Yikes!
So its been a long time since I last blogged. I haven't blogged literally all summer. Well its been a busy one, let me tell you. I have visited the Hernandez family and I intend to blog about protesting at the abortion clinic, I visited my new DEAR friend Cara Jones, and i'll have a whole post about her too, and we had my grandparents here for two weeks. I feel like there is so much more but I can't remember all that has gone on. Now I am in the midst of preparing for my LONG JOURNEY across the west. I will start out at my dear friend Ali's Wedding, and then follow that up with a family reunion in Albuquerque NM. Then from there i'll be driving up to Vancouver for a wedding by way of Salt Lake City UT as well as Northern California, Seattle and Portland. Its gonna be great so stay tuned. I also have to recipe posts coming up- one for face cream, and the other for strawberry rhubarb pie. Lots to come, God Bless ~ Maria
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Puttin' Up Strawberries
Howdy out there,
Well life has been a little crazy here on the East coast, go figure. I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Atlanta to visit my dear friend from college. We picked out bridesmaid dresses for her upcoming wedding in August, and spent some time getting reacquainted with one another. Its amazing how you can keep in touch with someone through letters, phone calls etc., and still not be aware of all the changes going on in and around them until you are physically with them. I have never dealt well with change, so it was difficult for me to process all the changes and understand where she is and how she got there. However, I serve a merciful God, and through all my melancholy, tactless blunders and emotional spasms, God gave us a sweet and memorable time together.
I promise, I WILL get to the strawberries...
Two more things to note:
1) I recently saw the latest adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's, "Jane Eyre," and was sorely disappointed. Apparently, (according to the afore mentioned friend's fiance)literary critics consider the portion of the story surrounding Jane Eyre's cousins to be unrealistic and disconnected with the rest of the story. This is because they view Jane Eyre as an independent woman striving out into the world to proclaim her independence and her will to be free from any master. This is a feminist viewpoint which is not only inaccurate but also offensive. How dare they turn a such a deep meaningful story about a woman's search for love and righteousness into a story about a search for independence! Jane Eyre is a love deprived person who wants nothing else in the world but love and familial connections. She feels a void in her latter days at school and seeks to fill it by finding a governess position. She is not seeking a career, she is just trying to find out what the ache and longing is within her and is under the impression that she will be joined with a family this way. She is forced to leave there against everything that she feels. She wants to be tied forever to Mr. Rochester, but she leaves because she knows that she will answer to God for her actions if she does not. When, with St. Jean, she finds out that she is a rich woman, she ALSO FINDS OUT SHE IS INDEED RELATED TO HIM AND HIS SISTERS! She weeps with this discovery, She is SO happy to finally have found what she was looking for. She never wanted independence. She wanted love. Alright, I'm off my soapbox now.
2) I recently made my own skin care line: cleansing grains and moisturizer. I will post pictures and such very soon. I have not yet made a toner.
OK FINALLY! What you've all been waiting for, the first glimpse into my 2011 canning season. It has begun!
All of my materials gathered and clean. We're ready to start!
Beautiful berries, rinsed and ready for the sauce pan.
Boiling berries, filling the house with a heavenly smell.
Putting it in the jars is tricky. Not boiling your fingers off is the key.
The finished product!
See folks, not as hard as you thought! More to come....
Maria
Well life has been a little crazy here on the East coast, go figure. I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Atlanta to visit my dear friend from college. We picked out bridesmaid dresses for her upcoming wedding in August, and spent some time getting reacquainted with one another. Its amazing how you can keep in touch with someone through letters, phone calls etc., and still not be aware of all the changes going on in and around them until you are physically with them. I have never dealt well with change, so it was difficult for me to process all the changes and understand where she is and how she got there. However, I serve a merciful God, and through all my melancholy, tactless blunders and emotional spasms, God gave us a sweet and memorable time together.
I promise, I WILL get to the strawberries...
Two more things to note:
1) I recently saw the latest adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's, "Jane Eyre," and was sorely disappointed. Apparently, (according to the afore mentioned friend's fiance)literary critics consider the portion of the story surrounding Jane Eyre's cousins to be unrealistic and disconnected with the rest of the story. This is because they view Jane Eyre as an independent woman striving out into the world to proclaim her independence and her will to be free from any master. This is a feminist viewpoint which is not only inaccurate but also offensive. How dare they turn a such a deep meaningful story about a woman's search for love and righteousness into a story about a search for independence! Jane Eyre is a love deprived person who wants nothing else in the world but love and familial connections. She feels a void in her latter days at school and seeks to fill it by finding a governess position. She is not seeking a career, she is just trying to find out what the ache and longing is within her and is under the impression that she will be joined with a family this way. She is forced to leave there against everything that she feels. She wants to be tied forever to Mr. Rochester, but she leaves because she knows that she will answer to God for her actions if she does not. When, with St. Jean, she finds out that she is a rich woman, she ALSO FINDS OUT SHE IS INDEED RELATED TO HIM AND HIS SISTERS! She weeps with this discovery, She is SO happy to finally have found what she was looking for. She never wanted independence. She wanted love. Alright, I'm off my soapbox now.
2) I recently made my own skin care line: cleansing grains and moisturizer. I will post pictures and such very soon. I have not yet made a toner.
OK FINALLY! What you've all been waiting for, the first glimpse into my 2011 canning season. It has begun!
All of my materials gathered and clean. We're ready to start!
Beautiful berries, rinsed and ready for the sauce pan.
Boiling berries, filling the house with a heavenly smell.
Putting it in the jars is tricky. Not boiling your fingers off is the key.
The finished product!
See folks, not as hard as you thought! More to come....
Maria
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
God the Father, My Ever Present Help In Time of Need
Hello Dear Friends,
Easter has passed, and now the balmy, glorious days of Spring melt into Summer. As I type this I am sitting beneath a full Oak tree enjoying a cool breeze and watching the motorboats whiz by in the Bogue Sound. I have been dwelling lately on the sacrifice of Christ, but even more on the sacrifice of the Father. On Good Friday, my parents and I joined a group of people from the Methodist church in an evening worship service. To our surprise the service was a simple reading out of the King James Version of the Bible, the passion of Christ. As we read the scriptures, the whole congregation rose and followed the pastor out as he and some men carried a cross down the highway and through our neighborhood to a park. There they erected the cross and there we continued the story. I pictured Him hanging there and tears streamed down my face. I saw the depths of my sin hanging on his shoulders and marveled at why he would do such a thing for me. It was all very moving. Christ sacrificed much for me, but the Father sacrificed even more. I thing about my sister and her new baby. Could anything in this world induce her to take the life of her own baby? Could anything make her freely give her to death and then watch her suffer? It is ludicrous to think that she would ever do such a thing, but God did. He gave His only son. He watched Him suffer and finally turned away. He watched them beat Him senseless and spit in His face. He watched Him bear the sin of the world. For me. For us. How can I now know this and yet continue to allow things in my life that I know do not bring me closer to Him? How can I still hang on to the things of this world? How can I daily forget this love and push Him aside so that I can get to my checklist that is oh so much more important? Help me Lord to forsake the world, to turn from all and seek only to love and please You. Let me not forget the work that you did. Let me not forget how you gave your son. Let me never doubt that you love me. Amen.
Easter has passed, and now the balmy, glorious days of Spring melt into Summer. As I type this I am sitting beneath a full Oak tree enjoying a cool breeze and watching the motorboats whiz by in the Bogue Sound. I have been dwelling lately on the sacrifice of Christ, but even more on the sacrifice of the Father. On Good Friday, my parents and I joined a group of people from the Methodist church in an evening worship service. To our surprise the service was a simple reading out of the King James Version of the Bible, the passion of Christ. As we read the scriptures, the whole congregation rose and followed the pastor out as he and some men carried a cross down the highway and through our neighborhood to a park. There they erected the cross and there we continued the story. I pictured Him hanging there and tears streamed down my face. I saw the depths of my sin hanging on his shoulders and marveled at why he would do such a thing for me. It was all very moving. Christ sacrificed much for me, but the Father sacrificed even more. I thing about my sister and her new baby. Could anything in this world induce her to take the life of her own baby? Could anything make her freely give her to death and then watch her suffer? It is ludicrous to think that she would ever do such a thing, but God did. He gave His only son. He watched Him suffer and finally turned away. He watched them beat Him senseless and spit in His face. He watched Him bear the sin of the world. For me. For us. How can I now know this and yet continue to allow things in my life that I know do not bring me closer to Him? How can I still hang on to the things of this world? How can I daily forget this love and push Him aside so that I can get to my checklist that is oh so much more important? Help me Lord to forsake the world, to turn from all and seek only to love and please You. Let me not forget the work that you did. Let me not forget how you gave your son. Let me never doubt that you love me. Amen.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Spring At Last
Last night there was a warm shower of rain, a golden sunset, a beautiful rainbow blazened across the evening sky and flowers positively everywhere. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Spring has finally sprung in North Carolina. There is no time more beautiful in this state. Azaleas are in bloom, Dogwoods are in bloom, Red Buds, and Crocuses are in bloom. Everywhere you turn is a burst of color and breath of warm, fragrant, balmy air. Birds are chirping their lungs off. Its pretty amazing! This time of year takes me back to our farmhouse. It makes me think of Dad digging the grass and weeds up for his huge garden, the rooster yelling is head of at 4AM, and my sister and I picking strawberries and preserving them. It reminds me of getting up early and baking all day long and then packaging until the wee hours of the night, only to get up at 5am the next morning and head downtown to sell our wares. I miss you vange. This time of year also starts me thinking about cutting down on the heavy casseroles and soups and getting into more fresh fish and crisp salads. Here is a lovely cold salad recipe. I hope you like it!
Ingredients
1 pouch (4.5 oz.) StarKist Tuna Creations®, Zesty Lemon Pepper
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can (16 oz.) Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ red pepper cut in cubes
¼ cup chopped red onion
Fresh Basil, chopped, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Mince garlic and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon. Mix garlic paste with lemon juice, salt and pepper and slowly whisk in olive oil.
Toss red pepper, onion, and beans together.
Break apart tuna and mix in to bean mixture.
Add dressing and toss well. Add basil just before serving. Serve at room temperature.
....
Ingredients
1 pouch (4.5 oz.) StarKist Tuna Creations®, Zesty Lemon Pepper
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can (16 oz.) Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ red pepper cut in cubes
¼ cup chopped red onion
Fresh Basil, chopped, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Mince garlic and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon. Mix garlic paste with lemon juice, salt and pepper and slowly whisk in olive oil.
Toss red pepper, onion, and beans together.
Break apart tuna and mix in to bean mixture.
Add dressing and toss well. Add basil just before serving. Serve at room temperature.
....
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Backwards Broken Days and Yet....
The last 36 hours have been so backwards and crazy. I've been nannying four children whose parents took a trip down to the Cayman Islands. Taking care of four children completely on my own has been a challenge. I've been trying so hard all week to teach the children about love and kindness. They've had a hard time being kind to one another. Last night I had to take two trips to drop them off at church because their programs start at different times. Well, when I left to pick them up, I forgot that I had closed the garage door and I bumped it, leaving it dented and three hinges popped loose. I was able to "un-dent" it but I have no idea what to do about the hinges. This morning after dealing with an argument between the children, I got in my car to come teach for my mom. When I pulled out of the driveway I didn't cut my car over enough and grazed a large plant to the side of the drive way ripping off what was left of the right side of my front bumper.
A broken garage door, a broken car, and a broken spirit from the arguement among the children-then I read this
http://www.incourage.me/2011/02/how-to-mend-all-your-broken-places.html
I'm thankful for food to eat, and a job that provides me with my financial needs. I'm thankful to be alive, to have a wonderful family and I am thankful for a God who looked down on my pitiful state and decided to forgive me anyways and save me. I'm just thankful.
A broken garage door, a broken car, and a broken spirit from the arguement among the children-then I read this
http://www.incourage.me/2011/02/how-to-mend-all-your-broken-places.html
I'm thankful for food to eat, and a job that provides me with my financial needs. I'm thankful to be alive, to have a wonderful family and I am thankful for a God who looked down on my pitiful state and decided to forgive me anyways and save me. I'm just thankful.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Bleak House
Well my friends, I did not reach my goal of finishing Bleak House, before the end of January, but I am still faithfully chiseling away at it. It is a very good book I think. The character of Richard Carstone is extremely meaningful to me in that it mirrors our everyday battle with sin. He is mesmerized by a court case in which he is a party. He is driven to watch and wait and work in whatever degree possible to ensure his desired outcome for this case. All of his energy, his passion, his money, and his life is being drained away by hope, false hope in this court case, Jarndyce and Jarndyce. It reminds me of myself, or any human being for that matter, pining away after things of the flesh. Waiting and hoping for some euphoric happiness or pleasure that is never going to happen. When we put our energy and our hope in the things of this earth we will perish. It will suck our lives away. We need to put our hopes on things above; I need to trust in the promises that I know are true and banish the lies that would so easily entangle.
Another character that I can see myself in is Lady Dedlock. She is pining away also, for a more interesting life. She is bored and dissatisfied with life. She has a shady past and is terrified that her husband will find out. Her greatest fear is to bring shame to her husband and his house. What she does NOT know or realize is how much her husband really loves her. He loves her far more than the family name, far more than his pride, and far more than she could ever realize. Sometimes I get discouraged when I think of how often I make mistakes and bring shame to the name of the Lord. Often I forget, however, after I've repented, how much the Lord loves me. I don't have to fear shame, or fear his rejection. He will never reject me. He loves me and has promised me that there is nothing in this world that can separate me from his love. Hallelujah!
Another character that I can see myself in is Lady Dedlock. She is pining away also, for a more interesting life. She is bored and dissatisfied with life. She has a shady past and is terrified that her husband will find out. Her greatest fear is to bring shame to her husband and his house. What she does NOT know or realize is how much her husband really loves her. He loves her far more than the family name, far more than his pride, and far more than she could ever realize. Sometimes I get discouraged when I think of how often I make mistakes and bring shame to the name of the Lord. Often I forget, however, after I've repented, how much the Lord loves me. I don't have to fear shame, or fear his rejection. He will never reject me. He loves me and has promised me that there is nothing in this world that can separate me from his love. Hallelujah!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Birthday Blues and Dreams Come True
Welcome to February, the month of love and African American History. Coincidentally it is also the month of my birthday. January held many surprises, including a six inch blanket of snow across the coast of North Carolina. One very exciting thing that it held for me was my very first viewing of live figure skating. Some friends of mine and I went up to Greensboro NC for the US Figure Skating Championships. We were able to see the pairs skating and ice dancing final competition. It was absolutely breathtaking. This was my birthday celebration this year. That brings me to something not quite as exciting. My birthday is in two weeks. Yes, my birthday is in fact on Valentine's Day. For the first time, I am actually not happy about being another year older. I think twenties are the most difficult time in one's life as far as aging is concerned. I don't think you will ever feel as old as you do when you are in your twenties. That is silly, you might say, but its true. When you are middle aged you have already have children or a career and you already realize that you are an adult. When you are a senior you accept that you are old and enjoy the benefits of it(cheap coffee, free admission etc.). However, when you are in your twenties you are forced to accept a fact that you have been trying to fight for the previous ten years-you are growing up. No one wants to grow up once they realize its happening. You only dream of that when you are little. Once you actually start growing up you can't stand the idea. I don't want to be aware of how fast time is passing. I don't want to see how long I've been alive and how little I've accomplished. I don't want to face the decisions of adulthood. I don't want to grow up. I feel very old this year, and I feel as though life is just slipping through my fingers and I can't seem to catch up with it. It is scary, but it is also motivating. Seeing those ice skaters with their AMAZING talent and how much time they have put into mastering such a skill made me think "Am I using my time to its full potential?" I don't think I am. I need to make sure that I am redeeming the time and that I am spending time invested in things that really matter. So this years theme for me is "Plan." I want to make sure that I am planning my activities out well, that I am planning my future well, and that I am always seeking God's will first. Well, here's to another birthday, and another year that the Lord has given to me. Now it is up to me to decide what to do with the time given me.
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