Gummy's Chicken Pie Casserole Ingredients: 2 T butter 1 cup diced sweet onion 1 cup diced celery 2 tsp minced garlic 1/3 cup flour 2-1/2 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream 1 t minced fresh thyme 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 1 frozen package of frozen mixed veggies 1 package of frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 large egg Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray with cooking spray the bottom of a deep cookie sheet (or use an aluminum pan if you're taking this to someone's home to gift them a meal), and set this to the side. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the onion and celery. Cook this over medium heat until it's soft, and then add the garlic and stir for about ... View Post
One Person’s Trash is Someone Else’s Treasure
I've heard it said that one person's trash is another's treasure. And if you ask me - this couldn't be truer. I love finding free stuff on social media, and then turning it into something useful, or better yet - into a unique and personal gift for someone. Being able to look at something and see beyond its current condition to what it could be has always been kind of fun for me. So when a gal nearby was trying to get rid of an old, very well-loved, scratched-up wooden rocking chair - I just KNEW I had to have it! I saw that chair and imagined the beautiful wood hiding beneath all those layers, the character it would reveal, and the years of usefulness it might still have ahead of it. (I wonder how often we miss that same kind of beauty in people). I knew stripping it would take ... View Post
Chicken & Veggie Bowl (from Micah’s kitchen)
Part #1: Making the chicken Ingredients: 2 boneless chicken breasts 1 onion, sliced thinly 1/4 cup chicken broth 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice 1 Tablespoon olive oil 4 minced garlic gloves 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Directions: Place your chicken in a crockpot and place the sliced onions on top. Whisk in a bowl the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, oregano, thyme, sea salt, and pepper. Pour this evenly ove the chicken with onions in the crockpot. Cook for 5-6 hours on low, or 3-4 on high until chicken is tender. Shred the chicken using two forks right inside the crockpot so it soaks up the juices. Part #2: Making the veggie salad Ingredients: 4 diced ... View Post
Joy Despite Circumstances
Fifth Third Bank recently took over Comerica, and I was one of the unlucky folks unable to access funds, use my debit card, or even sign into my account. Standing in line a long time for assistance, I remembered that I needed to come home and write this blog about finding joy despite my circumstances. At the time, I found that rather comical because, quite honestly, I wasn’t feeling particularly joyful. My current circumstances felt pretty awful. A week later, I rolled my ankle, suddenly found myself immobile, and ended up in the Emergency Room. Two broken bones and a ruptured tendon later, that long wait at the bank suddenly seemed pretty trivial. I know Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning,” but I can promise you - the only time ... View Post
How To Be An Influencer
Spoiler Alert: You’re Already an Influencer You don't need me to tell you how to be an influencer. You're already an influencer. The question is: How are you influencing others—and who is influencing you? "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called," Ephesians 4:1 Let me tell you a little story... Several weeks ago, I was taking a break in between my typical Saturday chores when I sat down on the couch to watch a funeral being livestreamed from my church. I didn't know the woman who had passed, and I am not sure I had ever even met her. But my Pastor does such a beautiful job preaching funerals, and never misses an opportunity to share the Gospel, so I really wanted to listen in. Each of Janet's ... View Post
Let’s Really Be Kind
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23 You've probably seen as many "Be Kind" T-shirts as I have. Tasked with writing this blog on the fruit of the spirit, and specifically on kindness, of course I now see them everywhere. For curiosity’s sake I began researching these T-shirts’ origin, quickly realizing it wasn't the kind of kind I was tasked with writing about. These movements are encouraging niceness, and calling it kindness. But... niceness and kindness are NOT synonymous, despite the fact that we often use them interchangeably. And we need to know the difference, because our kindness should be evidence of our transformation, reflecting ... View Post
Recognizing My Impatience
Traffic jams, construction zones, and frustratingly long lines at the supermarket - these are just a few of the daily opportunities for me to very naturally feel (and express) a lack of patience, probably even without batting an eyelash or thinking twice. Then there's that unseen roll of my eyes and the sigh of frustration over an unfair decision made by management at work... What about all of the injustices we see daily throughout the world? Or the personal injustices and betrayals done to us? Do you ever feel impatient and frustrated while it seems those who are guilty go unpunished, and often even seem to get rewarded? Our wrestling with the injustices isn't wrong, but our impatience with the Lord surely is - it's as if we don't trust Him to do the right thing. And then there's ... View Post
Running is Hard
LOL You might think it's tacky for me to start this blog with "LOL" but after toying around with several potential titles for this piece, and finally landing on the truth that - Running is, in fact, HARD, and always has been for me - I actually DID really laugh out loud. But wait, let's return to the blog. I can't run anymore. I'm too old, too injured, and too out of shape. And oddly enough, this is a story about running. It's a story about ME running. (Some of you are laughing right now). But it's also a story about you running. Yes, you. Stay with me. I actually learned to hate running just after basic training when I got stationed in Panama. Ever been there? It's hot, and it's humid like nobody's business. And instead of running at normal morning hours, our ... View Post