Soup

Thank you to everyone who gave me soup suggestions!  I am so anxious to try them!!

Guess what I made for dinner last night?

yep.  Chili.  I like my chili really spicy and colorful.  This time I added some cubed ham (because I had some I had to use.) black beans, and corn.  Also, green chilis (of course).  Cinnamon, Cumin, Chili Powder, Brown Sugar.  I love my chili. 

Steph made these lovely cheddar garlic biscuits.

Faith

"Rebecca, do you want more faith?"

 The minister was talking to me.  I took my eyes off the baby sleeping in my lap and looked up.  Yep.  Definitely talking to me.  I nodded.  Of course I want more faith.  Of course. 

The minister went on, but I got stuck on the faith thing.

More faith sure would come in handy.  I do want more faith. 

I've always struggled with trust issues.  Ok, just go ahead and call me a worrywart.  I totally deserve it. 

Remember Deb's post a while back on Worry? Well, that post jumped off the screen and smacked me right on the forehead.  As in "This is YOU, Rebecca! Listen up!" Especially since I had just had a conversation with a co-worker the week before on the same subject.  My co-worker reminded me that "Worry is a sin.  It's taking your situations out of God's hands and trying to take care of them yourself.  It's the same as saying 'God, you can't handle this as well as I can."  Ouch. 


So, I acknowledge that I have a problem with this.  I worry about EVERYTHING. 


My job security, for instance, is not so secure.  What if I lose my job?  The economy's not so good right now, you know?  What if I don't have enough money for rent? Or food?  What if I have to move back home????  Ouch.  That would be a blow to my pride.  Or, what if I say something stupid sometime?  (not that it's never happened before...:)  Or, what if someone I love gets sick? Or hurt?  Or, (here's a biggie) What if... I NEVER get married?  And I can't support myself?  And I never have children? And everything I've ever wanted never happens?  What if...  well.... there are certainly enough things to worry about.


So, I've had faith on the brain for a while now. 


I keep remembering this song I sang as a child

We need more faith

Every single day

We need to trust in the God of the impossible

We need more faith

Every single day

We need to trust Him every step we take

And after all it makes sense.  God created us.  He created our circumstances just for us.  So, why shouldn't we able to handle it?  Why shouldn't God be able to handle it? He can.  The real question is...can we handle trusting Him?

So...

I still haven't finished Lorna Doone. 

Am I not pathetic? 

I sort of got sidetracked reading Megan Whalen Turner's books.  Which are excellent, by the way.  Except some language.  Ugh.  Too bad.  And these are children's books?!!??? WHAT is the world coming to?
Also, some fantasy.  

I don't know.

Also, watching Way. Too. Many Agatha Christie Poirot mysteries.  Not that you can ever watch too many.  Just that, you know, I should maybe be doing other things?

Due to the plunging temps I've recently become interested in soup.  I haven't made any yet, but I was thinking about trying some ham and potato soup.  I'm not a soup connoisseur by any means at all.  My soup making has pretty much been limited to chili.  I know.

So, any suggestions?

Friday

Hello all!
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas holiday!  It's back to work, for me this morning.  I don't have a lot of time to post, just wanted to say hi! 

anybody have any stories they want to share from their Christmas?

have a fabulous weekend!

My Christmas

For me Christmas starts in October.  When we drag all of the Christmas decorations out of the basement.  Then we rearrange EVERYTHING to make room for the trees.  (Yes, TREES, plural) I think we had 8 standard sized trees this year, in addition to the little Charlie Brown trees :).  After that we decorate the trees in a variety of color schemes.  Everything from traditional red and white, to gold and white, blue and silver, lime green and fuschia pink...

In November we redecorate the old wreaths and make up new ones.  Also in a variety of color schemes.  We buy and set up over 50 strands of lights.  We make our own ornaments.  We set up our huge collection of Santa figurines. The weekend before Thanksgiving we have an open house and invite everyone in town to come and see our decorations. 

By December we're knee deep in Christmas colored foils and ribbons.  We cut pine boughs by the van load.  We drive two hours north to buy 30 fresh wreaths.  We love the fresh pine smell.  We make dozens and dozens of bows and decorate the fresh wreaths.  Then we get the poinsettias. They come by the truckload in bright beautiful reds and every other color imaginable.

Then we sell them.  :)

Did I mention I work in a flower and gift shop? :)

Christmas for me means days and days of preparation.  It means  many centerpieces designed for people's tables.  It means poinsettias for the churches, and gifts for the collectors.

The last couple of days I've delivered flowers all day all over town in -30 degree wind chills.  In my town my coworkers and I are often called "little elves." :)  Working hard to make Christmas happy for as many people as possible.

It's what I do. :) 

Holiday Packages

Silver and Chocolate

Sisters, Sisters... there were never such devoted sisters...

Me and My Baby Sis

Crabmeat Rangoons

I can't remember where I got this recipe, but it is SO GOOD! 

I think these are better than any rangoons I've ever had in a restaurant.

First mix together in a bowl One package of Cream Cheese and One package of Imitation Crab.  Make your life a little easier by softening the cream cheese first. 

You can buy these Wanton Wrappers in the ethnic food section at any grocery store.  

Put a dab of the crab/cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the wanton.  

Fold the wrapper in half crosswise over the filling to make a triangle.

Then fold the two ends of the triangle in to make a shape like this.

Heat some Vegetable Oil in a skillet.  I think I used about a 1/4 inch of oil.  

Fry the rangoons in the oil one side at a time.  

Flip them over when they turn golden brown.  

Drain on paper towel.

Narnia

I love Narnia.  I'd like to go there someday.  :)

But, since none of my wardrobes have secret panels in the back.  (I checked)
And there are no Narnia ships in any of my framed art (*snaps fingers*)

I'm staying in this world for a while.  In the meantime, I visit Narnia other ways.

There's always the books (hot chocolate is a must if you're reading The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, I always get cold). 

And, if I'm going to read The Last Battle I make sure I have plenty of time, because I won't be able to put it down until I'm done. 

Or, I could watch one of the movies. 

OR, there's always the Focus On The Family Radio Theatre productions.  These are an adventure of the highest proportions. 
AND the radio theatre versions have ALL of my favorite parts.

Eustace: I'm going to think of a limerick.  Something like this "Some kids who played games about Narnia (his  British accent says Narnier) gradually got balmier and balmier!"
Edmund: Narnier and Balmier don't rhyme.  

OR

Caspian:  I would like to see all of the soldiers assembled in the square at noon tomorrow looking like men at arms and not vagabonds.  See to it on pain of our EXTREME displeasure.


Caspian: You have not given us quite the welcome we expected.  WE are the King of Narnia!

And that's all just from the Disc One of Voyage of the Dawn Treader. 
Which, incidentally is my favorite Narnia book.  Unless it's The Last Battle.  Or, maybe Horse and His Boy.  The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe?  oh, I can't decide...

Pop one into your laptop.  Insert ear buds.  Close your eyes.  It's almost like being there. 

The War Between the Sexes

The following is an article I wrote for the IDD Blog

My 14 year old brother kindly offered to help me with something tonight.  I think his exact words were "do you have problems?  I can fix them."  (He was mostly joking)  I took him up on his offer, though, and asked him to write my article for today.  I said: "Can you write an encouraging article for Christian young ladies?"  His response: Baseball stuff.  I'll spare you.  He did make me laugh, though :)

Guys are wired differently than girls.  It's just the facts. 

The exchange between my brother and myself got me thinking about something that has been on my mind for a while. 

I'm just gonna talk about it a little bit.  Feedback would be greatly appreciated if anyone has any thoughts on the subject. 

It's mainly this: Guy-Bashing.  Why do we do it? 

I've heard a lot of girls say things like "Guys don't act like gentleman anymore" (I may have even said this myself)  The guys are quick to return that the girls don't act like ladies.  I think there is some truth in both of these statements.  Not that either of them justifies the other. 

Girls.  Be ladies.  Deserve to be treated like ladies.  Act like ladies whether the guys notice or not. 

We, as girls, tend to have very high expectations from men.  We think they should all be knights in shining armor.  Maybe they should be.  But, regardless of how short they fall of our lofty marks, bashing on them only degrades our own good names. 

Let's put it in the reverse.  All ladies should be queens of decorum and honor.  We should always be gracious and lovely.  Smiles should never leave our faces.  Our voices should be sweet and our words encouraging.  While these goals are something we should aim for every day, in all honesty which of us lives up to them every day?  I certainly don't.  I have rough days.  Sometimes I forget to smile.  Sometimes I say something rude.  I do not treat every man I meet as if he were a gentleman of the highest birth.  How discouraging it would be to me, were I to overhear some men talking about me, saying that I did not deserve to be treated like a lady, based on my behaviour on a rough day.

And yet, I often hear girls saying similar things regarding guys. 

Girls, guys are just guys.  They're not stupid.  They're not mean by nature.  They're just guys.  Just because they don't treat every woman they meet as if she is a priceless jewel doesn't mean they're inept. 

Unfortunately, our society is involved in a war as old as time.  The "War Between the Sexes."  We make enemies of each other, just because we don't understand them. 

God created us male and female on purpose.  Each of us has different strengths and weaknesses that in the grand scheme of things, should all fit together and work in tandem. 

Let's make it a goal for 2009.  To talk nicely about the guys.  To treat them like gentleman, whether they deserve it or not.  To act like ladies, whether we're treated that way or not.  To trust that God's plan is perfect.  To know that God created men just the way they are.  And that God doesn't mean for us to totally understand it.

Well

We had a very busy weekend.  Lots of fun with friends. 
What did you do?

Random Things you may or may not want to know

• This is my 451st post.
• I have not yet finished reading Lorna Doone
• I am aggravated by above statement
• I have to go out in the FRIGID to deliver flowers this afternoon.  Bless me.
• My nose is defective.  It keeps dripping.  I want a new one.
• I really, really want some chocolate
• Knitting is awesome
• Hercule Poirot is awesome
• It is FRIDAY!  
• Baking will be done this weekend, or BUST!  
• Reading will be done this weekend (less likely)
• My hands are COVERED in pine sap, and blue dye.  (don't ask)

Sarah B.-isms

"The devil is a bad germ" *nods head sadly* "we don't want to let him in our hearts"

Anti Social: A comedy of Homeschoolers

LOL!!!

Homeschoolers should get this joke. Non homeschoolers will probably think it's funny too.

Seriously, though. Homeschoolers are not this bad!

We got socialization!

The Promise Ring

Some people call them "Promise rings."
Other people prefer "Purity Ring" or "Chastity Ring."
For me, the idea of saving myself for marriage was nothing new.  And I didn't need a ring to remind myself.  BUT, being a girl :) and being 16 :) :) I was very delighted to open my birthday present to find a pretty gold band with 10 tiny diamonds from Mom and Dad.

A Promise Ring.  And my parents asked me for more than just a promise to remain pure.  I promised this:

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
-Proverbs 22:6


I've worn my Promise Ring for almost 11 years now.  In fact, I wore out the original ring, and Mom and Dad kindly replaced it for me.  So, the promise remains on my finger.  A daily reminder to follow the path.  To fight the fight.
For me, the fight isn't whether or not to remain pure.
For me, the fight is everyday, in my soul.  Every hour, sometimes.  A fight for righteousness.
A fight to keep my promise.

December snapshots

Snow covered pumpkins

Knitting

Scheffelera shadow on the red wall

Flowers on the table for Thanksgiving

and THIS little girl :)

has had too many pictures taken with her brothers...

note the thumbs... :)

*LOL*

If you are on Facebook, you absolutely have to see this!!
If you're not, you'll still probably think it's funny!

What if all of the characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice were on Facebook?

Austenbook

I must giggle :)

Google Reader has a list of blogs that are recommended for me, based on the sort of blogs I already subscribe to.  Top of the list, FLOWERSHOPGIRL!

Well, I think Flowershopgirl and I just may have some things in common.

Google Reader also tells me that I have 37 subscribers.

Which is about 30 more than I would have guessed.  :)

Of course, my family members all subscribe to me obligatorily.  But, my family, surprisingly, is not THAT big.  :)

So, to my subscribers.  Thanks.  :)  You made my day.  I don't have any pictures of myself smiling goof-ily for you... Here's Sarah B. instead. 

Come in my front door...

Have a seat on the couch....

Watch a movie with me? :)

I've got lots of seats for company!

When I was a little girl I used to love to go to Great Grandma's house and sit on her twirly spin-y blue chairs.  After she died I begged to take one of them home with me.

My coffee table.  $20 antique store fine.  I painted it black. 

Words on a page

I was tagged by KATIE
Here are the rules...  

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages)
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people.

The nearest book to me is a novel I am proofing for a friend.  It is unpublished, so you're out of luck.  :)
Ok, I'll grab the NEXT nearest book.  This is not a problem.  There are many books within arms reach :)
So... the book of choice is Lorna Doone!
I almost don't want to do this, because I haven't read this far in the book yet!!!  *eep*

Ok, here we go.

      However, as the luck of the matter went, it proved for my advantage; for I heard one say to the other,-

      'Curse it Charlie, what was that? It scared me so, I have dropped my box; my flint is gone, and everything.  Will the brimstone catch from your pipe my lad'
      'My pipe is out Phelps, ever so long.'

I promise this book is not all about people smoking.  :)

Open tag :)

New Profile Picture

To go with my new winter theme!

Things I Learned When I Moved Away From Home

• That singing at the top of your lungs in your own kitchen making dinner is fun!  and good for the food, too, I think....
• That Mom is awesome
• To appreciate time with my family when I have it
• To hug my little brothers and sisters when I see them, because I might not see them again today
• That Mom made some things look really easy... and they're not
• That responsibility is something that applies to every aspect of life.  Every aspect.
• That if I don't clean that hard-to-reach spot in the bathroom... no one else will.
• To pay more attention to things like dates on the calendar, because on some of those days you need to pay bills, and if you don't bad things will happen
• That I didn't have as many kitchen utensils as I thought I did.
• That eating is expensive
• That everything to do with surviving is expensive
• That some things aren't as important as they used to be
• That other things are more important
• That I can get a LOT of things done when I'm not being interrupted by little children :)
• That I miss those little children a LOT
• That growing up is bittersweet
• That cleaning my own house is very rewarding
• That weeding my own garden is more fun than weeding Mom's
• That I have to shovel the snow out of my own driveway
• That making a home is wonderful 

under construction

as you can see I have a new blog template.  it's glitter-y snowflake-y.  YUM.  katie and i spent a long time working on it tonight.  i'm quite pleased with it, but evidently, it may not look quite right on your monitor.  especially if your monitor is wide screen.  which mine is not.  katie promises to fix it.  in the meantime... what do you think?

I think Winter may be here

Sad thought indeed.  For me.  Some people love winter.  I don't really understand that, but it is nice to know that while I'm tramping through 4 foot drifts of snow, getting my feet wet, being sick all winter, and other various horrible experiences, someone out there is actually enjoying the weather.  So, that's nice. 

In other news...
The snow is pretty.  I will gladly admit that.  It is beautiful. 

I just don't like shoveling it.  And I don't like tramping through it. 

And why don't they make snow boots for people that live in Wisconsin?  I mean, while my boots are very comfy and fur lined and free (thanks Grandma!) they only come up to the middle of my calf.  And that, frankly is not enough.  I need hip waders.

I discovered last year that you can buy little packages of hand and feet warmers.  I have no idea what they're made of, but the idea is you "break" them, put them in your gloves, or inside your shoes and they keep your appendages warm.  The mail lady (sorry, letter carrier) told me about them.  I have not yet invested in them, but I plan to. 

Because, frankly, I think my boss has decided not to heat the shop.  Well, she is running the furnace of course.  (broken water pipes would not be good) But, 55 degrees, while it IS above freezing,  is a bit on the chilly side for me. 

I'm reading Lorna Doone.  Which has a very magical sort of whimsical, romeo and juliet feel to it.  So far, I like it muchly.

Other random things....

• I have maroon nail polish on.  I like.
• I may wear sweatshirts all winter long.
• I also may wear leg warmers all winter long.
• I'm knitting scarves.  The idea was to sell them, but they're not really selling... but, I'm still making them.  Gifts, maybe?  I think I'm addicted to knitting.  I can't stop.  
• Wall-E?  Adorable. :)
• Poetry is racing through my head at the oddest times.  
• Namely times when there is nothing around to write on.  
• ^That frustrates me
• I have no inspiration for any meals.  Nothing in my head to cook. This is odd.
• I want to see the 2005 P&P again.  *dodges tomatoes*
• I wanted to see it again even before Ty started talking about the revolutionary cinematography.  Then I really wanted to watch it again.  
• I'm rambling.
• It's monday.