Ingredients: 1 cup of walnuts, 4 eggs, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup oil, 3-1/2 cups flour, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 cups grated zucchini, 1 cup raisins (optional), and a teaspoon of vanilla. Beat the living daylights out of the eggs, sugar, and oil. Then, combine the dry ingredients and add to the beaten egg mixture, alternating with zucchini, nuts, raisins, and vanilla. Use 2 greased and lightly floured loaf pans. Add ¾ mixture to each loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes, until you test for doneness with a tooth pick. Let loaves cool for 10 minutes and turn onto wire rack to cool. ... View Post
A Glimpse of Grace
Just a short blog with a few of my thoughts about grace I've jotted down while only a couple of chapters into the following book - I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists: If I prefer not to be around anyone who believes differently than me........ how can I possibly realize the beauty of the Gospel? How can I fulfill the great commission? Or be salt and light in a dark world? Reflect Christ to a lost and dying world? How can I pick and choose who I feel deserves my donations? Or believe others are worth less than me, and still expect to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant?" How can I preach grace when I myself, am unwilling to give it freely to those I believe do not deserve it? I can't. The truth is, that anyone who has truly received ... View Post
Whose Lives Matter Most? (Ask a Soldier! Ask a Nurse!)
I am too tired to write this blog, but, I'm also too fired up emotionally not to. So, here goes. Benadryl is what it is going to take to get me to fall asleep. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry is outside lighting off fireworks because it's the 4th of July. I can't help but wonder - Do they really understand what they are celebrating? Or was this just another day off or one more three-day weekend? Don't get me wrong. I love having days off, I love three-day weekends, and I love spending time with those I love. So, why am I fired up??? I went to work today at 6 a.m., and I cared for approximately 18 patients during my 12-hour shift, each with his own television. I have over and over all day long heard about terrorist attacks abroad, hate crimes in the United States, accusations by ... View Post
A Good, Good Father
There are two times a year when I know a significant someone will call me. My sweet cousin Beth calls me every January 11 to let me know she is thinking about me on the date my daughter died. And, every year on Father's Day my old pal Ron calls. He always insists that I had filled the roles of both mother and father as a single parent of my two sons. Now that my sons are grown up and moved out, one with a family of his own, and the other in Bible College in Chicago - I realize more than ever that I never really was a "father." Moms can't be Dads. They can't; and any child raised by one parent can tell you that. I was simply a Mom with twice as much responsibility. But a Dad? No, I was not a Dad. My sons had an incredible grandfather, who in the absence of any real male ... View Post
Distractions, Distractions!
The second treadmill from the left was the only one open. I jumped on it before anyone else had the chance. It was the perfect spot, too - because I could only be distracted by 6 of the 12 large screen televisions, each playing a different channel. Several choices for the next hour's entertainment were in front of me. But I had already chosen what I was going to spend my hour listening to. With my earphones in, I tuned into the latest sermon of the day. I listened to the preacher as he began teaching on Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Somewhere about 3 ... View Post
“Coalition” Cookies
Ingredients: One cup of flour (we use gluten-free), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 3/4 cup shortening, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 3 cups oatmeal. Put all of the ingredients into a bowl, and mix it up! Add chocolate chips. How much? In the words of Ruth, "That's not enough. Add more. Now add a little more." (In other words, add to taste??) They are yummy! ... View Post
Miller Salad Dressing
This recipe is from the kitchen of Jerry & Merri Miller, and it is INCREDIBLE! SALAD INGREDIENTS: Roman lettuce, strawberries, mushrooms (I leave these out), canned pineapple, almonds DRESSING: 2 cups vegetable oil, 1 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 Tablespoons onion powder, 2/3 cup wine vinegar ... View Post
Once Upon A Time
Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Rory, who was born in California. He had great big eyes, smiled all the time, and slept right through the night on the first day home from the hospital. When Rory was only two months old, his Mum and Dad took him to meet his Grandma and Grandpa. He smiled and let out a giggle in the airport, the very first time he saw his Grandma. A few weeks later, Rory moved far away to Berlin, Germany where he stayed until he was almost two years old. Sometimes Rory and his Mum would ride on the German train, or on the Subway, and go for adventures, but sometimes they would just go for long walks. Rory learned how to walk when he was only 8 months old, and was very curious. Often he would like to go in the evenings with his Mum to the duck ... View Post