Author: SaxophoneWife

Saturday Evening Post: 1-20-18

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• Disappointed for the Upstairs Neighbors. They had such a special weekend planned. We aren’t sure what happened, but have some guesses. Mom is doing better today, but says something is definitely different. Praying Isaac (due in March) stays put.

• Saw this on Facebook tonight:

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To say this grieved my heart would be an understatement. In a a city where the spiritual needs are so profound, how can a church explain using this precious resource for such business? A.W. Tozer had many fine exhortations for the Christian church of his day, and he is who came to mind as I thought about this sign.

• Overall, this has been a hard week. Spiritually challenging. Still fighting last week’s bug, which seems to have morphed into a chest cold. Very behind on my administrative work for the ministry. I can only hope Monday brings more strength and progress. And, fewer coughs and crises.

• The Saxophone Player brought me a little bunch of flowers this week. Tonight, the light was just right and I could capture their vibrant colors exactly as my eye saw them. Cheered my weary heart.

Spring is coming!

ACV!

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Blah blah blah apple cider vinegar blah blah blah-blah blah.

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There are more than enough words already written about the benefits of drinking ACV, so I’m not going to add to the clog. I will just say that it makes a difference for me.

If you’re curious, do your research. It might really be worth your while to take the time to learn more.

 

HOW I USE IT

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Well, I was going to share a picture of my pretty elixer, but I looked over it was was already gone.  I’m tellin’ you, it’s delicious!

I take two tablespoons a day in water, sometimes with orange juice. It doesn’t matter how much water, and you don’t really need more than two tablespoons of OJ. I prefer the brand in the photo, but it only matters that it is not distilled and has the ‘mother.’ Don’t think too hard about what the ‘mother’ is, just shake it up and drink it down—with a straw. Always use a straw.

À votre santé!

Fit For A King

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“Maybe, he’ll play his saxophone for the Lord one day,”  she suggested.

I scoffed. Wasn’t it enough to just believe this atheist man could get saved? Couldn’t he just be a Christian who was also a jazz musician? Did I have to believe God for two impossible things?

Oh, she called it, though. She had the vision, and the faith to back it up. He didn’t exactly lose his love of jazz, or the jazz influence in his playing, but a jazz career became an empty pursuit for him—one day at a time, as he began pursuing a life with Christ.

It reminds me of a line from a song Doug has sung countless times as a worship leader:

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.*

When we love Jesus, things should start looking different. We should be seeing differently. As what we have loved starts to change places in our heart with Whom we now love, a lot should change. Doug did still “love” jazz, but he stopped pursuing it; he stopped giving jazz his money and his time, because he began to invest himself in his new Love. He poured himself into the pursuit of Christ.

So, at the very first church he attended, after the first or second service he attended, he found his heart longing to play his saxophone for Jesus. He didn’t know how he would be received, if they would welcome this newcomer, but he was compelled by love. Like the proverbial drummer boy, he had nothing to give that was fit for a King, so he played his best for Him.

You may look at yourself and say you, too, have nothing fit to offer a King. Or, perhaps, you have heard Doug play and think, “Well, he has a lot of talent. I’m not very good at anything.” Doug didn’t see himself that way. Remember, he was aspiring to be like the greatest saxophonists in jazz history. He knew he didn’t measure up to even his own standards. He just saw what was in his hands, the one thing he could do, and offered it to the Lord with all his heart.

So, what’s in your hands? 

*”Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by David Hamilton and Helen Hewarth Lemmel

Mexican Cornbread Pie

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After being sick, I was craving comfort food. Mexican Cornbread Pie, to be specific. I found this recipe in a women’s magazine very early in my marriage, and I have probably made it hundreds of times—maybe, a thousand times. I know. It’s ridiculous to imagine someone making and eating the same dish so many times, but it was an early favorite. The Saxophone Player is very fond of casseroles. And, I’m a pretty boring cook.

It’s also just a great recipe. It adapts easily, is very affordable, and makes great lunch leftovers. A garden salad is a perfect complement.

I’ve added a few notes at the end, but the recipe as written is just perfect. This is exactly how I made it for years.

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N O T E S
1. Any ground meat works, or a ground meat substitute.
2. I saute the protein in about a tablespoon of olive oil, and do not drain it.
3. I add half the dry seasoning to the meat as it cooks, and the rest with the onions and peppers. (Yes, definitely, saute the peppers.)
4. Once onions are translucent, I add the tomatoes and let them cook down a bit.
5. Be sure you simmer it with the lid off, as that allows excess liquid to evaporate. You want there to be a sauce, just not too much.

S U B S T I T U T I O N S
1. If you don’t have a bell pepper, celery work. Or, use both. Maybe, half a pepper with two stalks of celery. That way you stretch your pepper, and add nutritious celery.
2. If you don’t have frozen corn, canned kernel corn is just fine. If you don’t like corn, add something else. Kale, zucchini, or summer squash come to mind. I would be sure to saute them with the tomatoes, before adding the broth. Might need to adjust seasonings, too.
3. No fresh tomatoes? Use canned, but drain well.
4. No Worcestershire? Use 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
5. No broth? Use water.

C O R N B R E A D  N O T E S
We have used a variety of cornbread recipes for the topping over the years—mixes, too. Anything works, so pick your favorite. Our favorite happens to be a different recipe. It’s not as simple to prepare as this, but we prefer it. If you want the recipe, let me know.

A B O U T  T H O S E  T O M A T O E S
Do everyone a favor and peel your tomatoes. If you have never mastered this kitchen skill, click here for my tutorial. I kept my instructions super simple, because I think simple is a good thing. Or course, there are countless other tutorials online, too, by people who can actually educate on the process. I’m just a hack. 🙂

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Don’t be Afraid to Peel a Tomato

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I used to be afraid to peel tomatoes. For some reason, peeling a tomato just seemed like something only super humans and Julia Child could do. Definitely, not me. 

Well, I’m here to tell you that it is really easy to do! And, it’s totally worth it, because no one—I mean, no one—wants to eat this…

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That just makes everyone sad! And, peeling tomatoes is actually really fun. So, don’t be afraid. You are three short steps away from superhero status.

HOW TO PEEL A TOMATO 

1. Add your tomato to a pan of boiling water. They’re going to float, so just bob them around. If they are very ripe, they will only need about 10 seconds in the water. Fresher tomatoes might take up to 30 seconds. 

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2. With your handy dandy metal sieve, or any appropriate tool, remove the tomato from the boiling water and rinse it under cold, tap water. If you are preparing several tomatoes at once, set them all in a colander under the running tap. 

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3. Place tomato on cutting board, and peel away! It is ready to process however you please.2018-01-13 21.15.45

 

The end result it so worth the tiny effort it takes to do this. I hope you’ll try it! 

My Saturday Evening Post: 1/13/18

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“On the trees are only a few gnarled apples that the pickers have rejected. They look like the knuckles of Doctor Reefy’s hands. One nibbles at them and they are delicious. Into a little round place at the side of the apple has been gathered all its sweetness. One runs from tree to tree over the frosted ground picking the gnarled, twisted apples and filling his pockets with them. Only the few know the sweetness of the twisted apples.”

(Sherwood Anderson, “Winesburg, Ohio”)

SICK DAYS
We were all, and I mean all, sick this week. We dropped like dominoes, and none of us saw it coming. We assume we caught it from Lucy, who probably got it at the church nursery. Thankfully, she was feeling better before we all went down: Doug, 4 PM on Wednesday; Caroline, 7 PM on Wednesday; Hannah, 4 AM on Thursday; and Tim, & AM on Thursday. Really bizarre! It was a bummer to miss the good weather this week, but we’re all back on our feet. No complaints here.

UNDER PLACES
There are some places in my home that I avoid. I call them the “under” places: under sinks, under refrigerators, under the stove top, and this place…

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It is a picture of space under my oven. That is where there is usually a drawer. “They” say it is for storage, but I believe it is where oven accidents and monsters live. I don’t open that drawer, unless someone’s life depends on it. 

While I cannot imagine what possessed the man to do it, tonight Doug decided to clean that under place for me. I walked into the kitchen to check on supper, and found the drawer was gone. He was working away at it in the tub. God bless him. He said he wanted to surprise me—he really did! 

BOOKMARK & PINS
I’ve been purging bookmarks and pinning, instead. If you aren’t familiar with Pinterest, but utilize the internet often, it can be a great way to organize things you find online—recipes, websites, ideas—or even to coordinate an event with other people. For me, it’s a great work space.

APPLESAUCE
The church that hosts our weekly prayer meeting has a food pantry, and I got the idea (Thank You, Holy Spirit!) this week to ask Doug to bring me the worst apples—the ones no one would want. I was making the applesauce for Lucy, but on Day #2 of our Big Sick it was all some of us could eat. The Lord’s provision, for sure. Such a blessing!   


A GIRL & HER WHISK
She was sooooo sleepy here, all snuggled up with Poppa at the end of her playtime, with her favorite puppy and a new favorite toy—my antique whisk. I honestly can’t blame her—I love it, too!

A girl & her whisk? Go figure.

My Saturday Evening Post: 1/6/18

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WARNING: Lots of grandbaby and “White Christmas” talk here tonight.

A GIRL’S GOTTA EAT
Lots of baby food making and testing this week. Lucy has some food allergies, and some food particularities. So, it can be a challenge to make sure she eats enough solid food, with enough variety. I don’t dive into new recipes quickly, because…well, I rarely do anything that without a lot of contemplation, unless God says, “Do this.” So, I did a lot of research last Saturday, and this week I’ve done some cooking and testing. The goals were to add more protein, iron, and variety.

Vegetables are so beautiful! I think it’s safe to say sweet potatoes are her favorite, with butternut squash a close second.
Teeny-tiny, gluten free, vegan, buckwheat pancakes. She hasn’t tried them, yet. I hope she likes them. They have lots of goodness in them—black strap molasses, apple cider vinegar, and flax.
Marble-sized chicken, quinoa and zucchini meatballs. With just a dab of barbecue sauce, she liked them a lot. This makes me very happy!

 

WE ALL DREAM OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS
“White Christmas” is now a part of any visit with Lucy.  It started with a snow globe Hannah gave me years ago. I unpacked it with my Christmas decorations, and Lucy not only liked the snow globe action, but the snippet of the song it plays every time you set the snow globe down. She quickly learned that there is a button on the bottom of the snow globe that she can push to hear the song.

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The next step into this winter wonderland with Lucy was a little souvenir book, also a gift from Hannah. It’s not a storybook, just a trivia book about the movie, the stars, etc., but everyday this week it has been her favorite book. We make up a story each time, or just sing the songs that match the pictures, and she sings along with us! You know the beginning of the song, the slow and almost ominous “Iiiiiiii’m…”? This is what she sings most. It’s bizarre! And, each time she sees Bing Crosby’s picture, she sings a “B-b-b” sound, which is her trying to copy the sound Doug sings, mimicking Bing’s famous B-b-b-Bing nickname (inspired by his scatting).

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The last “White Christmas” story I have to share.  One day last week, I received a text from Hannah: “So, guess what Lucy took off the DVD shelf and brought to me? She was pulling movies off, as per usual, and purposely brought this over….”

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She recognized the artwork! Such a funny and sweet girl. I love that she loves this movie, and I certainly don’t mind watching it with her everyday—at least, not yet. Besides, watching her watching it is a lot of fun, too!

Just relaxing in her Poppa’s arms.
She sat up with this song started. She really like this one and the version with Bob and Phil.
No, I don’t let her stand that close to the TV, but sometimes she just needs to get reallyclosetothescreen, and then we move her back. I couldn’t resist taking a picture, though.

 

LITTLE SNOW BIG COLD
You have no doubt heard about the snow hurricane that hit New England this week. Perhaps, you experienced it firsthand. It gave us all a few days inside, grateful for heat and power and running water. The seacoast was hit very hard. Temps have been painfully low, but I hear it will be in the high 40’s by Friday.

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WE KEEP TRYING
About once a week, we try to get a picture of ourselves with Lucy. Here is attempt #39,452. This is the best one from the past two weeks.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR
I was thinking today about lessons I learned in 2017, things I will take with me. I’d like to write them down, maybe in my journal, and just meditate on them. I want to make sure I really learn the lessons and remember the important experiences. I failed in some very important areas in 2017, and I am bringing into 2018 some of those failures and personal disappointments. There is a lot of work to be done in me. I want to keep those things before me as I go forward, so that I can keep asking the Holy Spirit to correct me.  I don’t want to arrive in Heaven’s throne room in my present condition, you know what I mean? God has a lot of work to do.

I do, too.

God bless and keep you all! ❤

Is Selfish Sam Sadistic?

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In a post from 2016, What An Apology Isn’t, I wrote about Selfish Sam.

Recently, reports of Selfish Sam have reached my ears, again. It is news of behavior that can honestly be described as not only selfish, but actually sadistic. I thought it was appropriate to share this post, again.

CLICK HERE

My Saturday Evening Post: 12/30/17

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  1. Watched a lot ( A LOT) of baby food recipe videos today.
  2. Made Lucy a new recipe, but she wasn’t very excited about it.
  3. She has learned to nod her head, “Yes,” and shake her head, “No.” It’s pretty cool.
  4. Tomorrow is our family Christmas.
  5. It took a full day, but Doug fixed my computer issues. Best Christmas gift this year.
  6. Lucy loves the movie “White Christmas.” At the end of the dance numbers, she claps.
  7. It has been really COLD here. Ridiculously cold.
  8. Baking this evening.
  9. The fifth anniversary of my mother’s passing is tomorrow morning. Hard to believe so much time has passed. Can’t wait to see her, again.
  10. It’s been nice to have most of this week off—have had some work to do, but I tried to take some time to rest.

I really need to take more pictures. She is harder to photograph, though—moves too fast!

I opened the window to try to take a picture, just as Doug was approaching. I suddenly clued-in that I was going to get hit with snow, if I didn’t act fast.
Lucy liked her Christmas fox slippers.
A glimpse at this week’s weather.
Blackstrap Molasses always reminds me of my Mother.

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you are safe and warm tomorrow. I hope you know you are loved. God bless and keep you in His perfect peace. ❤

My Saturday Evening Post: 12/23/17

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It’s been a good and full week.

I wish I had a few more days before Christmas, because there were some things I don’t think I’ll get to do, and Christmas cards will definitely be late, but we can only do our best. Right? That has to be good enough, because…well, it’s all we have to offer—it’s all anyone should expect.

Besides, things happen. Sometimes, we get to have everything the way we want it, but sometimes we don’t. We aren’t in control of our circumstances, but we can control how we respond and react to them. I must choose to keep trying until the very end, and then be glad for the good and learn from the bad. And, I have found there’s always so much more good. I hope you are keeping your eyes on that.

Dropbox is still not working on my computer, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. So, here are some pictures of my week.

These are the packages of hats and gloves we were able to give all of the women at the Great Hill Shelter.
Hot Cocoa Kit making.
Finished product. I love making these kinds of things.

God bless you today. I hope you have a very special Christmas Eve, hopefully, gathering with others and sharing the joy of this wonderful season.