Friday's Fave Five - July 31, 2009

It's the most wonderful time of the week! Friday! And I always celebrate Friday by participating in Susanne's Friday Fave Five. FFF is a time when we reflect on our week and list 5 favorites.

Here are mine:

1. Yard Sale Treasure of the Week:

$1

2. Excitement: I love when my kids are excited about something and want to share. This week, two of my daughters participated in activities they were passionate about and took the time to tell me every detail. I love it!

3. Thoughtfulness: This week, one of the ladies at church dropped by to bring me some of her homemade pumpkin pie. Just because.

4. Old Favorites: As you know, I'm a voracious reader. Some of my favorite books are old favorites, books that I have read and re-read many times over the years. This week, I started one of my all-time faves, "Christy" by Catherine Marshall.

5. A Day Off Work: I have today off, so I'll be out and about and away from the computer till later.

Why not join the gang at Susanne's Living to Tell the Story and participate?

Have a wonderful Friday!

Thankful Thursday - Summer Fun

This month's Thankful Thursday, Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage, has chosen the topic, Summer Fun for today's posts.

Although my favorite time of the year is spring, there are things about every season that I love. I praise God for giving us a variety of seasons. As much as I love spring, wouldn't it be boring if it were spring 365 days a year?

Here's my summer top 10:

10. The smell of fresh-cut grass

9. Watching little kids play T-ball.

8. Riding bikes

7. Grilling out

6. Getting out of town for a few days (wherever that might be)

5. Watermelon!

4. Fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes!

3. Corn on the cob

2. Tea-ade, my favorite summer-time drink (2 parts tea to one part lemonade)

and my number one favorite thing in summer:

1. Yard sale-ing (a new obsession)

Note how sad it is that most of my list has to do with foods ...

I am thankful that God gives us a variety. Ecclesiastes tells us that to everything there is a season. God has a timing for everything. Just as there are climates in our weather that bring change, there are seasons in our lives.

You can find things to be thankful for in whatever season of life you are in if you are willing to look for them. That is why I like to participate in Thankful Thursday, it causes me to be intentional in giving Him praise.

If you'd like to join us, link up over at Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

Tasty Tuesday - Texas Sheet Cake

I wanted to share my family's favorite chocolate cake recipe, Texas Sheet Cake, a moist chocolaty dessert with a fudgy topping. Ecstasy!

Texas Sheet Cake

2 sticks butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 C water

Combine in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Take off stove and cool slightly.

Sift together:

2 C flour

2 C sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

Pour cocoa mixture into flour mixture and mix well.

In a separate bowl,

2 eggs

1 - 8 oz. carton of sour cream

Beat eggs. Add sour cream to the eggs and mix well. Add sour cream mixture to the cocoa mixture.

Bake in jelly roll pan at 350° for approximately 30 minutes.

Icing:

1 stick butter

6 tbsp. milk

1/4 C cocoa

Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Take off stove and let cool slightly. Stir in 3 C powdered sugar, sifted, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Optional: add 1 C nuts. Spread over cake while still warm.

For more fabulous recipes, visit Jen's Tasty Tuesday Blog Party over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - July 27, 2009

FOR TODAY, JULY 27th EDITION...

Outside my window... another gorgeous day!

I am thinking... good thoughts.

I am thankful for... the fact that it takes very little to make me happy.

From the kitchen... later in the week, we're having crock pot barbecue. Another day, it will be spaghetti and garlic bread. Not sure what tonight will be ...

I am wearing... a black skirt and black cami with a tunic of white, teal, yellow and black. I got the tunic off the clearance rack at JC Penney's. I do love me a bargain!

I am creating... I should say I have plans of creating!

I am going... on my last yard sale-ing trip of the season on Saturday.

I am reading... (re-reading) an old classic (to me anyway) "Christy" by Catherine Marshall.

I am hoping... for good things!

I am hearing... the hum of the a/c, as usual! (I look forward to that time of year when you don't need a/c or heat! It usually doesn't last long ...)

Around the house... some serious dusting needs to be done!

One of my favorite things... getting home and putting on my comfy clothes. It's good to be home!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Last week's board meeting was postponed to this Thursday, and as I've already said, going yard-saleing. This time, one of my best buddies is going with us.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Here is a cool monument I discovered when researching family roots at a graveyard. I wish I had copied down what the poem said!

Peggy Hostetler is the creator of The Simple Woman's Daybook. She is taking the summer off; however, summer daybook-ers can link up here.

Friday's Fave Five- July 24, 2009

TGIF! It's time to reflect on my week and pick my Friday's Fave Five.

1. On Saturday, two of my daughters, Liss and Malia, and I went yard sale-ing. We had a ton of fun and had what we like to call quality "bonding time." Lately, Liss and I have really gotten into thrifting and yard sale-ing. Below are a couple items I picked up recently at the Teen Challenge Thrift store:

The wooden plate was $1, the plate stand was 10¢, and the candle stick was 50¢. You can't get better than that -- well, unless it was free ...

The only drawback to all this going to thrift stores and yard sales is finding a place to display all my goodies! I may have to get rid of some of my older things ...

2. The next bright spot in my week is that finally, after 3 years, my hydrangea bush started blooming! I was about to give up!

What is funny is that the blooms are all facing the house and nothing on the side of the bush that faces the street!

3. One of my new favorite things are verbena plants. I had never planted those before, but they grow well on my front porch. I have both red and purple ones. Here is the purple (the picture does not do it justice):

4. I can't have a post without mentioning food! Tuesday, I made Orange Chicken and Fried Rice. It was so yummy! (Sorry, no photo.)

5. My buddy Steve gave me a sack full of fresh tomatoes out of his garden. They have a really good flavor. I love eating tomatoes this time of year.

How did your week go? Why don't you link up with Suzanne at Living to Tell the Story and tell us all about it?

Thankful Thursday - Victory

Lynn, at Spiritually Unequal Marriage, has chosen Victory as our topic this week at Thankful Thursday, along with this text:

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? — 1 John 5:4-5 ESV

I totally love this scripture because it gets down to the nitty-gritty. Do you have faith or not? Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God or not?

And if you do, you are an overcomer!

Woo Hoo! Count me in!

I'm at the mid-point of my life where I'm evaluating what's behind and what's ahead. Have I accomplished my goals in life? Do I have anything to show for the life I have lived so far?

On the days where I'm feeling pretty down and feel like I have nothing to show for all the pain and effort I've been through, this verse lifts me up. Because I do have the most important thing that I can ever have -- my faith in God. I truly do believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for my sins, arose the third day, and now makes intercession for me at the Father's right hand. I've always believed it.

I've never been blessed with any visions or angelic visits or supernatural experiences. I just know that I know.

Actually, I have two important things to show for my life - faith and victory. Since I have faith, the Word promises me I have victory. I don't have to feel victorious. I just know that I am.

Perhaps I won't be able to see the victory until I'm with Jesus, but it's there all the same.

There's an old hymn entitled, "Faith is the Victory." Let me share the third verse and chorus with you:

To him who overcomes the foe

White raiment shall be giv'n;

Before the angels he shall know

His name confessed in heav'n.

Then onward from the hills of light

Our hearts with love aflame;

We'll vanquish all the hosts of night

In Jesus conq'ring name.

Faith is the victory!

Faith is the victory!

Oh, glorious victory

that overcomes the world.

The day I stand before Him and He welcomes me into Heaven is the day I will have the most precious thing ever to show for my life's work.

I'm thankful for my faith. I'm thankful my mom took me to church. I'm thankful that someone cared enough to ask me to accept the Lord as my Savior. I'm thankful I had the good sense to accept!

What about you? Do you have the faith that gives you victory?

To join other thankful hearts, link up with Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - July 20, 2009

FOR TODAY JULY 20th EDITION ...

Outside my window... a gorgeous sunny 70° day

I am thinking... how quickly the weekend flies by ...

I am thankful for... all the little things I enjoy ... fresh breezes ... sunshine ... cooler days ... beautiful flowers ... luscious landscapes ...

From the kitchen... Meatloaf Monday and then on Tuesday we're going to try Orange Chicken. Wednesday will be breakfast for dinner, and homemade chicken pot pie for Thursday.

I am wearing... gray slacks and a red tunic with black and silver jewelry.

I am creating... nothing right now.

I am reading... nothing at the present time, but I'm sure I'll check something out of the library at lunch time.

I am hoping... to get a lot accomplished this week.

I am hearing... silence.

Around the house... some decluttering and some rearranging needs to be done.

One of my favorite things... finding a bargain.

A few plans for the rest of the week: a couple of cards to be sent out, getting together board meeting items, some food for a funeral dinner.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...




These are the steps that my grandmother (who was born in 1911) played on as a child.



Peggy Hostetler is the creator The Simple Woman's Daybook. For guidelines and info, click here. She is taking the summer off; therefore, we are linking up at Grandmother Wren's. Won't you join us?

Friday's Fave Five- July 17, 2009

Once again, Friday has rolled around and it's time for Friday's Fave Five - a time to reflect on our week and pick five of our favorite things.

1. Fresh cherries: This week I've been munching on crisp, sweet, fresh cherries at lunch time. I love when fresh cherries are available! Funny thing, as much as I love fresh cherries, I hate anything artificially cherry flavored.

2. Memories: Of course, I have a bunch of memories, good and bad, but I choose to reflect on the good memories. This picture below represents a good childhood memory:


This tree has grown a lot now, but when I was a kid, I used to visit my aunt, and we'd sit under this tree to cool off. (She didn't have air conditioning.) She would fill buckets of water, sometimes even putting ice in the water, and give us each one. We'd then sit under this tree with our feet stuck in the buckets of water and cool off. We'd sit for hours just talking and laughing or maybe reading. There was always a breeze ...

3. New tablescape: I love to change the look of my kitchen table. Here's the latest:


This includes my recent treasures from yard sale-ing. You might remember my candlesticks from an earlier post. I found this bowl last weekend. Here's a close-up:

A milk glass bowl for 50 cents!

4. Lemons: I used to buy myself one lemon a week. I would cut it into 8 wedges, and use one wedge a day. One day out of the week, I'd splurge and have two wedges. Then I decided that I'm worth it, so now I buy a bag of lemons at a time! I have a fresh wedge of lemon whenever I want. It's the little things.

Anyway, here is a cute glass jar that I found at a yard sale to keep my extra lemons in:



5. Quote: I've been studying Ephesians. The other day I ran across a phrase as I was reading the New Living Translation:

"...Lead a life worthy of your calling ..." Eph. 4:1

Makes you think, doesn't it?

Anyway, that's my week at Jerri's Journey. How did yours go? Link up with the FFF group at Susanne's Living to Tell the Story.

Thankful Thursday - Community

This month's Thankful Thursday hostess, Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage, shares how she is thankful for the blogging community.

I'm thankful for community, too, both blogosphere and my church family.

In the blogosphere, I'm thankful for all the challenging articles I read. I'm thankful to find that I'm not alone - there are plenty of other moms who feel the way I do. There's all kind of godly advice in the blogs I frequent.

I'm also thankful for the readers who have dropped by my blog and listened to whatever I had to say. Thanks, too, to all those who have taken the time to comment. So far, I've not had any negative commenters!

I'm also grateful for the sense of community that my church home provides. I don't understand how those who do not belong to a church make it. Who do they share prayer requests with? Who prays with them at the altar? Who encourages them spiritually? Who notices when they are feeling down and comes along side to pray with them, or maybe just to give them a hug?

At my church, we are big on fellowship. The men have a monthly fellowship and so do the women. The church as a whole has a fellowship once a month. Our Sunday school classes are encouraged to have fellowships. This is so important because only in spending time together do we really share our lives. If I only glance at you across the aisle during worship, I might not notice that you are struggling with something. If I'm spending a half-hour with you in the fellowship hall chatting, I'm much more likely to pick up on the fact that you need some friendship.

I think there's no reason to stand alone when God has provided community for us:

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12

No, my church family is not perfect and the blog world is not perfect. But working together, we can be an uplifting community.

To read other thankful hearts, visit Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

It seems there has been some interest in the Amish Casserole recipe I mentioned in Monday's Daybook post. I promised that if it turned out well, I would post the link to the recipe.

I decided to make the Amish Casserole for dinner last night, even though only 3 out of the 5 in our family was home. The verdict? Two of us thought it was yummy, and one didn't. However, everyone knows that my family is a group of picky eaters - except for me. I love almost all foods, except sushi, liver and greens. I thought the casserole was great, so I think most of my bloggy friends will too.

I found this recipe at Jen's Balancing Beauty and Bedlam at her Tasty Tuesday blog party. Unfortunately, I did not save the link to the person that posted this recipe (I usually do save that info) but this recipe is actually from Allrecipes.com (I also tried going back to Jen's TT post to see if I could find who posted this, but Mr. Linky had disappeared! This strengthens my resolve to copy every link of everything I ever save - you never know when you might need it!)

Amish Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of

chicken soup

1 (12 ounce) package wide egg noodles

10 slices American cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain and return to the pan. Mix in the cream of chicken soup until noodles are coated.

3. Crumble the ground beef into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the grease, and stir in the tomato soup, brown sugar, pepper and salt. Spread half of the beef in the bottom of a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Arrange 5 slices of cheese over the beef. Top with half of the noodles, then repeat layers ending with cheese on top.

4. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is browned and sauce is bubbly.

… from Allrecipes.com

The only variation I made to the recipe is that I used slices of Velveeta for the American Cheese.

Try it, you'll like it!

The Simple Woman's Daybook - July 13, 2009

FOR TODAY, JULY 13th EDITION...

Outside my window...a hazy humid morning.
I am thinking... this is going to be a good week!
I am thankful for... a wonderful day yesterday.
From the kitchen... fried chicken tonight, lasagna and an Amish casserole later this week.
I am wearing... beige capris, brown tunic over a pink cami.
I am creating... some scrapbooking ideas
I am going... on errands after work. It's always something!
I am reading... Mel Odom's "PAID IN BLOOD"
I am hoping... the predicted upper 90° weather for this week doesn't happen!
I am hearing... hum of a/c (as always, this time of year!)
Around the house... a little rearranging to do.
One of my favorite things... a fresh new week with no mistakes in it ...
A few plans for the rest of the week: concentrating on little less TV time and more praying time!
Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is the tree-lined drive to my dad's homeplace. Of course, it didn't look like that when he was small.

Peggy Hostetler is the creator of The Simple Woman's Daybook. She has taken the summer off and will resume the daybook on September 14. Meanwhile, we are linking up at Grandmother Wren's.

Friday's Fave Five - July 10, 2009

It's the most wonderful time of the week! Friday! And it's time for my favorite meme, Friday's Fave Five. This meme encourages us to look back on our week and choose 5 favorite things.

Here are mine, in no special order:

1. For Independence Day, I made this awesome recipe called "Strawberries and Cream Dessert." However, the fam has renamed it, "Luscious Strawberry Dessert." It. Is. That. Good.

I found this recipe at the Tasty Tuesday Blog Party that Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam hosts. This recipe is from Glimpses of Sonshine's website. If you'd like the recipe, click here.

2. This week, my hubby and I planted a big pot of petunias. My favorite is the dark purple petunias - their leaves look like velvet.

3. You might remember that last Friday, I was gone yard sale-ing hoping to find some treasures. Alas, that did not happen. There were only 4 yard sales in a city of 35,000! Can you believe it? Apparently, people do not want to have yard sales on holiday weekends!

Therefore, since we quickly toured the 4 sales and found nada, zip and zilch, we went to thrift stores and Hobby Lobby.

I found a steal at Hobby Lobby. This gorgeous platter and ginger jar for 80% off! I know I didn't need it, but these blue and white treasures look so good against my yellow kitchen walls.

4. Next, we went Goodwill hunting. Here is my find of the day: a beautiful cut glass platter that set me back $1. It goes well with the platter I already have propped up on the lower part of my china cabinet. (See above picture.)

5. Last, but not least, on Wednesday was my hubby's birthday. I'm thankful for another year that we have shared together - definitely a favorite thing!

If you'd like to see how everyone else's week went, head over to Susanne's Living to Tell the Story.

Thankful Thursday-Simple Pleasures

This month's Thankful Thursday hostess, Lynn, chose the theme of being thankful for simple things.

I love the little simple pleasures that we so often take for granted!

1. I'm thankful for the wonderful feeling when I sink into my mattress every night at bed time. Ahh.... It feels so good! It always makes me think of the scripture:

"... for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep." Psalm 127:2

2. On those marvelous days, when the temperature is just right, and the breeze is blowing gently, I love to sit on my glider in the backyard and gaze at the fields and trees around me. He has given us such a wonderful environment!

3. When I've been out on a bike ride, and feel really hot and sweaty (or glowing as we women from the South like to say), there's nothing like coming into the cool air-conditioned house and sipping on a sweet tea!

4. I so love going on a drive with my hubby looking at the various beauties of nature. If I can stop and capture scenery on camera, so much the better!

5. I'm always so thankful when one of my kids comes up to me, and for no reason, hugs me tight and says "Mom, I love you." There's no better feeling.

To read other thankful hearts, please visit Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

Tasty Tuesday - Jerri's Brownies

Today, I'd like to share my brownie recipe. I've been making these brownies for over 20 years. I adapted it from Hershey's The Best Brownie recipe. My brownies have been to countless potlucks and has always went over well.

Jerri's Brownies

In large bowl, combine:

1 Cup oil

1 ½ Cups sugar

Stir well with a whisk.

Then add:

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix well.

In a small bowl, combine:

1 Cup flour

2/3 Cup cocoa

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking powder

Then gradually stir in contents of small bowl into wet ingredients. Once both bowls have been combined, spread into a 9x13 pan that you have sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Makes 24.

These are moist and need no icing.

For more great recipes, visit Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - July 6, 2009

FOR TODAY, JULY 6th EDITION...

Outside my window... sunny but not quite as hot.
I am thinking... our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and wickedness in high places.
I am thankful for... our spiritual armor that we can put on. (See Ephesians 6)
From the kitchen... the girls want chicken nuggets today. At least that's a simple meal to prepare!
I am wearing... white capris and a blue and white top.
I am creating... I'm not sure what my next project will be!
I am going... to the National Quartet Convention in September.
I am reading... the last book in the Yada Yada Prayer Group series by Neta Jackson. Actually, I just finished it. I really loved this series. I'm sad to think this is the last book!
I am hoping... to get back into my bike-riding groove. I only rode once last week! I am hearing... the usual hum of the a/c.
Around the house... some dusting needs to be done!
One of my favorite things... accomplishing all the items on my to-do list.
A few plans for the rest of the week: more bike riding, more study in Ephesians, hopefully a scrap book page completed.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...


style="font-family:verdana;">
color:#660000;"> Here's my scrapbook frame that I got for $2 at a yard sale. I finally picked out something to put on it and hung it up.

Peggy Hostetler is the creator of The Simple Woman's Daybook. She is taking the summer off, so we are linking up at Grandmother Wren's until September 14.

Friday's Fave Five- July 3, 2009

It's Friday again! Here's my 5 favorites from the week.

1. I don't have much time to write because I have today off and we're going yard sale-ing!

2. I purchased some more flowers for my porch this week: some velvety deep purple petunias.

3. On Sunday, I went with my cousins to visit some places important to our family history. Below is a picture of the house that my great-grandparents lived in. The current owners have not kept it up like I would like, yet I like seeing where my grandmother grew up.

4. Last night, I made one of my favorite things: home-made pizza.

5. Last, but not least, my most favorite thing this week is that my baby girl is ok! She and a friend were in a car accident yesterday, but everyone is fine. The cars are a different matter ... but the important thing is, no one was hurt.

To read other favorites, visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

Thankful Thursday - Freedom

Today's hostess for Thankful Thursday is Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage. She has chosen the topic of freedom.

I am certainly thankful for the freedom I enjoy as a citizen of America. What a blessing! I do not know why God allowed me to be born in a free country, but I am so grateful that He did.

There are other freedoms I am thankful for - spiritual freedoms.

Freedom from sin -I can have victory over sin and death through Christ Jesus!

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 NIV

Freedom from the law -

"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14 NLT

Freedom to choose - It's up to me whether I want to live for God or not.

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve ... But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15 NIV

What freedoms are you thankful for?

WFMW: Summer Recipes

This week's Works-for-Me-Wednesday is a themed edition about recipes for summer foods. I have already posted some recipes for foods that we love in summer, so here are the links:

• Cornbread Salad
• Pressure Cooker Green Bean Dinner
• Granny's Cucumbers
• Cherry Angel Food Dessert

I hope you enjoy these!

For more recipes, visit Kristen at We are THAT Family!