Quesadilla

You may not be able to tell but our spices are now sorted in alphabetical groups, e.g., anything from A - C is on the top shelf. This is not OCD. It is better time management. I would love to regain all the time I have spent in the past going through most of the jars to find the one I want. Now I just have to look at one small shelf at a time. And so my mind will not have to remember the proper location, there will be a cute little label attached to the front of each of the shelves. The food pantry closet is to the left - - - and those shelves have been cleaned and rearranged this week, too. At the end of this year with the beginning of the next around the corner, it's always nice to try and start January out the way you would resolve to live in 2010.

And yes, this seems like it will be the food blog again today. Within the past 2 or 3 years, we have discovered quesadillas - - thanks to our younger daughter. I buy the tortillas that are wheat or multi-grain so we have fiber and protein in the bread. My favorite quesadilla to this point has been a philly cheesesteak-type combination. However, there is now a tie or a close second. Today we used thin-sliced barbecue from Couch's (near Chattanooga), light Mexican blend cheese on one side of the meat. On the other side of the meat, a few thin-slices of sweet onion, a bit of Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque sauce, and some mozzarella cheese. Oh my, oh my, oh my is that good to the tastebuds!

. . . and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat . . . . 2 Samuel 17:29a

Organized by Lists

This is the week I start getting ready for the New Year - - - making new file folders for paid invoices - - - beginning a new Excel spreadsheet for $$$$$ saved during the year. That is something new I started in 2009. You can set it up however suits you best but mine totals on separate sheets for each month and then has a cover page with month summaries and the annual total. On each month, I list the store and the amount saved - - either in coupons or sales. Let me tell you it can get pretty impressive to see what you saved. My husband said it's not all true sales because he wouldn't have paid the original price to start with on some of the clothing! However, I can still sort on Excel with just the grocery stores and we recognized that the budget was stretched considerably.

I don't know about you but I like to shop name brands. Years ago, I went with the generic store brand on Cream of Chicken Soup and I ended up with a casserole that had a slightly greenish tint due to the incorrect amounts of food coloring they had used in the soup. Yesterday I was checking out a generic store brand and although the price was half as much as the name brand, the ingredients were not the same. It was kidney beans. The name brand had 100 calories per serving. The generic had 160 per serving! It appears they had put fructose syrup in addition to the sugar. So - - - - - if you save more at the cash register but the nutrition is not as good - - - - have you saved? You will end up paying in poor health and doctors' bills in the future to save a few cents now.

Our stores seem to be "pushing" us to switch to generic brands. Juices are another item. On one brand, I saw stamped in small letters - - apart from the label - - that it was made from concentrate from either China or somewhere in South America. My question - - - how can it be as good as American grown and still be half price after it's imported? hmmmmmm . . . I am going to do a further investigation on some and then if I find many more nutritional deficiencies, I will write to the main office. I am sure they will take notice of my one letter - - ha!

So do you use coupons? I do but often some expire. I don't let those bother me but rather focus on what I have saved. Does anyone else track their savings? It's encouraging to do so.

Which brings me to a similar area - - - - organization!!!! How I wish some of the books I have read in the last few years had been available to me years ago. I did not grow up learning to "stow as you go", i.e., put stuff away or carry it to another room as you head for that location. That it is easier to keep it picked up as you work rather than doing it once a week. So there is something you may not have known about me or were able to figure out by being around me.

One thing I have learned though is to keep lists. It makes your day more productive. Prioritize the things most important for you to complete each day. The book at the beginning of this post goes one step further and divides the lists into four quadrants. DO, GO, WRITE, & CALL. CALL would be the phone calls you need to make. WRITE are the notes, emails, & maybe your bills. GO are the errands - - - or I am using it for anything outside the house that requires leaving the driveway or yard. DO is just about everything else either at home or work. Really it would be better to keep a separate list for each place.

This book is one of the better ones I have read. It gives ideas on dealing with things that side-track and steal your time - - - everything from interruptions to bits of ADD & OCD. My favorite analogy in here is when your day is compared to a bookcase. hmmmmm - - wonder why that was appealing? haha Basically time is like a bookshelf. There is only so much space to put stuff. You can group that stuff in an orderly fashion so it can be found quickly and easily. You can leave a little space at the end of each shelf so another item can be added. Relating this to your schedule, you should group "like" activities together and you should build a cushion of time into each segment - - or remember that a project generally takes longer than originally planned. That way you have built some flexibility into your schedule without your schedule running your life. Calendars and lists are tools to help us more efficiently use the time God gives us. The benefit is we are more relaxed at the end of each day.

I can tell you all this but still have to confess that I haven't mastered it yet! However that doesn't keep me from trying. My biggest "failure" in this area is my Christmas letter did NOT go out this year. So how did I get it done last year after our daughter's wedding at the end of November but could not complete it this year? And those are the mysteries of life.

Behold, I shew you a mystery . . . 1 Corinthians 15:51a

What's Under Your House?

The wonderful, beautiful holiday is over and it is time to get back to regular life. In our case, we are working on the house - - - again. As long as we have health, we will be working on this house. Today's project - - - rather the project for the rest of the winter is "under the house". We need a new moisture barrier rug (black plastic) and more insulation put up under the floors. Those are the easy things. First we are hauling out anything anyone has ever left under there over the past 30 years - - from roofing shingles to chunks of concrete. Next we are going to level out the dirt. When the house was built, all that was dug out was the area to set the blocks for the foundation walls. The rest of the floor is sloping with drop-offs in some sections. Not only will it be aesthetically more pleasing but it will be safer, too. - - - when we are done. There are quite a few benefits to the project when it gets finished besides helping it for resale one day and for energy conservation while living here. It is an excellent fitness program. There is no need for a gym membership or a personal trainer to help you burn more calories and sculpt a better physique. You just pick up a shovel or hoe and start working.

Another result is how it affects our eating habits. We are choosing foods for fueling ourselves for work rather than just for the pleasure to our tastebuds. That means a few more carbs can be consumed. We did just that a few minutes ago with the Layered Chicken Dinner. Layer sweet sliced onions, canned green beans (rinsed and drained) - - (we use two cans but one is sufficient, too), and one cup raw rice. Top with chunks of uncooked chicken. In a separate dish, mix together one can Cream of Chicken Soup, one cup water, 1 - 2 tablespoons real bacon bits, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, and some black pepper. Pour this over your layers. Cover and bake at 350 for 90 minutes. Cook uncovered 10 more minutes. You could use onion powder rather than onions and you can add mushrooms, too.

Speaking of food, we had a feast yesterday with my daughter's in-laws. Lasagna, barbecued ribs, baked potatoes, baked beans, tossed salad, and one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten. Our son-in-law made his own crust in the bread machine. Desserts included homemade fudge, banana pudding, and three or four other things. The fellowship was as delicious as the culinary delights. As I've mentioned before, we were blessed with a wonderful son-in-law AND his family who have become our friends.

Now it's time to get back to some fun inside stuff - - like laundry, paying bills, etc. Praise God for a this house and a job and energy to do it all every day!

Hard and honest work earns a good night's sleep. Ecclesiastes 5:12a

December 23

Now my husband is officially on vacation, too. We met for lunch at Oliver's. They have THE BEST grilled chicken in town. It was a very nice date for the two of us. He gave me White Diamonds for a gift - - - the Elizabeth Taylor fragrance. Don't you think it's romantic for a man to pick out a perfume for the woman in his life? I do. Let me tell you something else just as romantic - - that is when the man works to make the home secure and hopefully water-proof against rain. He and I went from the nice lunch to digging in our front yard to install an underground drain. We have this one corner of the house that insists on letting water in the basement. Maybe this time we have stopped it. Working together on a project can make us almost as happy as going on a date - - - even if it does take a lot more energy. Love for your spouse can be manifested in many ways and my husband knows that acts of service rate high in my book. Do you know each of your family member's love language? If not, you should read The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. It will help parents understand their children and will help adults understand their friends. It's another one of my top 10 favorite books.

I just had a very, very few errands to run this morning and am thankful to be home this afternoon. The stores and roads are extremely crowded but most everyone seemed patient and in a good mood - - - - except the driver of the car from the Atlanta area. My thought was she could go back home if she was in such a hurry to be somewhere but maybe it would be better to pray she finds the peace and comfort of Jesus this holiday season.

Now it is time to just relax with a good book or two and enjoy the time at home with my family.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it. Ephesians 5:25

Vacation Again!!!!!

Our church gives us a great benefits package. They make employment with them as appealing as possible. It has enabled me to have paid holidays and quite a few vacation days since I have been on payroll there over ten years now. At 5 o'clock today, I punched the time clock and don't have to go back until January 4 - - and I will receive full pay for both weeks. Isn't that wonderful? My husband gets the same schedule beginning around lunchtime tomorrow. It is worth saving days until the end of the year and then getting a long break to rest or travel or do some projects at home.

Speaking of travel, I am going to connect you to my sister's blog to see most of our Gatlinburg pictures. There is no sense in me posting them since I would use the same ones she did. The two she did not post are the ones I have shown you. Santa was in the lobby of the Wyndham timeshare and insisted everyone sit on his lap - - no matter the size of the person. He must have had bionic legs!

I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day . . . John 9:4a

Pretty Plumber

Have you ever heard the expression, "The faster I go, the behinder I get!"? I think it is supposed to mean that when you do things in a hurry, you are apt to make mistakes and have to go back and correct them. Whereas if you do things at a "normal" pace, you might not make any mistakes and will get done in better time.

Well, that definition is not the one I am looking for. Ours is the more we repair in this house and the faster we work, the more repairs need to be done. It is one thing after another and in some instances more than one at once.

The good news is the den door is done. Now the "public" bathroom sink drain has new pipes. Our neighbor, my sister, and my wonderful husband get credit for the last project. We still have a leak in the basement that will require some outside digging - - - and now a kitchen overhead light fixture to replace. It sounds like a green Christmas for the hardware stores and some more manpower on our part. We are ready to finish with repairs so we can move on to some face-lift stuff - - - like painting walls!

Praise God for the energy to do this and pray it holds out a few more years until we finish it all.

Let them repair the breaches of the house. 2Kings 12:5b

P.S. Gatlinburg pictures should be on my next post.

My Sister's Visit

My sister is coming to visit TODAY!!!!! She will be here about supper time. Tomorrow, she and I and my husband will leave for the Gatlinburg area for a weekend vacation. The plans are shopping, Dixie Stampede, sight-seeing the tourist areas, riding the trolley to see the Christmas lights, and then come home Sunday afternoon. The weather forecast is COLD. However, the three of us are ready to relax and just enjoy being together at this wonderful holiday time of year.

I took a vacation day today to get some stuff done around the house. That way I can enjoy this evening before we leave in the morning. I may or may not be blogging again for a few days.

This week has been very busy during the day and evening. However, I have been reading your blogs even if I haven't had time to comment.

Don't you know HE enjoys giving rest to those HE loves? Psalm 127:2b The Message

A.M. & P.M.

This was the view in back of our house this morning. Remember I told you yesterday that this might happen?!!

It is pretty though, isn't it?

And since the accumulation was not much more than this, we did not have any power lines break or any tree branches fall. I thought these trees in the front side yard were interesting. See the one on the left. It still has some green leaves. In the middle near the back is a magnolia tree. Then there is one to the right with dead brown leaves. The colors were pretty against the snow.

Speaking of color, how do you like this bush with red leaves?

Here is is close-up.

The best part about this snow is it didn't stick to the roads because it was not cold enough. That is the best kind of winter weather to have - - - the beauty but not the inconvenience. Since we could travel with no difficulty, we left to complete some business we started yesterday. It was time to make a purchase since it was ten years ago a similar sale was made. That's a big hint. Do you know what we bought?

A 2009 Hyundai Sonata. It has 33,000 miles on it - - - broken in for us. It is supposed to get 40 mpg on the highway. Didn't they shine it up nice for us? When I took the picture, I thought there was dirt or a dent on the front passenger door but realized it is a reflection of the leaves in the driveway. Our salesman was a very nice Christian man - - shared his testimony with us. The head of their service department is also a Christian. The reason we went there to start with is our son-in-law's dad works in the service department. He and and also the internet give this car high ratings - - and our son-in-law owns a Sonata and loves his.

We had a very good car-buying experience. There was no high pressure selling from our salesman. Bill basically told him, "We are here to buy a car. I'll tell you what we want. You tell me what you've got. I know what I want to pay. If I like the deal, I'll buy it and if not, then I'll look elsewhere. I'm not here to play a game or wheel and deal. I'm here to talk straight." Long story short is we had a VERY GOOD experience at Gray Epperson Hyundai and would highly recommend them to others! Let us know if you want our salesman's name. At some point - - - - - we will need a second vehicle to replace our '94 Concorde. We will go back to them to look for a small to mid-size truck - - - - but it is not in the budget yet. - - - - - And notice the trees and the ground - - - no more snow! It was gone after lunch. That's generally the beauty of living in the South!

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7b

Snow

I love reading your posts each night and am so sorry that I only seem to get to mine on the weekend. Speaking of weekends, ours has snow in the forecast. Many people are happy. I could live without it. We have 100% chance with accumulation up to an inch but hopefully if we do get any, it will melt since the temperature is getting up to 41°. However, there will be a NNW wind of 10 - 20 mph so that will keep it colder. The problem with snow in our area is our subdivision won't get the roads cleared and we live at the top of a shady hill. Oftentimes when snow is predicted for our area, it will hit the mountains near Chattanooga and get diverted - - so we will not get too excited or apprehensive until we wake up in the morning.

We do have a funny story in our family history about being awakened early one morning. It was probably early winter of 1993. About 4 a.m., our 4th grade daughter woke us up saying, "The dog sees something outside and won't stop barking." We were more than a little bit spooked. So here we go sneaking toward the kitchen and peering around the bedroom door frame to try and see what was going on. We could see the dog was sitting on the floor looking out the glass double doors - - - - barking like crazy at something he did not think should be out there - - - - - - - big white snowflakes falling from the sky! He wasn't a year old yet and it was the first time he had ever seen snow. We were relieved and also amused to see the perplexed look on his face. Somewhere in our albums, there are pictures of him trying to catch snowballs. He loved the snow as much or more than a child.

Back to the present time - - if it doesn't snow and the roads are clear tomorrow, I will have a good picture to post sometime Saturday.

He giveth snow like wool. Psalm 147:16a

Thanksgiving Weekend

As wonderful as our Thanksgiving celebration was, these last two days have been even better. Why? Because we have had no schedule - - no set places to be. And how have we used it? Relaxing and decluttering. How do we all manage to collect so much stuff? Bill has been decluttering the yard. He is gaining ground on eradicating piles of leaves. There are still a few on the trees but the trees are close to bare. His relaxation has been lots of football. - - - seems like there were two games yesterday and two today . . . . can you guess that the sport holds no interest for me? All I see are persons abusing their bodies by running into others. Then I feel the arthritis they will suffer later in life due to their injuries.

My relaxation has come from reading - - - as much as I have wanted. I am about to finish the New Testament within the ninety day challenge given by one of our pastors - - about 3 months ago! I had fallen behind but this weekend gave me time to catch up. It has been good to stay immersed in this project and to be reminded continually of God's love for us but also how our lives are to reflect that in our behavior toward others.

My projects have included rearranging and clearing a spare room. It now holds a project table that was on sale at Ace Hardware this past week. The table is a 6 ft hard white plastic that can be folded in half when not in use. It even has a handle to make transporting easier. It is just like the one my son-in-law let me borrow a couple of weeks ago. They knew how much I liked it and found the sale for me. Ace is great for rain checks - - - at least the one in our town is. They call you when your item comes in and save it in a room not on the sales floor. The first project it held for me this weekend was sorting through a couple of boxes. It is so much easier to do stuff like that sitting down in a chair rather than on the floor.

All of us worked a few minutes this afternoon in our garage. Now there is more room and either Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity have some contributions coming their way. So do the trash pick-up people!

Another project that gets done in bits and pieces is typing out my recipes for a notebook. Also, I am putting menu choices in an Excel file. There are columns for types of foods - - like meats, salads, etc. Hopefully when we are wondering, "What's for supper tonight?", this will give us some different ideas.

Speaking of food, do you ever visit recipe websites? On www.pacefoods.com they have a recipe for Sweet & Spicy Barbecued Brisket. We had it for lunch today. It was quite tasty - - reminded me more of a Swiss Steak. Perhaps that is because we only use mild salsa. It a recipe I would repeat again. We will probably use the leftovers in quesadillas or maybe even some soup.

Now it is time to get the little bit of ironing done for the week. I have a movie to watch while doing that. I'll talk to you next weekend unless I find a spare minute this week.

The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him. Exodus 15:2a NKJ
God is my strength, God is my song, and, yes! God is my salvation. this is the kind of God I have and I'm telling the world! Exodus 15:2a MSG

On Top of the Mountain

We had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving celebration yesterday "on top of the mountain at our younger daughter's & husband's home. She has much better pictures of the view than I have posted here. This is the view from their front porch. I think the camera was on close-up because that house is not really that close. Getting to their home normally takes just under an hour from our home but as I mentioned on November 13, the rock slide has turned that trip into 2 hours. As the saying goes, "you can't hardly get there from here." We took two different routes. On the trip there, we went north to Sweetwater and then south. The trip took us through the Cherokee National Forest, passing through places like Coker Creek, Tellico Plains, Turtletown and Ducktown. The curves you see on the roads on the map are deceptively mild compared to the actual journey. If you are prone to carsickness and riding in the front seat usually cures that; you still need to consider taking a Dramamine before traveling that route. However, it is a GORGEOUS drive. If you were having a leisurely day, I would definitely recommend it. Returning home took us through Georgia and then back up to Cleveland - - through Blue Ridge, Ellijay, and Chatsworth. The difference was only 8 miles. The time was about the same but the roads home were much straighter and a lot of divided four lanes. I am glad our kids are only having to travel this trip twice a week since they are staying in town with his parents.

If you have looked at our daughter's post, you already saw these decorations. My husband and I had taken a picture of ourselves in front of this tree last year so I wanted to repeat it. We weren't the only ones in attendance. Josh's parents, sister and husband, our older daughter, an uncle and his wife, maternal grandmother, and paternal grandfather were all there for a DELICIOUS dinner of fried turkey, ham, and all the traditional side dishes. Since our parents have all died, we are blessed to get to join Josh's family for holidays. I've said it before. We not only gained a wonderful son but another extended family who have become friends.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 KJV
I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. Psalm 121:1-2 MSG

Holy Hair?

This weekend as we were talking to Mamaw, she asked my husband if he had been good enough this year to get any presents. He answered, "Of course."

She said, "Do I have to talk to Santa to be sure?"

Bill: "You can tell by looking at me that I have been good."

Mamaw: "What do you mean that I can tell by looking at you?"

Bill: "Look at my head. See how much hair is missing? My halo is rubbing it all off. When I was younger, it must have been a smaller halo because there was more hair. Every year I am missing more hair so I figure my halo is getting bigger. That means I am better this year than I was the years before- - right?"

What do you say to that? We just laughed.

The only other comments I will give you tonight are the instructions for Peachy Pork Picante - - another of our favorites. I don't think I have given you the recipe before because I searched all my previous blogs last week. This is so easy. Take one part Peach Preserves and 3 parts Salsa. For us, we use 1/2 cup preserves and a cup and a half of the salsa. Add (uncooked) cubed pork. Some people like to first coat the pork with taco seasoning but we like it without. Cover ingredients and cook on top of the stove 30 - 60 minutes. Serve over rice. We love this recipe but not everyone does so just try it as a side dish the first time.

The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 16:31

Birthday Week

Yesterday was our "baby girl's" 26th birthday. Her party at her in-laws' home was held after Sunday morning worship services. We were invited to be part of their celebration. Lunch was a delicious potato bar. YUM! Today was also her first wedding anniversary so we took the top layer of the wedding cake that had been in our freezer this past year. We had triple wrapped it in Saran Wrap and then double wrapped it in aluminum foil. It held up quite well and was still delicious. It was a delicious and fun time!

Another fun birthday party this week was for a coworker and her husband. They were both born the same day and both turned fifty. What are the odds that not only would they share the same day but also the same year? Their daughter came into town to take them out to supper. Then she blindfolded them and brought them to a "secret" location where their friends and son were waiting to SURPRISE them. It was a great night for them. This couple is very active working with the youth in our church - - taking them on hikes, overnight camping, as well as many other fellowship activities.

They shall still bring forth fruit in old age. Psalm 92:14a

New Gift

This past Tuesday night we had our "Be Thankful for Library Workers" dinner at Oliver's. It was just as delicious and fun as we knew it would be. Twenty-eight were in attendance. The workers are treated to dinner to show how much their contribution to the ministry means to us. After they had been appreciated, they turned around and gave me an appreciation gift for being their leader. With their gift, I purchased this.

It came in this box which I thought was a very clever design. I think I told you I have been reading the New Testament in The Message. I have really enjoyed it. Our pastor uses the New King James Version so now I have the best of both worlds. If you feel like your quiet time is getting a bit routine or even stale, try reading your Scripture in another translation - - - or read it out loud - - - or write it. Then you would be like the kings of Israel in Deuteronomy 17:18 who were required by God to copy the word of the law (Scriptures) on a scroll when they first took the throne. It does give you a fresh perspective.

But back to our library workers. We are blessed and honored to work for our Lord in such a rewarding ministry. But it never feels like work. We enjoy each others company so much, it is more like getting together for fun each week. And while we're having "fun", we accomplish a LOT. We check-out an average of 2,000 books each month to persons from about sixty different congregations within a one hundred mile radius. Over the years the work hasn't changed much but our lives have - - - - from family members celebrating graduations, marriages, children, and grandchildren and of course, some deaths. It is wonderful when the persons you work with become your friends. Giving them one delicious dinner a year is a very small token for 52 weeks worth of work. However, the dinner is just icing on the cake because what we do is actually just a small token of appreciation to our Lord who has already done so much for us!

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. I Corinthians 15:58

Birthday Supper

A week from today, my baby will be 26 years old. Now that she's married, she gets two birthday dinners - - one from us and one from her in-laws. They celebrated with our family last night as well as some of my daughter's friends from high school and a couple of new friends we made this past year. Supper was nacho salad, Mexicali pie, and Rotel/Velveeta Dip. I cooked ground beef in Taco Seasoning and also cooked some chicken in the oven in it. I can't begin to tell you how delicious it was. We had the absolute best time with some of our most favorite people.

After supper, we watched the movie, Up. It was really good - - but my children had told me it was and that I would enjoy a cartoon. If you haven't watched it, it is worth your time.

My daughter and her husband had to travel 2 hours to get home because of the rock slide on the Ocoee. Did you know this is the road that is beside the rapids where the 1996 Summer Olympics were held? Here is the article about the slide from the station who actually shot that coverage. It will be at least 3 weeks before the road is open again. In addition to clearing the road, the stability of the mountain has to be considered, too.

Children are an heritage of the Lord. Psalm 127:3a

Mexicali Pie
(I may have given you this recipe before but I am not sure and don't have time to do a search.)
16 oz ground beef (3/4 pound is actually enough.)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green and/or red bell peppers
Brown the above ingredients.
Turn off heat and mix in the following.
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup chunky salsa
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheese. You can use reduced fat - - whichever blend you like.
1/8 tsp black pepper
Put this in a baking dish and top with:
1 cup (3 ounces) crushed corn chips
Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. If you are not using stoneware, make sure to first spray your casserole dish. This DELICIOUS.

Ankle Deep

We are getting ankle deep in leaves around here. These were on the back deck because my husband went up on the roof to use the leaf blower. Rain is forecast for almost 24 hours and as Bill said, "Dry leaves are easier to remove than wet ones." Plus, wet leaves are not good for the shingles.

Praise God that once again he came off the roof on the ladder rather than falling.

The stairs before he started clearing the deck. And this pile of leaves is just from one small section of the roof!

Even the side deck could not escape.

But aren't the results well worth it? Can you tell I love autumn? Fall and food - two favorites.

All this work was done after our trip to Chattanooga today. I had a routine doctor's visit. Then we went out to lunch at Jason's Deli. It was followed by a quick trip to JC Penney. We love that store. Not only do they have great sales but they still carry some classic styles in quality fabrics. And they also carry trendier stuff - - which I occasionally try on and then laugh at myself in the mirror! You would have to if you had seen the blouse I tried on. The fabric was a bit more transparent when worn then it first appeared on the hanger.

Here's some fun for you. Go to The Muncks Quiver. They began a giveaway today. They are one of the sweetest families you ever want to meet. We are blessed to have them in our church family. Laura is one of the most patient moms I have ever met. She and her husband, Arthur, are always smiling. Their children are some of the most polite individuals on this earth. Their entire family has wonderful servant hearts.

And let me tell you about another friend who has the same attributes as the Muncks. Her name is Janith. She was one of our church library volunteers until last January when she was diagnosed with leukemia. Today the family found out she is losing her battle with cancer and will probably be standing face to face with Jesus in heaven within the week. Please pray for her family as they are losing someone who has brought them extreme joy and love over the years. Our hearts are heavy, too, because her absence will leave a void in our lives. Praise God for HIS eternal home that HE is providing for those of us who accept HIM as our Savior and Lord.

In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

Still Autumn

This picture does not do the view from my computer justice. On Friday, I sat at the computer with our new door open and saw beautiful sunshine coming through the few leaves left on the trees. Actually the trees have dropped over half their leaves. The ones falling now are brittle, brown, and dry rather than the colorful, supple leaves of a few weeks ago. The weather this past week has been perfect - - - colder nights (40s) and warm, sunny days (high 60s).

There is not too much new in our lives - - - - - other than deciding is it time to buy a new car or will the older one go six more months? We will get a verdict from our daughter's father-in-law who is a mechanic. It is great not having a car payment but it will also be great to have a car that does not need repair for a while. However, we would like to make it a few months past Christmas before giving the bank our money to keep!

Lunch today was quick. It was easy Chicken Soup. You need 3 cans (16 ounces) of Swanson's Chicken Broth, 3 cups water, 3 chicken bouillon cubes, 1 cup of uncooked rice (like Uncle Ben's that takes 30 minutes to cook), 2 large carrots - sliced, 1 bag each of frozen corn & frozen beans, 1 can rinsed & drained kidney beans, and some cooked chicken. (Always keep some cooked, cubed chicken in the freezer.) Bring liquids to a boil. Rice and carrots should already be in the pot, too. Cook about 10 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Some might find this bland and if so, add your own enhancements from chopped onion to black pepper. However, this is a great meal for anyone with an upset stomach (except for the kidney beans) or a person suffering with sinus ailments. This is one meal I could eat often because I LOVE chicken, grean beans, rice, and corn! I didn't find the recipe anywhere - - - - just put stuff in a pot I liked until I got the right proportions.

HE . . . opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels' food . . . Psalm 78: 23b, 24, 25a

New Church Building

Our congregation is building a new worship center on the north side of town. Today we had an open house. You can see more information about it on our church's webpage. The above picture is just the left hand side of the building. We are scheduled to move in near the end of next summer.

This is the hallway in the youth (teenage) section. Below is outside that hallway looking into the Commons Area. The large open doorway leads into the sanctuary. The smaller door to the left is our church library. We have an excellent location.

I am still standing on the second floor in the previous picture. This wall of windows is to the left or on the backside of the commons area. There will be seating in front of those windows so persons will have a great view.

Inside the sanctuary looking out that large sanctuary door two pictures above. Some of our seating will be stadium style.

This is the library director's office. I am inside the library taking the picture. The empty space you see on the right of the picture is the entrance to the sanctuary. (Sanctuary is behind office. Hallway you see has people entering sanctuary going left.) There will be a wall there when it is completed. There will be cabinets and a counter to the right.

I am beside the office looking into the room that will house our bookstacks. The will encircle the walls and have two free-standing double stacks in the middle. Do you see the support beam that looks like a slide? Those support the sanctuary stadium seating. Our ceiling will follow that slope.

I knew you would want a close-up of the beam with the blown insulation on it.

And because I can - - - I included another autumn tree near our house. The yellow was such a brilliant contrast to the others.

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the House of the Lord. Psalm 122:1

October 31

These pictures were taken at the end of the day - - - with the last of the natural light at dusk and turning dark within minutes.

It is also near the end of leaf color and leaves being left on trees. It has been a brief color peak this year. Last night we had a lot of wind and some rain. Many of the leaves were on the ground this morning.

The pictures probably don't quite capture the way the light hit but the leaves had a momentary glow against the darkening sky.

I love the way this picture photographed. It looks more like a painting. I have no idea how I did that.

This is our youngest cat - - - named Kit Kat. She looks like autumn, doesn't she?

The rainbow is a bit difficult to see since the sky was almost dark but you can almost discern it. Don't go cross-eyed from straining your eyes to see it.

And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. Genesis 9:16

H.B, M.J.

Happy Birthday, Mary Jane! I know it was last week but I did not get your gift done until this week.

Mary Jane is my daughter's mother-in-law and my son-in-law's mother! I have never seen her without a smile. She loves my daughter as her own. She is a precious sister-in-Christ to me. As you can see, her gift is a money tree. I found the pattern on the internet a year or two ago. We parents have given cash or gift cards to each other to celebrate birthdays. I decided to do it this way this time. I told her this plant only blooms once but if she could figure out how to make it grow larger, she should share her secret! Today was such a gorgeous day. This is a beautiful season to be born. It's like all nature is celebrating with you!

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Proverbs 31:28

Is it the food blog again tonight? Not really but mealtimes have always been happy times of family gathering together. However, this one has nothing to do with family but rather just with ME. Remember last night I told you I was very tired - - - - I found out why. As the evening progressed, my throat became more and more sore and RED. This morning was more of the same. I knew I was fighting off something - - - possibly a flu virus that one of my precious co-workers caught a couple of days ago. Bless her heart. I really like and respect her and hated to see her the flu grab hold and wrestle with her. She did not realize that was what it was when it first hit her.

Anyway, I have discovered that if you take the Rice A Roni, add the frozen vegetables, and some cooked chicken, (I generally have some in the freezer) you have a very simple and fairly nutritious meal in 30 minutes. It is one of my favorites dishes to make whether I am healthy or sick. The great news is I don't work on Fridays so was able to take some naps and drink a LOT of fluids. I am not 100 percent tonight but hope to be by tomorrow evening. I am not adverse to getting antibiotics when needed because I can't see the sense of stressing your body unnecessarily with illness - - but if your body can fight something of its own accord, I think it strengthens your immune system better.

Since we're on the subject of food, let me tell you we are having ham steaks left over from last night's supper. They are topped with a pineapple slice and glazed with an orange marmalade sauce. It is a Weight Watcher's recipe. My husband is participating in their plan again. In two weeks, he has lost 9 pounds.

And on a totally different subject, have you all gone to Pandora Radio? One of my daughters blogged about it a few weeks ago. You can create your own radio stations(s). It's free and it's easy. You can search songs, artists, and they will add other similiar songs. You can then bookmark them if you wish and even tell if you like the song so you can be sure it will play again. If you like music, you will love it. Guess it's like an iPod but since i don't have one - - - and don't want one either - - - - - - one nice thing about it is you can listen to your Pandora Station on any computer - whether at home or work and it's commercial-free.

Well - - - guess this is enough reading for anyone tonight!

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul; when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward. . . . . Proverbs 24:13-14a

Bye Sweet Dog

Last night our sweet, sweet dog died surrounded by his family petting him. We knew he was old and were expecting it but you still never are ready when the time comes. His time came after he had been outside investigating the yard one last time. He came into the house and pretty much laid down and passed away within 15 minutes. His heart just gave out.

Here he is this past March helping his Daddy do yard work. The wind was blowing a bit.We got Bunky from a friend who rescued him when he had been abandoned by neighbors who had abused him. The night we picked him up, he immediately bonded to our younger daughter. She has posted different poses of him on her blog.

We were not in the market at that time for another dog because we had a chocolate lab at home but we couldn't turn him away because he was too cute. Also, he looked like my mother-in-law's dog so that made him special to my husband because his mom had just died a few months earlier.

Bunky and Baby (the lab) bonded instantly. They really loved each other. Bunky bounced and bounded everywhere. He loved to nip playfully at Baby's heels so Baby would chase him. It kept Baby active. Both dogs were generally taken for a walk around a couple of blocks each night by two persons but sometimes by only my husband.

When the lab died, we were concerned that Bunky would mourn his loss but instead he relished the fact he was an "only" dog. He got all the scraps from the table without having to share with the big dog.

He had a very gentle personality and was extremely grateful for attention. I think it goes back to being abused. However, even after having him over 12 years, he would sometimes flinch a bit if he wasn't expecting you to pet him and it surprised him to see your hand approach. It hurt us to wonder what he had lived through prior to coming to our home.

Look at all his hair! We never had him professionally groomed although he would have looked adorable. Taking him in the car was traumatic. When he went to the vet, he shook until we got back home. We thought good looks were not worth the price it would have cost him emotionally so he got home hair cuts by me. Some were much, much better than others.

This is one of the last walks our Bunky got to take with his Daddy. Bunky dearly anticipated that each evening. He and my husband played a game. The leash would be dangled and the dog would dance on his hind legs and bark. Then they would bound out the door together. it was obvious as summer approached that even walking down our hill and up was stressing the dog's energy level. He would pant just walking around the yard.

Even though I prefer cats to dogs, I loved this little man. He was the best dog we have owned in our (almost) 33 years of marriage. Bunky has left a tremendous hole in our heart and a huge emptiness in our house.

Will we get another dog? Probably - - - - but not yet. First our emotions have to quit missing Bunky before we have a desire for another canine. And yes, we know it was just a dog but he was a family member who loved us deeply and we loved him, too.

Who thinks there are animals in heaven? Do we know if we will ever see our pets again? I can't give you a definite answer to the second question but in Randy Alcorn's book Heaven, he talks about earth being a mirror of heaven and expects all created beings will be found there. I won't argue or expound but am thankful that our pets can give us a little "heaven on earth" for a while. The heartache of their passing is a small price to pay for the unconditional love they give us before that.

Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called every living creature, that was its name. Genesis 2:19