Sunday, September 12, 2010

A restful Sunday

I was up and down last night (ill) so today was a good day to rest and enjoy the quietness of home, and the beauty outside. We look out onto several hundred acres of native grasses, flowers and cottonwoods, and when the wind blows (as it does about 90% of the time) it looks as if the world is dancing. No storms today, just sunlight that is beginning to soften in the autumn season. In the winter the light in the north becomes almost brittle and shallow, not the mellow richness of the summer sun or the awakening bounty of the spring.

I watched part of the PBS series on our National Parks today and wondered why so many Americans are in such a hurry to go explore other places before they've bothered to spend the time to visit the wonders which can only be found within our country's boundaries. We have more natural wonders, better preserved and protected, than anywhere else in the world. So when planning your next trip, look for what you might have missed close to home. I know that as much of the west as I have seen, there are so many places in the midwest and eastern US that I've not gotten the chance to explore, cultures I am alien to, foods I've not yet tasted, people waiting to be met.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

chili colorado soft tacos

chili colorado soft tacos

Ingredients:

2 -3 lbs beef shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 3/4 hrs

  1. 1 Spread the flour out on a plate and coat the beef cubes one by one in it, dusting off the excess. Don't skip this step because the flower also helps to thicken the sauce at the end.
  2. 2 Brown the beef in a heavy-bottomed pot in the oil over medium-high heat. You want a lot of color on them because color equals flavor.
  3. 3 Pour in all the spices, the tomato paste, and the water. Bring this to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook low and slow for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the beef is tender and falling apart. A good test is to take a piece and try to mash it on your cutting board with a fork. If it falls apart, you are golden.
  4. 4 Serve it just by itself with mexican rice and refried beans or use it as a burrito filling.

Friday, September 10, 2010

last pics of furkids for now

Monty and Murphy
Daniel
Sequoia
Chipper
Gideon and Daniel
Monty who'd put his head in the sprinkler

Butter Poached Italian Style Tilapia

I've been feeling iffy this week, especially today, so we had dinner later. It had to be quick, pretty easy, and for health reasons, a seafood dinner.

What I came up with was really nice, got good raves for Charles, and is definitely a repeat dinner.

In a skillet:
Cook diced bacon with some onions- when half done, add a stick of butter to the skillet. (I didn't say it was a healthy dinner)
Add a cup of water.
Put in the tilapia (or another white fish) fillets, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and italian seasoning.
When the water is half reduced, put in 6 to 10 halved cherry tomatoes. Baste the fish throughout the cooking process. When the fish is almost done, put in some shrimp, and 1 tablespoon worth of capers (without the liquid).
When fish is done, remove fish and cooked shrimp from the skillet, plate. Turn up the stove to highest heat, add some fresh parsley to the sauce, and spritz with lemon. Pour over fish. Serve immediately.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Storming

A big front of steel blue and black clouds has moved in, heavy winds, et all. The rain has not started yet, but when it does, the forecaster is predicting inches worth, over a day and a half, two days. (Thank the Lord we're not on a flood plain) We've had unusually large amounts of rain here this summer, I am told, and I wonder now if fall is to be the same. Since it's cooled off there isn't the tornado warning (again, Thank the Lord) just a cold blustery storm front filled with rain.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Finn



I love this little cat. I mean, I love our other two as well, Gideon our old boy and Daniel, but this little cat is something else. I got him at three weeks old, when his mother had stopped feeding him. I am fairly sure he thinks I am the mother cat. He's a one person cat, though he has his moments of trying to get closer to Charles. Wherever I go in the house, look for him there. And when I call him, he comes running, with a small "merrrr" sound. Finn is our mouser, and is quite the hunter. He is also so funny with food, he attacks it and "grrrrrs" at anyone who comes near...but best of all he's a lap cat and cuddler :)


Monday, September 6, 2010

On the edge of madness

I was just watching the news on ABC a few minutes ago and saw a story about some idiotic, moronic, flat out unchristian pastor in Florida who is holding a "Burn the Koran" day on Sept 11th.

First...I guess he doesn't give a damn about the soldiers he just put into danger in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, protests are already happening there, people are burning our flag and effiegies, and throwing things at our armored vehicles...rightly being upset that someone in our culture wants to defame their holy book, but wrongly taking it out on soldiers that probably want to strangle that stupid want to be holy man in Florida.

Second...we should not want to burn books. Period. It hearkens back to Hitler and his book burnings, and we all know how that turned out. And we should have enough maturity to let other faiths have their holy books, not have such a juvenile reaction.

Yes, a few bad muslims have attacked our country. Less than 100,000 muslims world wide are involved, by conservative estimates, in the jihad against us...and most of those are doing things like sheltering, supplying, not actively fighting. Considering there are over 1,000,0000,000+ muslims world wide, that's less than 0.01% that are our enemies. We have millions of good active faithful patriotic muslims in our country, and this jack ass pastor wants to call them evil, and deface their holy book.

What a great example of how not to be a Christian.

Where is his love? Where is his compassion? Where is his understanding? Because all he's spewing is hate filled drivel.

I don't know about you, but I'm scared of all the hateful talk filling out country right now...we're labeling a whole group of people as evil, we're demonizing them, and dehumanizing them. I'm waiting for some politician to start talking about putting people in concentration camps.

Wake up people...we're on the edge of madness. These are our neighbors, our friends, the people you shop with, their kids go to school with your kids. Why are we going down this road??

And the scary thing is, the rhetoric is growing on both sides...this pastor, a man named Terry Jones, has a fb page with 8,000 fans. And other anti burn the koran day pages are growing much faster. Hate speech is flying from christians, from muslims, bashing Christ, bashing Mohammed, driving wedges even deeper.

We need to stop this crap. If you are a Christian, not a blind follower of hate....then do what Christ wants you to do. Act in love...pray for the Muslims, and for Terry Jones, who is a lost soul as best I can tell. Tell the message of the Gospel in love and gentleness. You will not win anyone to Christ with hate speech and anger, you will only drive them further away. As far as Muslims, remember, the Koran teaches that Christians, Jews and Muslims are all people of the Book, and we are all to respect one another.

We are reaching near hysteria as a nation, and we all need to back down, and calm down. We do not need to be further torn apart as a nation. If you are a member of the Christian faith, act like it. Don't partake in this hate.

for a link to the story on abc: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/anti-islam-rhetoric-heats-ahead-911/story?id=11565884

Butterscotch Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Butterscotch Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
1 cup Light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup Dark brown sugar, firm packed
3/4 ts Vanilla extract -- (optional)
1 Egg
1/8 t Salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups Semisweet chocolate cut in coarse chunks

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream the butter with both sugars until very well blended. Mix in the vanilla and egg, then fold in the salt, flour and chocolate chunks. Form into small or large balls (walnut-sized or golf-ball-sized, as desired). Place on the baking sheets and press down slightly. Bake until done, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on racks.

(Makes about 2 dozen large or 4 dozen small).

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Quick dessert recipe

This is a french dessert that I made tonight....as some know, I am not a baker (I do so once in a great while) and really just not into making many desserts...but this was so good and so easy, I'll probably make it twice a month!


vanilla custard (or substitute pudding if need be) topped with raspberries, with a little honey drizzled on top, and sprinkled with a touch of cocoa powder. Very good, highly recommend it, super easy.

General update

I know, I haven't been blogging much. Some of it has been from being busy when my family was out visiting, some from when I didn't feel well, some from a touch of depression, some from sheer laziness.

My parents and Aunt Sue came out from CA in late June for two weeks. At the same time, my sister Gina came out to visit her daughter Megan, who lives in Billings, and who had just had her third baby. (who is darling, btw...all Meg's children are.)

Had an absolutely wonderful visit with all. Lots of pics taken, check out my fb page for those. Cried terribly when they drove off, missed them much. We're planning/hoping to out to CA in December to visit, so I solace myself with that.

The health problems were the normal sort. Had a really bad heart scare in the beginning of July, and has taken a while to get back to semi-normal from that. It's just learning to live with life as it now is and not push it.

As for the depression, I had that when I found out with Charles' job we have to be in ND for some months, now it looks like even over the winter. But...in this economy, you go where the job is, right? And ND has a thriving job market and great pay...sooo...here we are, a couple miles south of the Canadian border, right in the middle of the top of the state. Lots of prairie. Looks a lot like the central valley of California, but bigger and cleaner and a lot less people. Oh, and wetlands EVERYWHERE. In it's own way, it is beautiful, vastly so. I just miss Montana...but for the time being am reconciled at being in exile in ND, *laughing*. There are far worse things, I admit.

So it's Labor Day weekend...not much planned. I was sick this week, a bug, so taking it easy and not overdoing it. We went for a long drive yesterday, then into town (Minot) and went book browsing and picked up five or six. Stopped by the store, got ribs for tonight and munchy finger foods for tomorrow. Charles is enjoying the three days off, he needs the rest. He enjoyed seeing my parents too, it is a comfort and joy to me how close they've become. It makes it so nice for me.

Mom and Dad are pretty good. Mom is losing her eyesight, dry macular degeneration...it will take years hopefully, and I pray that the docs and whatnot may come up for treatments before then for her. She's such a reader and so independent. Since this is a genetic thing, she's shared with me (and my sisters) about some things we can do to help slow it down if we get it, or hopefully prevent us from getting it. So now I almost religiously wear sunglasses outside, eat lots of bright veggies and fruits daily, and upped my fish/shellfish intake to at least two dinners a week, gotta get those Omega 3 fatty acids! Luckily, both Charles and I like fish and shellfish, but even if I didn't, I'd learn to deal with them, reading and cooking are so important to me, and I'd be flummoxed and disheartened not to be able to do them. Dad's doctor appointments have gone pretty well lately, and I am so thankful for that. They're both active in church and family stuff, and Mom also does volunteer work, which I think is great.

I've been thinking if we're going to be here for a bit, I need to stop insulating myself so much and get a little more social. So we're going to take Chipper (our corgi) and Sequoia to the local retirement homes to do visitations, and we're trying out the local church more and more, maybe start going to Bible study.

Other than that, life is pretty good. Not real exciting, but I can't do real exciting, lol...so this works out. I enjoy looking out the windows and seeing deer, or wild turkeys (and the other night saw my first live wild skunk...soooo cute!) and birds are so thick here! All kinds. They (the news) says bird watching is one of ND's main tourism draws, and I can believe it.

Well...gotta go mess with those ribs. Take care all!

How many roads to Heaven?

In today's fashionable, overly pc, let's make everyone feel good world we don't like strong statements. We don't like absolutes. And we don't like anything that might exclude anyone else, after all, someone's feelings might be hurt!
So we water down history, we water down (or ban) great books with controverisal themes, we water down our language, and most dangerously, we water down Christianity.
No longer do many preachers and believers hold fast to Christian truths. We do not teach what Christ commanded be taught, but instead teach a powder puff version of the faith. We don't want to offend an athiest, or hurt a Buddhist's feelings when we talk about our faith, so we soften it, and soften it some more, until it stands for nothing. Christianity in America (and Europe) is turning into nothing more a Hallmark card greeting.
"We believe in our way, but you can believe in your way, and we're all good and we'll all end up happy together in a sun-shiney, flower filled, puppy romping field of paradise. No one is wrong, everyone is right, let's all hold hands together."
The problem is, friends, Jesus said the exact opposite. Not everyone gets to Heaven. Most don't. Because most won't choose Him over the world and false gods (of money, vanity, or other faiths) and most won't live by the very simple (but firm) rules He set.
We don't want to have to repent of sin...repentance means you're sorry and will try your hardest to change. Who wants to change in today's society? I mean, really, shouldn't God just accept you as you are? I mean, you are an individual, right? And conformity sucks, man.
Grow up. Holding onto sinful habits destroys you slowly, and the sooner you can see that and drop those behaviors, the healthier your life, both physical and spiritual, will be. God wants you to abandon sin because He knows it's good for you.
The second thing is, God is exclusive, and jealous. (Remember, in the 10 Commandments, He calls Himself a Jealous God) He wants your devotion and love and does not want to share it with any other thing, especially a fake god. He decided you were important enough to Him to send His son to die for you, He expects your love and devotion in return if you want to be saved.
God will not let folks of other faiths into Heaven, with the exception of the Jewish people that will be redeemed in the end times. (Check out Daniel, Zechariah, Revelation for more on that) When you tell your New Age buddies that they're on their own path to God...you're letting them walk the path to Hell. In fact, you're giving them a push along the way. I have friends of other faiths, and friends who embrace athiesm, and I pray for them- for I know they are not saved. I share my faith as I can, but I never give false assurances. I will not help them down that road.
And in case you think this is just my viewpoint, here are two quotes, one from Christ and one from Paul about this....
From Matthew 7:13-"You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.
And from 1 Timothy 2:5- For there is but one God and one way humans can reach God. That way is through Christ Jesus.

Love or Hatred...Christianity in America

I am astounded by American, and to some extend, European Christians. And this isn't a new thing, I've been baffled for years, but lately what was bafflement is growing into dismay, and horror.

Jesus, whom by name Christians seek to follow, told us to do some very simple things. Love God with everything we have, love our neighbors, feed the hungry, clothe and aid the poor, visit those in prison, share the gospel, forgive others. And while everything in the Bible has merit, it is the words of Christ I feel, as His followers, we should pay most attention to. Put His words up at the top of the list, so to speak, with an asterisk that says...Most important, do these FIRST.

So turn on the tv. And what impression jumps out about American Christians. That they hate, march, protest. That they seek political power, instead of humbly following the commandments of the Savior.

What, you say, I'm wrong? Let's go over the issues on the news currently.

The community center in New York City. And the "Christians" being interviewed speaking on how evil Muslims are, and how we need to kick them out of our towns (yes, I've heard that. I've ever seen, on FB someone call Muslims "dirty Muslims"...I was horrified.) Let us think, for just a mere moment, how Jesus might handle this. I don't recall Him going into the temples of other faiths, and turning over tables, and shouting about them being cleansed. He cleaned up His own temple, His own faith. I believe Jesus knows we can lovingly present the Gospel, but after that, it's the person's choice whether or not to accept it. And if they don't....don't sweat it. Don't get all bothered about their prayers to their god/s, they'll find out on Judgement Day. You did your part, you, with tact and love and soft spoken words shared the Love of the Savior. That's all YOU have to do.

Drive out people of other faiths? NO. Not only did Jesus say NOTHING about that, it's flat out un-American. You want your rights as a Christian to be protected under the law, then don't try and chip away another faith's rights. Because our govt, who happily quietly takes away rights anyway, would be thrilled to get to have power over religious faith and practice. Yes, a few very bad Muslims did a horrific act years ago. I know, I still get a tightening in my throat when I think about that day. But by most reasonable estimates, there are less than 100,000 Muslims actively conspiring or fighting against us and our interests. That's out of over a billion Muslims...1,000,000,000. (That less than 0.01% of the total population.) Maybe it's that I've had Muslim friends, worked with a Muslim before...I can sit back and realize they're not out there for my blood...a small fanatical group is, yes...but come on, as Christians, can we really talk about small fanatical fringe groups that have committed atrocities? And just as I don't feel real Christians committed the Spanish Inquisition, or burned witches at Salem, or hung Quakers for wanting to free slaves, I don't feel "real" Muslims crashed those planes and took those lives. Warped horrible people who used a religion as a guise did those things, just as warped people used Christianity in the past, and still do today...think Westboro Baptist Church.

Another thing that baffles me is gay rights. And yes, the Bible lists it as a sin, as it lists using foul language as a sin, or anger as a sin, or judgement as a sin. We all sin, so get over pointing your fingers and feeling holier than thou. You're not holier than a gay couple living their life together...Christ had to die for your sins too. Under the Biblical Law, you are just as guilty, perhaps even more so, since you know of Christ's commandments, and claim to have a relationship, and still behave this way. I personally do not get what the issue is with gay marriage. Do not get it. I have gay friends (gasp, yes...get over it.) And some of them are married. (gasp, yes...get over it.) Do I feel my marriage to Charles, ten years so far, is worth less because they live happily together? Ummm...no, that would be stupid. Do I feel threatened by the idea of them getting to share insurance, or tax benefits...why would I? The one and only area I am cautious with, in concern to gay marriage, is the very few people who want to be able to force a Church to marry gays and lesbians. There I draw a line, because the Church's rights are being trampled. I'm not Muslim, thus we can't have a renewal ceremony in a Mosque, not Jewish, can't use the Synagogue...Church's are private clubs, so to speak, and should never be forced to marry anyone outside what their personal believes espouse.

A group of believers have every right to get together, worship and believe their own set of beliefs/morals. They can define what a sin is, according to their faith. And no one should have the right to regulate those beliefs, providing.....providing that the group does not feel they can impose their beliefs on anyone else. Take the Christian faith in America, it's pretty wide spread.....there are denominations out there that would say I am sinning right now, because I'm wearing shorts. I disagree with them, but if they all wish to dress a certain way, go for it. But they don't have the right to tell me how to dress. Just as Christians in general, don't have the right to impose our beliefs on someone's choice of partner. Just think of this...your only job, as a Christian, is to love those around you, present the Gospel lovingly, and leave the rest to God. Don't worry about their lifestyle, just share the Gospel and love them. Period.

I know a lot of conservative Christians spend a lot of time networking via media like facebook, sharing their outrage and this and that and the other, and how dare they do this, etc etc etc. Why don't we use our time to do what Christ wants us to do? Just an idea...but hey, He is the Savior right...and if we say we follow Him...maybe we should actually follow His Commandments.

So....go feed the hungry, there are a lot of them out there right now with our economy. Check out Backpacks of Love for a starting place (check my husband's profile, it's a mission we're doing up here, that you can do at home. Fill a bag with some food, maybe a shirt or socks, a Bible...and find a homeless person -they're out there in record numbers- and give it to them with a smile and the words, God loves you, hang in there man) or find your local food bank and volunteer. Your local homeless shelters always need supplies, and volunteers. I know a prison ministry scares a lot of people, but if you can do it, go for it! Visit elderly in retirement homes, who are often lonely and can use the visit, you can brighten their day. And just find quiet thoughtful ways throughout your day to share the Word of our Lord, whether it be a post on Facebook, handing out a tract, telling someone you will pray for them, there are tons of ways....

Pray for the people with whom you disagree with their politics. Don't yell at them, pray for them. Pray over the issues than infuriate you, and ask God...is this my politics or my religion? Should I show an angry face to the world as Christian, or show a loving compassionate face? Which will win more souls for God?

Because...remember, each person you are infuriated at...whether it be a Muslim or a gay man, they too are made in God's image and He loves them. And because He loves them, you are supposed to as well. So how well are you conveying God's love?

'And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.' Luke 14:27

So what cross are you carrying for Christ?

In the west, where it is so easy to be a Christian, most of us look blankly at the idea, surprised that there might be such a thing. Yet, Jesus warned, over and over again that to follow Him would bring suffering, persecution, that some would die for their faith. And in some parts of the world today...people do. I am always humbled and amazed when reading the stories in Voices of the Martyrs, or Gospel for Asia...where people are harassed, disowned, imprisoned, tortured or killed all for their belief in Christ. And what humbles me the most is that they, the believers, think their cost to believe in Christ is cheap...for they have their eyes set, not on earth, but Heaven.

We in the west get awfully cranky when a political decision doesn't go our way, or a store posts Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, or a tv show makes fun of Christians. We organize boycotts, and the talking heads on tv scream about how Christian rights in America are being stripped away, and the social networks twitter and post about how bad our neighbors are for not going to our Church. And how much filth there is on tv, and by the way, did you watch the latest episode of ....

We need to wake up. Yes, there are elements in our country that aren't as friendly to Christians as we would like them to be...but we can still shop wherever we want, we can go to services, we can post our beliefs on the net and in books, on tv and radio. If we don't like what a show says about us, or if it mocks our faith, we can turn the channel, and find a dozen Christian stations on cable tv. We have it so easy here to be a Christian, that even though most of us say we are followers of Christ...we aren't. It's just a label, membership into an acceptable club, a political action group, or just the thing to do. We aren't carrying a cross, we aren't doing the work. We're not on fire, heck, most American Christians aren't even smoldering.

Because if we were...if we as a nation were truly followers of Christ...there would be no need for government social programs...WE would feed the poor, shelter them and help them up to a better life. There would be no smut on tv, because we would not watch it, and therefore the revenues would go away and the shows would go away. Our country would not be vastly polluted, because we would take care of God's creation. Our country would not have a 50% divorce rate (or close enough to it) because people would mean their marriage vows, work things out, stick with it and become strong family units. There would not be domestic abuse, for husbands would value their wives as Jesus does His Church, and wives would love and cherish their husbands, not belittle them or emasculate them. Our children would not be killing themselves out of despair and confusion. Our faith would be a faith in action, in love, in charity, in help, in compassion.

But if you read the Bible...you know that such a perfect country, or world, will not come until Christ comes again. That humans are too selfish and prideful and judgmental to live in that kind of peace. That within the larger scope of those claiming to be Christian, that most will be of the apostasy, not the true remnant that really follow Christ.

Are you one of the remnant? The beloved chosen few of God? The ones that don't follow the pack, either the secular world we live in, or the pseudo-Christian majority in our country and world that has corrupted our faith and image. When you see someone in need, do you help them, even if they're drunk or high, or of another faith, or of a sexual orientation you don't agree with? Because Jesus says you should. Do you pray, not hate, those who don't follow Christ's path? Because Jesus says you should. Can you be marked different than even the "normal American christian" because of your love and service to the downtrodden? Because Jesus says you should be.

It's hard to be different...we all want to blend in. But the Bible calls us to be apart of the World...

"James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

1 John 2:25 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Are you set apart from this world? Do people see you and see the love of God within you? Does your love of God translate into compassion for the downtrodden, the weak, the poor, the lost?

In America, in the western world...I think our cross is to break away from the norm, the pack, and stand apart for God. Do not stand with those who claim to be christian, yet teach hate. Do not stand with those who claim to be christian, yet teach not the Word of God. Do not stand with the secular world when it deviates from the teachings of God. It is hard to be apart, it is hard to be different, for you will lose opportunities, you will lose some friends and alienate some family members...who just "don't get it." They will question your faith, and therefore question you. And that is never easy.

But will you carry a cross for Jesus, or go your own way?