance by debut author Krista Phillips will satisfy your hunger. In fact, you'll push away from the table (comfy chair) with a smile that will light up the kitchen (your reading spot) and everyone will know you've enjoyed every morsel. Sandwich is more than a fluffy marshmallow...it's a full fledge sink-your-teeth-in meal.

Spunky Maddie moves to Sandwich, IL to start a new life. One of stability that includes a job, an apartment and hopes of bringing her eleven year old brother, Kyle, out of foster care and into her loving arms. She fights an uphill battle when ever-so-serious Reuben, the owner of The Sandwich Emporium falls asleep while Maddie, a hairstylist, cuts his hair as he nods off in her chair. The result? You guess it. A new shorter hairstyle for Reuben and a job loss for Maddie. How will she ever move out of her car into an apartment large enough for her and her brother without a job?

Reuben hires Maddie to erase a little of his guilt--Maddie helps Reuben discover his guilt just in case he wasn't aware of it! And, you won't believe the trouble hiring Maddie causes. And, to top it off, Kyle's foster parents are petitioning for his adoption. Will Kyle be taken away from her forever?

Maddie is head-strong and won't take handouts from anyone. In walks Reuben's family who have made Maddie their person mission. Will Maddie see God's love for her through Reuben's family's actions? Will she accept the unconditional love they offer her and her brother, Kyle?

Maddie and Kyle's past haunt Maddie. Her life has never been pleasant and is tainted with mistakes. She accept Christ six months prior and is attempting to put her past behind her. Memories of torment haunt her and someone close to Reuben finds out the deep secrets she has put behind her. Will everything she's worked hard for blow up in her face?

Pick up your copy of Sandwich at your favorite book seller today. Author Krista Phillips characters are loveable, quirky and real. Your book appetite will thank you.

Garlic Sauce for Stir-Fry

The other day what to make for supper was lying heavily on my mind. I didn't have to work that day and when that happens, I like to make a good supper. Well, I was stuck. I remembered a pan I hadn't used in a while. A stir-fry pan bought on clearance. At the time I had all kinds of uses in mind for this steal of a deal. Yeah. Didn't happen. 

I went on a quest for a good stir-fry sauce to use with chicken. I found the following recipe at cooks.com and tweaked it to our family's taste. While reading through the comments about this recipe, one commenter mentioned it was more of a beef than chicken sauce.

Ding! I had leftover roast in the refrigerator from two nights prior. Sounded like a great way for us to use the meat before it became a questionable fuzzy subject in the fridge!

It.was.a.hit! Well, to everyone but one who said he could eat it. Obviously there is a distinct difference between able to eat and liking the said food. I told him to just eat it.

Without further commentary except for the italics, the recipe.


Garlic Sauce (marinade)

2 lg garlic cloves, minced (or 2 t store-bought preminced garlic...in a jar in produce section)
1/4 c soy sauce or Bragg All Natural Liquid Aminos (I think healthier and less sodium)
1/4 c water
1/4 c honey (I added a good extra 'squeeze' more to mine)
1 T vegetable oil
1 T cornstarch (I used flour so a child with corn allergy could eat this)


Combine all ingredients and whisk.

1 # boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips OR
left-over roast cut into thin strips and cut into bite size pieces (we used left over beef)
Veggies of choice cut thinly: onions, carrots, peas (we didn't have snow peas), mushrooms, etc. (I wouldn't used water chestnuts because it tends to take over the dish in my humble opinion)
1 T oil

Stir your meat of choice into the marinade and mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, stirring once or twice.

Very easy! Very yummy!

When meat has been marinaded, in a large skillet, heat 1 T oil. Saute onions and carrots until tender-crisp. (I added a touch of salt to this to let the sugars come out of the onions) If your meat is raw (not left over from a few nights before like I did), using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to skillet. Stir-fry about 5 minutes or until chicken is done. (if using leftover meat, just dump meat and sauce in all at once) Add reserved marinade; continue to cook and stir until thickened. If adding peas and mushrooms, add them during the previous step. When everything is warm, either serve with rice or lo-mein noodles. (I had linguine and spaghetti on hand so cooked those to use)