Archaic Inspirations

Maryana Vollstedt, will you be my grandma?

July 5, 2007 · Filed under Favorite Things, Homemaking

If you have ever owned, borrowed, eaten a recipe from, checked out from the library, or even read a rave review on one of her cookbooks, you may get the same warm and fuzzy feeling I do when I see her name. I came across The Big Book of Casseroles a few weeks ago in the library while trying to find some great recipes to make in large batches and freeze for later meals. I’ve cooked about 5 recipes from this collection and haven’t come across a disappointment – she is amazing! These are the kind of ingredients you actually already have in your home – and the kind of quantity that always leaves room for another guest at the table. These are the kind of tastes and smells that elicit fond memories of dinner at grandma’s house.

I am so excited to try Maryana Vollstedt’s entire line of cookbooks including:

Pacific Fresh ©1995
What’s for Dinner? © 1997
The Big Book of Soups and Stews © 2001
The Big Book of Breakfast © 2003
The Big Book of Potluck © 2003
The Big Book of Easy Suppers © 2005
Meatloaf © 2006
The Big Book of Chicken to be released spring 2008

Thanks to my darling hubby and to my mom for giving me a birth day, I am now the elated owner of this casserole classic. So if you’re ever in the neighborhood, stop on by! With 250 recipes, I’m sure to be cooking one or pulling one out of the freezer that’ll tickle your tastebuds.

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Permanent marker meets its match

July 5, 2007 · Filed under Bargains, Hope In the Midst, Ummmm...

A white table
A portrait of a woman with long black hair
A black, Sharpie, permanent marker
A spray bottle of water
A pair of scissors
A tissue box
A smudged, scratched, 3-day-old puddle of blackness

There’s the description of the crime scene as I happened upon it today. I only wished I had taken a photo of it at the time but I was too busy stifling screams and tears that never escaped amidst the myriad of questions that swarmed around my head.

Why did I have permanent markers in the school room?
Why did I tell one of our children that she could use that marker very carefully on the lapdesk only?
Why did I think that was a rational request?
Why did I think that the most damage a pair of scissors could do was cut off a doll’s hair and create countless pieces of confetti on the floor?

After a classic discipline transference that included lines such as, “Wait until your father sees this!” and “What made you think coloring on the kleenex with marker and then spraying the table with water would remove the stain??” I resigned myself to the failsafe method – google. Above you’ll see the results of that search – a white eraser and white toothpaste.

Use white paste, not the gel kind, and simply put a small amount directly onto the wood furniture. With either a soft bristle toothbrush or a soft rag, start making circular motions and rubbing the paste into the marker.
Be patient. You may have to do several applications before the marker is completely removed.
When the paste has basically taken on the color of the marker, wipe clean and then start with step 1 again.

I started and ended with the white eraser and the piece of the table you see in the photo was where the majority of the marker resided and all that remains are the scratch marks from the scissors she used to try and scrape it off when the marker-saturated kleenex failed. Hopefully this has given you hope for your marker-tatooed furniture if you found this site in desperation. My advice – take a photo now before the evidence is all gone!

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Game Time!

July 4, 2007 · Filed under Bargains, Fun, Memory Lane

Stare 3

Last week I made a Goodwill run and happened upon this great game called STARE! Yes, we are “one of those families” that love to play games and Goodwill is the place to find them cheap. Take this one, for instance, it sells retail for $29.99 at places like Target, yet I paid a whole $1.99 for it and it is in like new condition. Above you can check out some examples of the artwork from such sources as Norman Rockwell, DC Comics, Action Comics, old advertisements, product packages, movie posters, and more. I always feel so elementary adding lines like “and more” to a sentence, but sometimes enough is enough and I simply want to get to what’s next.

So, the object of the game is to “stare” at the card you receive for 20 seconds and study as much detail as possible before it is snatched away from you and the interrogations begin. So, go ahead…give it a shot! I have enlarged a single card for your eyes to study – remember, only 20 seconds. Go…

Stare

Now, don’t look again and try to answer these questions:

1. You can partially see the man’s reflection in the back mirror. True or False

2. There are three swirls on the box of Cheer. What colors are they?

So, how did you do? Do tell! And to wrap things up with a bit of personal nostalgia – I had to pick this game up as well – for my children, of course! Do you recognize it? Come on, if you’re a member of Generation X I bet you’ve played it or watched your sister and her friends play it (like my hubby).

Mystery Game

Here is a great resource I found as a result of this game that had all the pieces but no instructions. If it’s a Hasbro game, have no fear – pay the cheaper price and just download the missing instructions.

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A Chuck E. Cheese kind of God

May 6, 2007 · Filed under Faith

A devotion from “Grace For the Moment” by Max Lucado:

No Limits The love of God has no limits.

Human love is conditional. Whether we’re dealing with a friendship or a marriage, our commitments will only go so far. Friendships fail and marriages end in divorce because one can no longer tolerate the other.

But God’s love is unconditional. He loved us before we were even interested in him. He continues to love us even as we disappoint Him with out immature attitudes. And His love for us prevails although our conduct may offend Him. There is nothing we could do that would make God love us less.

God’s love extends to us in full measure. It is not distributed in small portions as we earn “spiritual brownie points” if we are good deed doers. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more.

God loves us unconditionally even though He knows we can’t love Him back to that extent. That’s what makes His love so perfect.

Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39

_____________________________________________________________________

This devotion inspired the following:

As I read the line “spiritual brownie points” above I recalled an image that God brought to my mind long ago – allow me to illustrate.

Remember as a kid going to the Chuck E. Cheese and earning all those tickets? Remember being certain you were going to get a handful of tickets for your efforts and occasionally not receiving any at all?? Remember pushing all the tickets into every pocket available for stuffing? Remember laying out the tickets and counting them one by one…the coveted LONG strands that were so great because that meant you did a really GREAT job to earn so many…and the piddly singles that never seemed to add up to quite enough? Remember gazing at the prize cabinet…and even up to the prize wall? Remember not even turning them in for the piddly prizes because you were saving up for the BIG prizes on the wall??

Some people think we have a Chuck E. Cheese kind of God. That He is standing behind the counter guarding His “Wall of Blessings”. That we can look but will not receive unless we earn enough “perseverance and good deed tickets”.

Imagine such a thing…here we are going through life doing good deeds and earning our tickets. Sometimes we do something really good and out comes the coveted LONG strand of good deed tickets! Sometimes we put forth great effort but not a single good deed ticket is produced and we are rewarded with the mere frustration of our insufficiency. However, we know that if we persevere and continue to do enough good deeds we could pocket those occasional perseverance tickets that would add up to something worthwhile in the end. Imagine taking all your tickets and stashing them away, hoarding them for the eventual personal satisfaction you’ll receive one day.

The day arrives and off you go, pockets bulging and anticipation high! You’re willing to bet you may even be able to get one of those really GREAT blessings on the blessing wall! You wait in line thinking about all those people in front of you and wondering how long they have been saving up for this day. You walk up to the counter, present all your tickets to God, certain that the more you pull out of your pocket, the more impressed He becomes…counting them one after another, after another until you’ve calculated all your good deed tickets and perseverance tickets. Your eyes climb the wall to the top where the best blessings reside. You’re sure you must have enough perseverance tickets to earn that long-awaited Godly spouse. Or maybe earned enough good deed tickets to finally get that mission field opportunity! You are nervous with excitement…

Your eyes scan for the price, shifting back and forth, but it can’t be found. Where could it be?? How much does it cost?! You have waited this long, put forth this much effort, persevered and done good deed after good deed all for the purpose of claiming your prize and now a nervous anxiety grows up inside of you. Your gut reaction is one of anger, “God, where are the prices??!! How do I know if I have earned enough?! I have been waiting for this day to come and claim my blessings and I have no idea if I have enough!! “

“My child, why is this the first time you have come to me? Why have you waited so long? Every day I have longed for you to come to me and simply ask, ‘Lord bless me, indeed!’ You will find no price upon my blessings. Their value is not made perfect through your payment, but rather through My timing.”

God has no use for your perseverance and good deed tickets. He is not looking for those who are hoarding their talons. Thank the Lord that your tickets are worthless and that the fact is that the blessings are free! Thank the Lord that He doesn’t want to give you what you deserve or even what you have “earned”!

Have you been saving up your good deed and perseverance tickets to present to God?

God’s saving grace is a gift, not one that can be earned, we all know this if we are truly saved. However, we so often stubbornly maintain our human mindset that we somehow have the ability to earn the blessings of God. Do not present your good deeds and perseverance as an offering to the Lord. It is your life He requires…love keeps no record of wrongs and humility keeps no record of rights. God will prove to you that when you wrap your arms around His will there are no hands to grab your good deed and perseverance tickets and better yet, no need to. Lay down your rights and pick up your cross.

God’s blessings are never out of reach.

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Face wiper aka drool catcher – a dinner napkin revival

May 2, 2007 · Filed under Bargains, Crafting, Sewing

I have been meaning to learn to sew for something like ten years. In fact, I was inspired by my first child. I wanted to make her an outfit out of this cute red corduroy printed with dalmation puppies. I ventured to make a pair of baby overalls. I think I tried to make them in a 12 month size, but I was so intimidated by how small the seam allowance seemed to be that I overcompensated enough to morph it into a 6 month size. Needless to say, my daughter never wore it and I decided to wait until I found someone who could help me along before trying anything else.

Well, my sewing machine moved from one closet to another and I never happened upon this “someone” who would instruct and inspire me. SO, the next time I used my sewing machine was last year. Of all things, I decided to reupholster our couches. I have no idea what I was thinking, having never sewn a zipper or a three dimensional covering but I apparently lost enough brain cells over the last decade to cause me to believe it was possible. I actually did nearly complete our loveseat. The cushion was the hardest part, by far! I did learn how to create a pattern from existing pieces and how to keep from crying every time I had to re-thread the machine. However, I struggled through breaking the thread every minute or so – you mean you aren’t supposed to use garment thread on upholstery?? I also struggled with the corners – you mean you should cut slits in the corner so it will overlap naturally as you sew?? I guess there’s also different needles for different projects. Wow, I knew a whole lot of nothing when it came to sewing. I am surprised the couch didn’t disintegrate when we sat on it for the next year!

So now I come to my third sewing machine project ever – inspired by our newest addition. It is a dainty little sun dress I cut out of cloth napkins. I really like the pattern on the napkins as it is very delicate. The photo below actually gives the appearance that I know what I am doing but I haven’t gone so far as to even thread the sewing machine yet. I need some Divine wisdom because at this point I am going to continue to cut out pieces that will mock me while they lie in wait. My new motivation is that I am very eager to design my own patterns. I even have a couple very elementary sketches of some ideas.

If anyone knows of some great online sewing resources – or books, for that matter, please share!

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Sunny Days

April 24, 2007 · Filed under Crochet

Yesterday I was thinking about how our wee one does not have a hat to protect her little head. With the weather heating up around here and the fact that we have nary-a-day when the sun doesn’t boldly announce its presence, I deemed this a necessity.

Hubby had a great idea as I rounded the last bend of the brim. “Why don’t you add a kind of ruffle edge to the hat…” You know, those statements that look like a question when you write them but in all reality they are a recommendation? Yea, he said it like that because he knew I would think it was a wonderful idea!

So here it is as modeled by the wee one herself. Oh how I have loved making little treasures out of Goodwill yarn. This is my third crochet project…I think the yarn for the three projects has totaled about five bucks. It is incredibly liberating to realize that you can make an item that you would otherwise go to the store to purchase. It was very rewarding because it whipped up so fast – one day is a lifetime record for me! Of course, my lifetime of crochet is so minute in the scheme of things.

While visiting blogs today, I came across a couple highly contrasting comments that inspire my newfound love of crochet. The first was that of a woman who said that she firmly believes that anything that can be knit, can be done just as well, if not better, in crochet with the exception of socks and hats. Now, it just so happens that I completed a hat and I am pressing on to crochet slippers. Oh how this could put a damper on one’s novice spirit. While my completed items may not illustrate the delicacy of a knit treasure, hopefully they won’t be categorized among the embarrassments of the opposing commenter. She proceeded to witness to the reasons why I never had a desire to learn crochet myself up until now. She linked to several hideous crochet projects while professing repeatedly the mantra, “This is why I have never wanted to learn crochet!” It is true – there are an awful lot of ugly crochet projects out there. So, I’d like to redeem the art by sharing some of the gems I’ve found.

While you ooo and ahhh, I’m off to attempt a pair of wispy blue slippers to add to the collection…

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Free Prayer

April 19, 2007 · Filed under Faith, Ministry

So, we were driving down the road and my husband says, “See, there’s the couple I have told you about.” There on the side of the road was the couple you see here with neon orange signs that said, “FREE PRAYER” plastered to their motorcycle. I thought that it was such a great idea to minster to people right where their at (literally on the road in their car contemplating life) that we had to go back to encourage them and chat with them a bit about their ministry.

The name of their ministry is “Bikers with Boundaries” and Emil and Karen are the couple you see here. They started this ministry a few years ago and in that time have seen as many as seven cars stop for prayer in a day. They pray about the locations and days they are to set up. They truly believe that God makes the appointments and they simply have to be where He leads to be God’s hands and feet. What an awesome testimony!

Bikers with Boundaries is a self-supporting, non-profit organization. If you would like to donate to their ministry of reaching people with Divine appointments or simply send a word of encouragement, please check them out.

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National Day of Silence

April 18, 2007 · Filed under Faith, Ministry

Today marks the 11th annual National Day of Silence. For those of you who hadn’t heard or weren’t aware, “the event encourages students to take a vow of silence and to hand out cards explaining how their silence highlights the bias that often silences lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, [otherwise known as] LGBT, students.” In other words this is a day to celebrate tolerance of the aformentioned – even more accurately it is a day that is dedicated to somehow “helping” them by demonstrating the mandate we as a society have placed upon them to stay silent or remain in the closet so as not to be harassed or otherwise belittled.

Now, I have seen a vast range of responses to homosexuality, from those who harass, to those who speak muddled truth, to those who speak Truth, to those who speak the Truth in love. There is such tremendous irony in the title “National Day of Silence” simply because the day is reserved to respect and accept those it is dedicated to, however to keep silent is a condemnation to a life of dissatisfaction and pain. So often we forget that those who live in bondage to sin are not joyful. Oh sure, they may appear to be happy, and even be and feel happy at times, however their joy has been held captive without bond. They will never have the ability or means to pay their bondsman (Satan) for the release of their joy ; however, they will spend their whole life facing the rejection and sorrow of trying to do so. Only in Christ will they have the power to breakout of the confinment of sin and into a life of joy, the life He longs for us to live. I refuse to stand silent for homosexuals, but more importantly, I refuse to stand silent for God. I refuse to whisper about homosexuals as it is degrading, but more importantly, I refuse to whisper about my God and Savior. I refuse to shout names and label sinners, as I am a sinner just as you are. However, I will never refuse to spread the hope and joy found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am fully aware and do not long for you to be naive to the fact that the Christian’s life is not always a happy one. We are human beings in a fallen world, not exempt from the temptation of sin, the heat of emotions, and the seduction of the world. The difference does not lie in our world, but in our heart. We, as Christians, have the Holy Spirit residing within us to give us the strength to do anything within His will. I can assure you that includes the ability to overcome your addictions, be it to alcohol, shopping, drugs, gossip, sex (be it adultery, pornography, fornication, or homosexuality), outbursts of anger, overeating, or the grip of depression. Satan’s grip is sneaky, often not terribly uncomfortable, like asphyxiation by means of an invisible gas unnoticeable until it restricts us to the point of paralysis and pain. Only then does the deserving terror of the father of lies become tangible. And then only One can save us from our immenent fate.

Is your sin suffocating you? Are you so comfortable in your sin that it wasn’t until this moment that you felt Satan’s hands around your neck? Are you crying out for someone to love you the way you have been created to be loved? Your desire is a good one, a holy one, given you by your Creator because He wants to fulfill it! Sin is comfortable because we are creatures of habit in an instant society, but I can assure you that it will not bring you the comfort you are seeking. Your Heavenly Father desires to take you in His arms and shower you with blessings; to allow you to experience the love you have resigned yourself to believing is not for “someone like me”. “Someone like me” – what a subjective phrase. Please know this, God does not love us because we are worthy. We are worthy because God so loved the world He sent His only son for you and me…not someone like you…not someone like me. He sent His only son for YOU! Call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and claim Him as your father, your creator, your protector, the lover of your soul, your provider, your healer, your strength, your comfort, your joy, your peace, your contentment, your wisdom, your passion, your compassion, your completion, Savior, and your revivor. Breathe in deeply the breath of Life…eternal Life that is yours. The breath is often a painful one, as if you can been forced underwater until nearly all your oxygen supply was depleted yet you surfaced just in time. Your heart beats rapidly and your breath is piercing. A reminder that something real and life-saving just occurred. How many of us are living on shallow breaths, unaware?

“What a pity that we would rather worship tolerance than tolerate worship.”

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Mister Morton is who?

April 17, 2007 · Filed under Memory Lane

This is the tale of Mister Morton
Mister Morton is who?
He is the subject of our tale
and the predicate tells what Mister
Morton must do

Mister Morton walked down the street
Mister Morton walked
Mister Morton talked to his cat
Mister Morton talked
(Hello, cat. You look good.)
Mister Morton was lonely
Mister Morton was

Mister Morton is the subject of the
sentence and what the predicate says,
he does

Mister Morton knew just one girl
Mister Morton knew
Mister Morton grew flowers for Perl
Mister Morton grew
Mister Morton was very shy
Mister Morton was

Mister Morton is the subject of the
sentence and what the predicate says,
he does
The subject is a noun, that’s person,
place or thing
It’s who or what the sentence is about
And the predicate is the verb
That’s the action word
that gets the subject up and out

Mister Morton wrote Pearl a poem
Mister Morton wrote
Pearl replied in the afternoon
Pearl replied by a note
Mister Morton was very nervous
Mister Morton was
Mister Morton is the subject of the
sentence and what the predicate says,
he does!

The cat stretched,
the sun beat down,
a neighbor chased his kid.
(come here kid – come on!)
Each sentence is completed when
you know the subject did.

Mister Morton knocked on her door
Mister Morton knocked
Mister Morton sat on her porch
Yes, he just sat and rocked
when she opened up the door he ran.

Mister Morton climbed up his stairs
Mister Morton climbed
Mister Morton rhymed pretty words
Mister Morton rhymed
Mister Morton was lonely
Mister Morton was
until Pearl showed up with a single
rose.
Who says women can’t propose?
Now Mister Morton is happy
and Pearl and the cat are too

They’re the subjects of the sentence
and what the predicate says, they do

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Delancey Street…a foundation of hope

April 16, 2007 · Filed under Hope In the Midst, Inspiring

This foundation is such a source of encouragement regarding society that I had to post it. It is so exciting to see a vision that has been turned into a productive contribution to society. The founder of Delancey Street says it perfectly, “You have to be two opposite things at the same time with any population that’s in trouble. You can’t be naive to who they are, and you really have to take a very hard-edged approach to the reality in front of you. But you have to be naive about what they can become. You have to believe all things are possible.”

The Delancey Street Foundation opened in 1971 with less than a handful of residents, a one thousand dollar loan and the vision that substance abusers, former felons and other hopeless individuals would find a place where they would be enabled to turn their lives around and become productive members of society. The foundation is run by the residents and for the residents who have no professional training, no government funding, at no charge to the clients. The residents commit to a minimum two year stay (but average of four years) and, in turn, will gain an academic education and three marketable skills; not to mention the character traits they cultivate along the way.

Over 14,000 people have graduated from a life of crime to become law-abiding, tax-paying members of society. The three marketable skills required to graduate may be obtained from any of the following (all founded and run by the residents): the Delancey Street Restaurant, the Delancey Street Cafe and Bookstore, the Delancey Street Moving Company, the Delancey Street Para Transit Service, the Delancey Street Automotive Service, the Delancey Street Christmas Sales, handcrafted Southwestern style furniture, and handcrafted pottery and art.

You must check out this media clip!

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