Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

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Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
Ingredients:
5 cups cubed sourdough/white bread
1 pound ground sage turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 egg

1 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
2.  In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
3.  Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and egg. 4.  Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into baking dish.

5.  Cover dish and bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring halfway during cooking.

Deep-Fried Turkey

Deep-Fried Turkey Marinade

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian dressing
1/2 cup cayenne pepper
1/2 cup black pepper
1 cup Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons garlic powder

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 Italian dressing, cayenne pepper, black pepper, Creole seasoning, and garlic powder. Rub over turkey, using remaining Italian dressing to fill cavity. Allow turkey to marinate 8 hours, or overnight, before deep-frying as desired.

NOTE:  Rub over skin, under skin and in cavity.  If you prefer, save a little of the marinade to inject into the bird at the last minute. The flavors mellow during cooking so it is not too spicy.


Deep-Fried Turkey

Ingredients:
3 gallons peanut oil for frying, or as needed
1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/4 cup Creole seasoning

Directions:1.  Once you have set up your turkey fryer outside and BEFORE you had oil or turn on the heat, place the turkey (still in the marinating bag) into the pot and fill with water until is just covers the bird.  Remove the bird and note the water level.  This is the amount of oil you want to add to your pot.  Add the oil and heat to 400 degrees.
2.  Remove the turkey from the marinade and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Rub Creole seasoning over turkey inside and out. Make sure the hole at the neck is open at least 2 inches so the oil can flow freely through the bird.
3.  Place the turkey in the drain basket. Slowly lower basket into hot oil to completely cover turkey.  Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees, and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 45 minutes.
4.  Carefully remove basket from oil, and drain turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh avoiding the bone; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees. Finish draining turkey on a paper lined platter.

SAFETY TIPS:
~ The turkey needs to be completely thawed and as dry as possible.  This will prevent splatter and boil over.
~ Turn the propane off before putting the turkey in.  This will prevent any problems in case a little oil does bubble over.  After the bird is settled, relight the burner.

Review: The Postcard Killers

The Postcard Killers by James Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I like James Patterson in general but sometimes I find his stories a little much (too predictable, too cookie-cutter, to "I saw that last night on tv"). This was a nice change of pace. I can often figure out the ending early on but this kept me guessing. If you are a Patterson fan then go ahead and read it. If you've never read him then this is a good place to start.



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Holiday Transitions



 I love family holidays.  I don't have one of those families that have a lot of drama so when we get together we have a genuinely good time.  With that being said, I have grown pensive over the past week because I realized my current definition of a "family holiday" will soon change.

Growing up my family always kept the same pattern.  Aside from my parents, almost my entire family lives in Charleston.  For every big holiday we drove down to see them.  Thanksgivings were spent with my dad's family.  Christmas was split; the 23rd with my dad's side and the 25th with my mom's side.  When Mark and I got married, I was all of a sudden faced with the prospect that I wouldn't be there every time.  Mark had his own family and traditions that now had to merge with my own. 

The first Thanksgiving Mark and I got lucky.  My aunt/uncle/cousins on my dad's side came up to my parents house to spend the holiday.  Since Mark's family lives ten minutes from my parents' house, that made it easy.  We spent the afternoon with his family and the evening with mine.  When Christmas came, we I still hadn't come to terms with splitting the holidays.  That first Christmas involved a lot of driving.  We drove to Charleston for the day on the 23rd.  Spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Mark's family and then drove back down to Charleston Christmas Day to be with my family.  Driving home, completely exhausted on Christmas Night, we realized we couldn't keep it up.  We had to share.

The next holiday season went more smoothly.  We spent Thanksgiving with my family in Charleston and the entire Christmas with Mark's family.  It was a lot of change but it turned out fun.  We have spent several holidays rotating back and forth (the next Thanksgiving was spent with his family and Christmas with mine .. so on and so forth) and everything seemed settled.  I spoke with my cousin on the phone earlier this week and it occurred to me that everything was going to get messed up again sooner than later.

Most of the changes are occurring on my side.  Cousins are growing up and starting families of their own.  I have one grandmother left.  Our 20+ person Christmases are dwindling.  Mark and I will be starting a family in the next couple years and that will complicate things further. The current arrangements will no longer work.

This year we are spending Thanksgiving with my family and Christmas with Mark's.  This means we will be traveling to Charleston to see my Aunt and Uncle.  Already the shift is happening.  Two of my three cousins on that side will not be there.  One lives in Indiana and will be spending the holiday with her husband's family.  The other one works in DC and can't get off work. 

Christmas isn't fairing much better.  My aunt and uncle's house, the one everyone gathers at on Christmas Day, is up for sale.  They have an offer and may be closing on December 15th.  No one has decided what to do about Christmas Day yet.  Both my sister and I will be with our respective in-laws so my parents will be the only reps from our family this year.  My cousins on that side are scattering as well.  I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.

I know this is coming off as totally depressing and I certainly don't mean it that way.  Changes are exciting.  It means everyone is growing up and starting their own traditions.  It just means we will have to do the same. The family units are shifting and we need to jump on board. I do get excited thinking about the possibilities though.  Will we have Christmas at our house with both families?  Will we have some sort of rotation?  I don't know yet.  I actually am not planning anything (shock, I know!) because there are too many variables left up in the air. 

No matter what the future holds and what changes are made, the one thing I do know is that our holidays will always remain family-focused.  It's always been that way and it's the one thing that will always remain constant.

Thanksgiving Decor

With Thanksgiving coming up I thought I would give everyone some inspiration for decorating.  I figure that most people decorate for fall before Halloween but switch out a couple "holiday specific" items.  No matter whether you are already done decorating or haven't even started, here are some pictures to get your imagination in gear ...

Cute Oreo turkeys that everyone woud love!

Gourd Candle Centerpieces are a great alternative to large flower arrangements. This could also be a good option for a kids table since they are so low.

I grew up with pine cone turkeys made with construction paper tails but pear name tags are much cuter!

Try these hurricane tissue paper lanterns to cast a warm glow on your party.

Whether you serve buffet-style or not .. wrap silverware with folded cloth napkins for easy retrieval.

Cornhusked-wrapped votives provide gorgeous ambient light while allowing your guest to see each other across the table.

This would look great on a mantle or sideboard!

I do not have the source for this (google images) but this is my idea of a perfect setting!

Love this! Have everyone write down something they are thankful for and share with the ones you love!

Once again, no true source (google images) but if I had mantle I can guarantee you I would try to duplicate this!



I love wreaths so I had to throw in a fun fall one!



No-Bake Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies

This is a recipe I received from my friend Alisha.  They are SO good and super simple to make!


Ingredients:
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups favorite peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups corn flakes

Directions:
1.  In a large pot, bring Karo syrup and sugar to a boil.
2.  Once the sugars are melted, add the peanut butter and stir until blended.  Remove from heat.
3.  Stir in vanilla and cornflakes until well blended.
4.  To portion out, you can either spoon individual cookies onto wax paper OR you can press the entire batter lightly onto a lined cookie sheet.  Once it is cool you may cut into squares.

Note:  If you want to add extra goodies like mini chocolate chips or extra peanuts, stir them in with the cornflake step.

Being Thankful

Thanksgiving is upon us.  I feel like it came out of nowhere this year.  It was summer and then bam! it's November now.  This week I am going to focus on Thanksgiving themed posts.

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for reflection.  Sometimes it is easy to forget that we have things to be grateful for.  Some days are tough and everything seems to go wrong.  Those are the hardest days, but even when things go badly, you are still alive and you are still loved.

Below is a list of 30 things I am thankful for.  A reason for every day this month:

1:  I am thankful for my God.  He is always there for me to protect and guide.  He shines a light on my path and, even in times of darkness, with Him I will always be able to see.

2:  I am thankful for my marriage.  Not everyone gets to be married, and of those that do, not everyone gets to marry their best friend.  I got to.  I married my best friend and I have never been happier.  The past ten years have been amazing.  We've had our ups and downs but, at the end of the day, I would never choose to go through life with anyone else.

3:  I am thankful for family.  They are my support system. The group of people that love me unconditionally and always want the best for me.  My parents gave me a wonderful childhood and my sister was my companion.  I am so glad they are mine.  I also have great in-laws.  I know some people don't get along with theirs but I see mine weekly and have always considered them my other mom and dad.

4:  I am thankful for food and water.  There are many, many people in this world (some right in this city) that skip meals not by choice but because they have to.  I have a friend that works in a lower-income school district and she spoke about how she can tell when the food has run out at home at the end of the month because the kids come in starving.  Poverty is not just a third-world issue.  I am thankful that I have food and that I have never known true hunger.

5:  I am thankful for my health.  I take this for granted more often than I should.  God gave me a wonderful body and I should treat it with more respect.  I taken a lot of steps to improve/maintain my health but there is always more I can do.  I am thankful that I continue to get second chances and that nothing too serious has ever happened.  If I ever get sick, I hope to use it as a reminder to cherish the well times.

6:  I am thankful for my education. I was blessed with a college degree.  I had the opportunity to pursue my dream and take advantage of many opportunities.  I wish I could say education was a priority for everyone but it is not.  It is a privilege that I got to partake in.  I know my life is improved because of it and for that I am thankful.

7:  I am thankful for friends.  I am close with my family but nothing replaces great friends.  I am blessed to have a network of people willing to come to my aid at any time.  To know that you have people in your corner gives you a kind of strength that's hard to get anywhere else.  I love my friends and try to tell them often.

8:  I am thankful for God's provision.  He meets me where I am and He never puts me in a situation I can't handle.  Most people think that He gives you a set of tools/skills and that you might use these for all situations.  This is not true.  Every day you wake up, He prepares you for that day.  If something comes along, he will provide you the strength, courage, support, etc that you need.  Always.
9:  I am thankful for joy.  This, too, comes from the Lord.  I am thankful for the joy in my heart.  I am not always perfectly happy but, through Him, I always have my joy.

10:  I am thankful for children.  It may be cliche but it is true .. they are our future.  I am thankful that one day I may have the opportunity to be a mom.  The responsibility to shape a young life is huge and I am grateful for the challenge.

11: I am thankful for freedoms.  We have so many freedoms that we take for granted.  There are big freedoms like the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion.  Then there are smaller freedoms like the ability to take a day off of work whenever you like or the ability to shop and have fun.  Many countries don't have this right.  Their governments tell them what they can and can not say and what they can and can not believe.  They have to work no matter what .. even if it kills them.  They can't spend a Saturday leisurely.  I can.  I have to remind myself that these privileges are not worldwide.  I need to be thankful for this at all times.
12:  I am thankful for football.  This may seem silly but it represents more than the game.  I am a big fan of college sports and especially SEC football.  This means that during football season there is much camaraderie, tailgating and socializing to be had.  This is what I am thankful for; the fellowship, food and fun that is only found during this time of year.

13:  I am thankful for church family.  This is a big one.  Church has nothing to do with a building.  It has to do with the people.  You can have "church" at someones house.  You can have it in a multi-million dollar building.  It doesn't matter.  With that being said, my church/church family is a big part of my life.   They are some of the best friends I have ever had.  I love them so much and am SO thankful they are in my life.

14:  I am thankful for diversity.  How boring would it be if everyone was the same?!  Diversity is a great thing.  I am thankful that all my friends are not the same as me.  I certainly need the balance in my life.
15:  I am thankful for my job/paycheck.  This is a big one, too.  Not everyone can say they have a job and a paycheck that pays their bills.  I can.  Enough said.

16:  I am thankful for books.  I am an avid reader.  I am thankful for books and their expressive nature.  They stoke the fire of my imagination and allow me to discover new things.  This also falls under freedom of speech.  Double thanks.

17:  I am thankful for my dog.  He is my "four-legged first born" and I am thankful for him.  I am thankful for the lessons he teaches me in love, forgiveness and devotion.  I am thankful for this demands for belly rubs and his company.  He's the best.

18:  I am thankful for music.  Once again, this falls under the freedom of expression.  Music has the ability to fill in the blanks where words can't.  It evokes emotion like no other.  It's a huge stress reliever.  For that I am thankful.

19:  I am thankful for having a home.  Once again, some people can not claim to own a roof over their head or even have a roof.  I do.  It's mine and I own it and there is no current threat that I might. (Thanks paycheck!)

20:  I am thankful for flexibility.  I am a planner and like schedule and control but I am not so OCD where I have lost my flexibility.  I am thankful for this.  If I was so obsessive where when one tiny thing went wrong I would lose my mind .. this would sadden me.  I have maintained the quality of my life through flexibility and for this I am thankful.

21:  I am thankful for grace.  This is another God-granted gift.  This gift is in regards to salvation, mercy and love.  I am a sinful creature but do to His grace I can get a do-over.

22:  I am thankful for forgiveness.  Like I previously mentioned, I have a sinful nature.  I am not perfect.  Forgiveness from God and the forgiveness from my family and friends is crucial. 

23:  I am thankful for down time.  This also reference lazy Saturdays.  I am thankful that I have the ability to relax.  I am not on a constant search for food, shelter or money.  I have a roof over my head everything I need.  I do not have to be in constant motion in order to live.  This is all a good thing because I love my couch.

24:  I am thankful for Thanksgiving.  Yes, the holiday.  As Americans we move so fast all the time.  Sometimes it takes a national holiday for us to slow down.  This is it.  I am thankful that there is an entire day devoted to giving thanks and showing the people around you that you love them.

25:  I am thankful for Black Friday.  This is purely about money.  Some people have a little, and some people have a lot, but the majority of people have at least a little something extra in order to buy something nice for someone. (How many some- could I get in one sentence? Geez!) I am thankful for all the "extras" in life.

26:  I am thankful for family traditions.  These are the common threads that trickle down through the generations.  These are the things that connect great-grandchildren with great-grandparents.  These are the things that live on long after we are gone.  I am so thankful for all of these memories and traditions.

27:  I am thankful for blogging.  I've said it before.  This is my outlet.  This is my form of expression and I never realized how much I needed it until I did it.  Through this blog I have the ability to share what is on my heart.  I can give to others through stories, tips, recipes, and ideas.  It allows me to organize my thoughts and share in the process.  I was never one for keeping a written journal .. turns out all I needed was a keyboard.

28:  I am thankful for readers.  I am SO thankful for you guys.  When I started this I never thought I would have people read this.  I always hoped, sure, but never expected it.  Months later, I have readers.  Some of you visit me regularly and some of you only visit me every once in a while.  No matter what, I am thankful that you have read my words.  It means a lot to me.  Truly.

29:  I am thankful for the past Novembers.  This is more about the fact that I am thankful for the past.  From that past we learn lessons and make mistakes.  We gain perspective and hindsight.  There are things that I regret but I would never ever take them back because the lessons I gained are far more valuable.

30:  I am thankful for the future Novembers.  I am thankful for my future in general.  I have no idea what tomorrow brings but I know I will love it.  There are so many "milestones" that I have yet to reach.  I am thankful for the chance to do so.


What are you thankful for?

Words of Wisdom from Bob Marley

Review: Imaginary Girls

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



This book left me a little speechless. Since I am unable to find appropriate words, I am stealing them from another reviewer who posted here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/190001232

This is the first time that I've considered NOT rating a book. I felt, and still feel, like whatever number of stars I might give are not going to truly reflect my opinion nor do Imaginary Girls any justice.
So keep in mind that my rating in this case is just the result of a mathematical addition of factors, of things I liked and didn't like.

The story is, in a nutshell, a mystery. It's difficult for me to give you a synopsis of the plot, but suffice it to say it involves a mysterious reservoir, two sisters morbidly obsessed with one another, a dead girl in a rowboat and a series of unexplainable events.

This is one of the most distressing books I have read this year or, probably, ever and all I feel is that I just did not get it.
Let me make some comparisons that might help you out:
If it were an artistic movement, it would be Surrealism.
If it were a movie, it would be a David Lynch movie.
if it were music, it would be jazz.

Disturbingly creepy, oneiric, harrowing and full of suspense, it kept me on the edge until the very last pages. The word predictable does not exist in this author's dictionary, I'll give you that much.
But that the long awaited climax was, in the end, so anticlimactic distressed me very much.
For about 80% of the book I could not figure out, for the life of me, what was happening and why. I was expecting some paranormal element to give an explanation to all my questions but, in the end, there wasn't. It was just all surreal.

The strong points of this book are, objectively, the amazing writing style and characterization. The writing is exceptional and evocative and, thanks to that, some of the characters, Ruby in particular, come out well formed, palpable and yes, disturbing.
The fact that I could not find one likable character in this book though, really detracted from my enjoyment. Not only I could not justify the absurdity of some of the actions of the characters, but I could never, not even at the end, sympathize with any of them (view spoiler)[ with the exception, maybe, of London, whose sole guilt in the whole process was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (hide spoiler)]. Least of all Ruby.

The obvious deduction of all these ramblings is that this book, evidently, was really not for me. I can see why it might appeal to other readers but it really didn't happen for me. I just didn't get it. It was all over the place, and it defies logic.

Definitely recommended to people who do not recognize themselves in this review, you won't be disappointed.

*** added points for the beautiful, completely relevant cover.



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Fruit of the Spirit

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I spent last weekend with a group of amazing women.  Twenty-seven of us traveled to North Myrtle Beach, SC for a time of fellowship and worship.  I go every year but this year was especially poignant for me.  I felt Him and I was challenged.  The theme this year was Fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  I have spent this week camping on these terms, doing word studies, and below is a brief summation of what I have found. 

I know I most often use my blog for fun things like cooking, organizing and decorating but, through all of this, my goal is transparency.  If I am to be transparent then I must show you what has been so heavily on my heart...

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  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 5:16-23 (NASB)

LOVE ~ We are to love one another.  Loving someone who is nice to us and loves us back is the easy part.  It is also only the tip of the iceberg.  We are also called to love those who do not love us back.  The ones who openly hate us.  The ones that aren't nice.  The ones that are down and out.  The ones that have nothing to give us in return.

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

- Colossians 3:12-14

JOY ~ Joy is a choice.  This is really important.  It is not just a feeling any more than love is just a feeling.  It's a decision.  Also, joy does not equal happiness.  I have most often found the joy in my life during periods of trial.  Ever heard the phrase "I may love you right now but I don't necessarily like you."  Joy is similar but instead should read "I may have joy right now but I am not happy".  When things go south it is easy to become downtrodden.  You have to have joy.  Joy means believing in your heart that God has your best interest at heart.  Even when times are tough, focus on all the ways God IS providing and be thankful.

I will be full of joy in the Lord, my soul will be glad in my God; for he has put on me the clothing of salvation, covering me with the robe of righteousness, as the husband puts on a fair head-dress, and the bride makes herself beautiful with jewels.

- Isaiah 61:10

PEACE ~ Peace is a hard one.  It's being content and knowing God is in control.  For me, my nature is to plan and try to take care of everything.  The hardest lesson for me to learn is that sometimes .. the only thing I can do .. is let go.  God never sleeps.  He is always in control.  At times when I am calm and at peace and I can sleep easily with the storm raging around me .. those are the times that I know I have found peace.

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.  Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.

- Isaiah 26:3-4


For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

- 1 Corinthians 14:33

PATIENCE ~Waiting.  This is a really hard thing for me.  It's part of my nature as a planner.  I think I have everything figured out and then He doesn't move when I "need" him to.  I purposely put the quotations because no one knows what I need better than He does.  He always has my best interest at heart and he will always provide what I need.  Therefore, I need to wait. Patiently.  Quietly.  To us, hindsight is 20/20 and we always see why things worked out for the better.  God sees 20/20 in the past, present and future.  He never says "if I only knew" because he always does.

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.  He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, an He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.  He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.

- Psalm 40:1-3

KINDNESS ~ I think kindness comes most naturally.  I also believe that I often think of kind things to do but never actually do them .. all the while still giving myself some sort of credit for it.  This is not done consciously but it is still done.  Giving a helping hand, a smile or a kind word is really important.  Try to say something mean with a smile on your face.  Or tell someone you love them while frowning.  It is really hard to do.  I think if you smile more often then your actions will follow and I wouldn't be surprised if your mood is bolstered because of it.

For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.  Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.

- Proverbs 3:2-4

GOODNESS ~ Goodness is multi-faceted.  It is a combination of kindness, grace and purification from wickedness. 

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not as a result of works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

- Ephesians 2:8-10

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.  At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.  We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy saying.  And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.  These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

- Titus 3:1-8

FAITHFULNESS ~ When I think of faithfulness, I think of a promise of unconditional devotion.  It means "I am pulling for you. No matter what.  Every time."  We don't see a lot of faithfulness in the world.  People tend to get finicky about things; whether it's because it got hard, unpopular or inconvenient.  We tend to root for our teams .. until a better team comes along.  Faithfulness means you will always keep the best interest at heart.  You support and love without ceasing.  God shows us unwavering faithfulness and we should do the same.

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, or his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is tour faithfulness.  I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

- Lamentations 3:22-24

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there" and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.

- Matthew 17:20-21

GENTLENESS ~ Gentleness is akin to kindness.  I have learned that sometimes I just need to be gentler.  I need to control my tongue more.  I need to listen more and talk less.  I tend to be a little too blunt and a little too forceful with the ones I love.  I know that they love me unconditionally (especially my husband) but that does not give me the write to hurt his feelings.  This does not mean I need to sugar coat or lie, though.  It just means that I need to take in consideration the other person's feelings before I end up steam-rolling them.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  The tongue of the wise makes knowledge axceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.  The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.
- Proverbs 15:1-3

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- Ephesians 4:1-3

SELF-CONTROL ~ This is the fruit that I need to work on the most.  Most people assume I have a lot of self-control because I seem organized and on top of things.  This isn't a false front.  I am organized and I typically am on top of things.  This is not what I need to work on. This is not what self-control means.  Self-control has nothing to do with self.  It has nothing to do with my works.  It has everything to do with me surrendering my control and allowing God to take over.  And this is precisely what I need to work on.  I have spent so much time controlling my "bubble" and really it's all in vain.  God has a plan and he is in complete control.  I get so wrapped up in the daily minutiae and I need to stop.  There are some things that, no matter what, I can not plan or control them.  A big example of this is starting a family.  I can not control when I get pregnant. I can do everything right but I will not be successful unless it is God's will.  I can not plan and make sure we are ready because we never will be.  I will never have enough in savings.  I will never have everything figured out.  I need to stop pushing so hard, gain some self-control and ALLOW myself to give up.  It is not weakness.  It is strength.  It is not failure.  It is success. 

Here's my confession:  We want to start a family but I have not allowed myself to give up the control yet.  I haven't allowed myself to come to terms with the fact that .. no matter what I do .. I will never be prepared.  I know all of this is my head but I need to know it in my heart.  I need God to move in me and allow me to release these stresses.  It is my personal battle and I am losing.  I have put my own comforts (comfort in knowing "we got this covered") ahead of my love for God and my love for my husband.  My husband has been completely patient and is waiting for me.  Because of this study I have made vast improvements.  I am not out of the woods yet but I have called out my sin and uncovered it's face.  I can not hide anymore and I need to face the truth.  This is the only way I can move forward and praise Him.

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Therefore, prepare your minds for actions; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be hold , because I am holy."
- 1 Peter 1:13-16

Perfect Sunrise.  Perfect Promise.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
- 2 Peter 1:5-9

By the way - The picture below is of the shirts I had made for the retreat.  My friend Heather at Fermata Threads created them.  She is great to work with and has secured my business from now on.  If you have any tshirt needs, please visit her.  Thanks!



Thanks Heather!



Daily Devotional

If I am being completely honest with you then I have to admit that I do not have a daily quiet time.  I want to set time aside daily but I have not made it a priority.  There is no one to blame but myself.

Sometimes, if you pay attention, you will see the same thing coming at you from different angles in life.  When you finally notice the pattern .. pay attention!  Recently, that "thing" for me has been a book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

This book has come across my path repetitively.. and for a long time now.  I'm embarrassed to say that I am just now catching on.  I am an avid reader and so people tend to recommend books to me quite often.  Most of them go in one ear and out the other.  It's not that I don't respect the opinion of the one recommending it .. I'm just picky and often don't try hard enough to remember the title. Anyway, this title has made an appearance so many times (and in so many ways) that I remembered not only the title but the author.  It seemed about time that I took a closer look.

After a very brief internet search, I realized two things:  1) this is a daily devotional and is meant to not be read all at once and 2) there is a free app available that gives you a week trial of the book.

Bingo!

My desire to have a quiet time, but my lack of focus, has now been rectified.  I read daily already so taking a few minutes to meditate on a book entry won't change my routine too much.  Also, I don't buy books (because I read too many too quickly) and so a free app is a great way for me to test drive it first. 

I know me and that means I can not jump head first into something that completely alters my routine.  I won't stick with it.  If I gradually start just reading the book during my existing "reading time" (i.e. lunch break) then I have added something new but not changed everything.  Eventually I will, hopefully, add a second break (ideally in the morning before work) just for this.  This may sound non-committal to some, but for me, it's the exact opposite.  I am trying to change my behavior.  I have to take baby steps.

I downloaded the Jesus Calling Lite app for droid and this is what I saw for today:

Sit quietly with Me, letting all your fears and worries bubble up to the surface of your consciousness.  There, in the Light of My Presence, the bubbles pop and disappear.  However, some fears surface over and over again, especially fear of the future.  You tend to project yourself mentally into the next day, week, month, year, decade; and you visualize yourself coping badly in those times.  What you are seeing is a false image, because it doesn't include Me.  Those gloomy times that you imagine will not come to pass, since My Presence will be with you at all times.


When a future-oriented worry assails you, capture it and disarm it by suffusing the Light of My Presence in to that mental image.  Say to yourself, "Jesus will you be with me then and there.  With His Help, I can cope!"  Then, come home to the present moment, where you can enjoy peace in My Presence.


Then Jesus said to this disciples:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.  Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.  Consider the ravens:  They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.  And how much more valuable you are than birds!  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
- Luke 12:22-26


"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
- Deuteronomy 31:6


"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
- 2 Corinthians 10:5

This excerpt spoke volumes to me.  It met me where I am today and I know it met you where you are.  We are in different places so it speaks to each of us differently.  This is a valuable book .. especially to someone like me who does not currently have a quiet time.  It can be completely overwhelming to think "OK, I am supposed to sit down for "quiet time" and do what!?  Do I read the bible?  What do I read?  How long do I read?  What am I supposed to feel?  What am I supposed to say?"  These are all things that I felt and I know I am not alone.  I truly believe that's why this book has come into my life.  It has provided me the structure I am looking for.  I am sure once I become more comfortable with the process then I will be able to branch out and build my own version of quiet time, but for now, this seems perfect to me.

We are all at different places of our walk with God. Maybe you don't even know who He is.  I encourage you to pick up this book.  If you don't even want to do that, then I encourage you to read my posts.  I will try to let you know about any entries that hit especially close to home. 

If you have any questions, please email me.  I can not promise to have the answers but I do promise to help you find them.  If you are currently using Jesus Calling as part of your daily devotional and have any words of wisdom or insight, you are welcome to let me know as well.

Here's the Amazon link if you would like to buy it.

Review: Where I Belong

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Where I Belong is a cute YA novel about a teen who's family is turned upside down because of the recession. The story is completely predictable but does a fair job establishing the importance of friendship, hard work and remembering where you came from. As an adult I like to read YA but this one is a little too predictable and a little too "everything works out perfectly in the end". I would recommend this for a true young teen and not someone who simply enjoys the genre.



View all my reviews

Kohl's Coupon Code

I know it's early but some of you out there (including myself) have started Christmas shopping already.  Some of you just like to shop and are looking for any excuse.  Whatever the reason, I have a coupon code for Kohl's I would like to share.  The verbiage says:

Take an extra 20% off everything.  It's our thank-you for all you do.  Good every time you shop from Thursday-Sunday, November 17-20, 2011.

The coupon code is PARTNER20 and can be used online.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Daylight Saving Time ends

Don't forget to "fall back" one hour tonight!

Fun fact:  The correct term is actually "daylight saving time" and not "daylight savings time" .. who knew!?

Everybody's Working for the Weekend

... and I am no exception!  I have definitely been working this week with my eye on 5:30pm today.

This weekend marks the annual Women's Retreat at my church.  There are 27 ladies going this year and I am SO excited!  We always have such a great time and I know that this year will be no exception.  I am riding with four friends tonight after work and we will be heading to North Myrtle Beach, SC.

I am not 100% a beach person, which shouldn't be at all surprising.  I am a red head and that means I have translucent fair skin.  No matter how much sunscreen I use I inevitably burn.  I also don't care for sand being stuck everywhere and the idea of swimming in the ocean is just not appealing at all. Jellyfish? Sharks? No thanks.  It's not that I am "scared" of the ocean, it's more like the last 3 times I have gone in the water I have been stung by jellyfish.  Couple lukewarm feelings about the beach with my ability to attract jellyfish from miles around .. well I think that says enough.

There are some definite positives you get at the beach .. and only at the beach .. so that's why I am not a total hater.  I am, in fact, a huge water person. One thousand percent.  I can spend, and have, HOURS in the pool or lake.  It's so relaxing to me.  If I can't be in it, though, then I will settle for listening to it.

Picture this:  You have rented a house on the beach.  It's late at night and everything is quiet.  You are sitting on the top floor balcony.  You've turned out the porch lights and there is a soft filter of light from somewhere inside.  You slowly push off and rock back and forth in the rocking chair.  There is a slight breeze coming off the ocean as you listen to the waves crashing against shore.  You push some hair from your eyes, take a deep breath and slowly find that quiet inner peace.

See!  How relaxing is that!?  You can only get that at the beach and that's why I don't completely write it off.  So I guess I do love the beach after all .. if only between the hours of sunset and sunrise.  I will hopefully enjoy that peace this weekend as well as great fellowship with my girls.  I hope everyone has an equally relaxing time and I will talk to you Monday!

Upgraded

It's official .. I have my own domain!

It seemed only appropriate that I bite the bullet and get my own url.  I feel like I've committed and it was worth it.  So please update your quick links because my new address is:

www.housewithoutelephants.com

If you use the old blogspot addy it will forward you on, so no worries.  You will also notice a new "Contact" link on the bottom of the right column.  If you have any questions, comments, etc. .. you may now contact me at:

jessie@housewithoutelephants.com

Thank you for visiting and supporting me through the craziness that is my life!  I cherish you as readers and promise to always try to be authentic.  I mean, this is a house without elephants after all ...

Halloween 2011

I may or may not have mentioned it ... but we sort of like Halloween ;)

This year we kept it a little more low-key than usual.  We were invited to a "White Trash Bash" so instead of elaborate product placement (i.e. WD40, anyone?) we decided to temporarily misplace some of our class and dress the part.

Halloween actually almost didn't happen this year.  I caught a cold a couple weeks ago and Mark managed to pick it up at the end of last week.  We weren't sure he was going to have the energy until a few hours beforehand.  He ended up deciding he was up for it and we got dressed at the last minute.

We first visited a friend's house down the street from us.  They were having a general costume party and watching the USC game.  (That would be the University of South Carolina .. not the other "USC".)  We watched the first half with them and left at half time to go to the White Trash Bash.

The WTB was a lot of fun.  The girls that throw the Halloween party every year do an amazing job.  Each year is a different theme and I already can't wait for next year!!  The party was out in the backyard, complete with baby pool of beer, yard trash and lots of duck tape.  They had the game playing on a sheet hanging off the side of the house.  It was awesome!  The only downer was that Mark and I didn't dress appropriately for being outside (half sick) in freezing weather.  As soon as the game was over we went home.  Mark had practically lost his voice by then :(

I have attached pictures of our costumes this year.  I'm sorry they are such horrible quality.  We looked a lot better in person because some of the details just didn't translate well in these pics. Quite frankly, we almost forgot to even take pics.  The first one showing my "tattoo" was the only one taken while we were actually out.  When we got home we had to pull out the tripod to get the rest. Oops!

Mark drew me a couple tattoos.  The one on the left obviously shows my admiration for Billy Bob.  If you look on my right arm you can sort of see the barb wire I got to represent my time in jail.  Once at the party I was tattooed with a star behind my right ear and a bird on my left wrist.  Since they are permanent and all .. I gave them a whole 5 minutes of thought.  Very fancy.

This is Mark channeling his inner "My Name is Earl".  It's amazing how a different beard shape can instantly make a difference!  He looks sooo gross and trashy! haha

Our headshot, of course :) I had blue and purple eyeshadow on although you can't see it.  Also, at the beginning of the night, my hair was teased high and half-up.  Next time I will have to remember to use more hairspray because it fell flat pretty quickly.

And here's the overall look.  Aren't we the full package!?  Mark thought it would be funny to look uncomfortable in the pic .. so that would explain his awkwardness.

Like I said, sorry for the poor quality pics. I hope you enjoyed our low-key, trashtastic Halloween! I know I talked a big game and then this post turned out to be late and a little lackluster. Next year, I promise we'll be more exciting :)

PS - Mark promptly shaved after these were taken .. whew! :)

The Story of Us, Part III

February 2008

This story is a continuation from Part I and Part II …


Over the course of the next week and a half, Mark and I saw each other every other day. We didn’t tell people right away that we were dating because we had a hard time acknowledging that ourselves. There wasn't a long drawn out "does (s)he/doesn't (s)he".  No friends passing messages along.  No pomp and circumstance. 

One day we were just friends. 
The next day we could never be just friends again.

Big things happened over the course of our first several months together:
- Mark, who had shoulder length hair when I met him, cut his hair off to prove to my conservative parents that he was serious about me. (This was a big deal.  I was officially wowed and humbled.)
- I stopped trying to get Chris back (although getting over the "idea" of him took much longer).
- Mark demanded that before I officially became his girlfriend, I had to become a Christian.  Thus I promptly began faking it since I had no interest in any sort of God.
- I started attending Mark's church regularly and going to youth group and learning what being a Christian was about.
- I started to confront my baggage and sort out my issues.
- I learned what it felt like to want to put someone else's wants and needs before my own.
- Fast forward several months.  I realized I wasn’t really faking it any more.
- Fast forward a few more months.  I started my senior year of high school and Mark was working full-time.  Things had changed since the previous school year ... and for the better.

When school started again, we couldn't hang out every day like we had been over the summer.  We would stay up until all hours of the night chatting on AIM. We were trying to find our way and decide on our future.  I had a lot of issues and angst to work through (with God, with my parents, within myself).  Learning to grow up was hard and ridding myself of preconceived notions was even harder.  I expected/planned on my life and relationships to take a certain course.  Mark was too important to give up but I was still determined to mold him to that stupid checklist. I still smile at the thought of how hard I was resisting His plan and how determined I was by my own.  Ridiculous.

We learned early on to communicate and talk through everything.  We learned to listen.  We learned to compromise.  We learned to trust.  Those are very hard lessons to learn, especially at 17 and 18.  In the end, I guess you can say it worked.

Thinking back, I treasure those late nights talking.  I didn't know it at the time but Mark was printing our AIM conversations from those years and keeping them (along with the notes I wrote him in school, ticket stubs, etc.). <swoon>  We actually have them, to this day, in a big binder/scrapbook.

Everyone jokes now that Mark and I take forever to do things. I think it is because of our beginnings.  It took months to admit we were dating. It took a year to admit we were in love. It took two years and one 48-hour break-up* to admit we were in it for the long haul.  And it took five years to commit to marriage. That is too long for some people but it was the perfect pace for us.

When I say Mark is my rock, it is the understatement of the century. I truly believe I am undeserving of such a selfless, godly man. He is perfect in every way that matters. He stands beside me through the toughest battles (most of which I wage internally). He sees right through me and he doesn't let me get away with things.  Despite all of my flaws, he loves me unconditionally.  I am profoundly in love with this man.

Our journey has not been perfect but it is ours .. and that in itself is perfect enough for me.

* You know how when you break-up with someone, everyone comes out of the woodwork to tell you the other person's flaws and how you are better off with out them? Well I decided at the end of my senior year of high school that I wanted to be "free" and have the "college experience" and so I broke up with Mark.  I just wasn't sure if he was headed in the same direction as me.  Well, instead of everyone supporting me, I had everyone telling me what a mistake I had made.  My friends and family kept telling me Mark was the greatest thing to happen to me and that I was an idiot.  Needless to say, I begged forgiveness and we were back together the next day.  I gave up on that stupid checklist.  It was clearly wrong.

Jessie, Age 26: The Update

This is how you feel about my waste of a post.  Admit it.

I mentioned here last week that I got bangs.  Was it a little superficial of me to devote an entire post to my hair? Yes.  Am I about to do it again? You bet :)

My hair is a big part of me so that's why it is worth it to me to notate a big change.  With that being said .. I wanted to let everyone know that "The Bangs Experiment of 2011" has been a success!  After washing my hair and playing around I have officially decided I LOVE them!  They are not too short after all (hence the Ramona Quimby remarks) and they are very close to my inspiration pic.  All in all .. they are here to stay (at least until I get bored again ;))

Also, I can't believe I didn't mention this in the last post but .. Kristen dyed my eyebrows!  This is a huge deal (almost bigger than bangs) and I have to say I am totally enamored.  My eyebrows were practically clear and and I was always told never to dye them.  I mean, I didn't even know what color to dye them.. red? ugh.

Anyways, Kristen suggested we dye them .. and seeing as she is a rockstar and I totally trust her .. I said sure.  She nailed it!  She died them not red a gold color.  It's super subtle.  If I point it out to you then you notice, but otherwise, it just looks totally natural. (No I will not point it out to you in real life.  That's going a little too far.) From now on, no matter what I do with my hair I will FOREVER be dying my brows.  It made all the difference!

Like I said before .. Kristen!  Cline's Salon! Go!! She works magic and I heart her!  (Yes, I am a total fangirl .. moving on.) Hope you have a happy hair day!

Organizing Kitchen Chaos

As you all know, I love me some Pinterest.  I have compiled some tricks and tips regarding one of the hardest-working rooms in your house.  I hope you discover something new today!

I love the idea of using a magazine rack to organize pot lids!  This article has several great suggestions for using containers to organize your kitchen and make it aesthetically pleasing.

 

Short on cabinet space?  Have too many canned items stacked on top of and behind each other?  Check out this tutorial on how to DIY a great cabinet.  This particular cabinet fits between the refrigerator and the wall and holds canned goods.  I think this could also be a great option for a large spice collection. If you shrink it down you could even install it in a cabinet!

 

I love a good cleaning trick and, since it is sort of food related, I had to throw this in! There are a ton of stain and spot removers on the market.  I have had experience with many of them and only some of them actually live up to their claims.  I am a big supporter of OxiClean products but this tips is even better (and much cheaper!).  Mix one part of Dawn dish detergent and two parts hydrogen peroxide.  Either dip the stained material into the mixture of pour it on top.  It will disappear!  It's awesome!  I saved two shirts doing this.

First I want to apologize for not having the source for this pic.  I found it on Pinterest and when I clicked the source there it took me to someone else's blog ... who then acknowledged that they got it off Pinterest .. so there ya go.  If you know the REAL source .. let me know and I will update and give credit asap.  Any way .. moving on..

I do not currently have a proper pantry but I can guarantee that this will be happening in my house when I get one!  I think this is such a great use of space.  I love that the "peg board" idea, typically reserved for garage spaces, is transformed for something useful in the kitchen.  The hanging baskets is great too because you can reposition them based on what's inside.  Love it!

OK .. this is just perfection!  I LOVE a good before-and-after and this certainly did not disappoint!  If you go to the source you will actually see a kitchen overhaul .. which is quite fitting for this post!  So much inspiration!

So if you are harboring some clutter in your kitchen and can't seem to find anything .. check some of these tips out!  A little organization can go a long way!!