Recipes - Nostalgic Recipes from Nice

I am sure it is pretty darn obvious that I love to cook. Strangely I didn't learn how until about four years ago (story for another time). I found this website called Nostalgic Recipes from Nice. I can't recommend it highly enough. The ABOUT section is worth stopping by all on its own. Basically the blogger found all her grandmother's old recipes and have posted them.

This site is right up there with Tammy's Recipes.

New Title

Things have been super busy at work with all the lay-offs and the quitting that took place last month. Everyone is doing their best to chip in and help out. So...one of the responsibilities I have taken on is...drum roll...Recruiting Coordinator! Which definitely wasn't originally in my job description, but hey...it will look good on a resume if I ever need it. I have actually done it before we had hired an HR assistant and I really liked it. So, now I am a Legal Assistant/Paralegal/Recruiting Coordinator. Ta - Da

The only bad part is that is can take a whole day to have someone come in for interviews and scheduling attorneys to meet with them. Hopefully it will teach me to prioritize my time better. Or I will just continue to fly by the seat of my pants as usual. :)

Food For Thought

I read this quote from Kimberly Wagner on Radical Femininity.

“The feminist movement did not begin in the early '60s. The first breath of feminism took place in the Garden of Eden. It was an issue of rights and control. It was Eve asserting her right or the right she thought she had to make her own choice and to go against God’s direction and God’s commandment. So she was grabbing for power."

Something that makes me go...hmmmmmmm

Right Priorities

I came across this article in the United News by Joy Porter called Making Prayer a Priority(page 10). I was curious to read it because I have met her and her husband at the Feast several years ago. I have to say I was very impressed. I am always looking for tricks or ideas on how to pray better and more.

I am blessed that my father really installed in me the need and importance for prayer. While I was growing up, he would come in every morning to pray with me before he left for work. I am sure I said the same thing every morning, but it did instill the habit of praying every morning. Like Joy talks about in her article there have been times when I haven’t prayed everyday, but I can honestly say that although they may have been short prayers I have never gone for longer than two days without praying.

In my mind when I don’t pray I feel like I am letting Satan win. That by my not praying I am allowing him to separate me from God. I think this is one of the ways that sin separates us from our Father. It can be very hard to face God when we have sinned.

I love Joy’s idea about making a prayer/Bible Study basket. I love pretty things, so that really interested me. I am going to think about doing that myself.

Gas, or lack of it.

This weekend was the first time I can remember deciding not to do something because it was too expensive to drive. I happened to pass a gas station, one of those cheapy ones, and regular unleaded was $4.09 a gallon!! Thankfully, I only work about 4 miles from my condo.

I also noticed while walking the dog yesterday morning that one of the condos in my neighborhood is up for auction. That is a first. There are many for sale, but this is the first up for auction. I have some very close friends that have lost their home to foreclosure and two of my closest neighbors are getting ready to have their places foreclosed on. I am so thankful that I made sure I had a fixed interest rate, the adjustable rate is evil!! grrrrr.

Now that I am attending FPU I think I am much more cognisant of what I am spending. Tomorrow night is my second FPU class and I am very excited. I thought I would share some of the things I jotted down in the first class.

We treat debt is like a child treats a dirty diaper - yes, it stinks, but its warm and its mine. (that one had me rolling!!)

Saving money is an exercise in character.

Money is amoral, people are the ones with the morals or lack thereof.

Prov. 21:20, "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has".

Emergencies are going to happen.

It is as you will it.

Make the decision to win.

The Secret

On Sabbath we had a very nice older lady that used to live in our area visiting. I ran into her in the ladies room, and she offered to share with me her wisdom on how I can get married.

She went on to say that I just need to travel more...yep, that's it, just travel more. She said that although she loves the Bay Area there just aren't any men there and I should travel around and see what I can find. And while I totally appreciate her thinking of me, it is one of those bits of advice that doesn't really make sense logistically. For one, traveling is expensive and I certainly can't afford to travel all over, and second, I have traveled...all over. I have been to the Feast in England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France, Israel, Jordan, Portugal, England, England, Jordan, Escondido, etc. I have also been to a Young Adults event at least once a year for the last ten years. Sigh

I do deeply appreciate her sharing her advice and if I had more money and more time available to take off from work I would probably do more traveling.

And quite honestly, I appreciated it a lot more when she said at my age I had plenty of time...when I asked her how old she thought I was, she said, "oh, about 22 or so?" (and no, she's not going blind). I almost kissed her! When I told her my age she said, "oh, you might want to hurry then!".

Um, ya think? :) It is a good thing I have a good sense of the ironic.

Settling?

This post from Anna T. is so amazing. Not just because I clearly enjoy her blog (see Blogs I Enjoy to the right), but because it is something I have been thinking about a great deal lately. You can guess why, can't ya?! The article that she mentions in the TimesOnline called Settle For Less in Love, is very thought provoking, but I also recognize the feminist theme to it all.

The idea of settling has always intrigued me for several reasons, one, because it's a tempting prospect that gets more and more tempting as time goes by; two, I have several friends that did just that, but in the sense that Anna talks of, not the article in TimesOnline...and you know what? They are very happily married. Three, because I have friends that have pushed good men away because of a difference of opinion (small, not big like whether or not to have children) or because they didn't feel an instant connection.

Now there is something to be said for attraction (a lot really, but I will leave that for another time), but people do grow to be attracted to each other in some instances. The hard part for some of us in the Church is the long distance. It is hard to develop a relationship or attraction when you are not able to see each other face to face, but having just written that it can also work in a person's favor too because it takes some of the physical out of the equation. Hmmm....yep, topic for another time.

I also found the comments of Anna's husband interesting. That he had grown tired of women that expected to be swept off their feet on a first date. How many of us girls have secretly wanted that, only to be disappointed when it doesn't happen? Why do we expect such instantaneous attraction, and feet sweeping? Some would say, it's the fairy tales, those darn princesses just ruined it for everyone. I don't believe that. My grandmother read those same stories as a child, but I don't think she was looking for prince charming in an unrealistic way. If I had a blame something (besides Satan trying to destroy family, by creating unrealistic images of marriage) I would blame Hollywood and romance books.

Hollywood has created this idea of excitement, tragedy and passion all culminating into one beautiful conclusion. The same goes with romance books. All the excitement happens before the marriage even takes place. The climax of the book is always the proposal or the wedding itself. You never see a romance book mention all the humdrum stuff that takes place after that...you know, like the next 50 years! Don't ask me how I know all this about romance books, because it is just too pathetic to speak of and not an issue anymore.

On another note I believe that women are not the only ones that have false expectations. I have talked to several women recently about how they feel that men in the Church are only interested in "Barbie" type girls. They don't want a woman that isn't physically perfect, or older than 30. I haven't witnessed this firsthand from any of the guys I know, but it is definitely an assumption I have heard girls make or that they have experienced themselves.

Shoot, I have even defended a guy I barely know because I mentioned to someone that I had heard that although he was very good looking and he had his act together, he was shy and then that girl said, "no, he's just an arrogant jerk and only likes beautiful girls", which could have been true for all I know, but I hardly think any sane man would have come out and said that and expected to live. That whole conversation just smacked of assumption, which again is another topic for another time. I agree with Anna. We certainly shouldn't settle in areas that are truly important, i.e. faith or children, but women like myself need to open ourselves up a little and stop looking for Mr. Perfect and instead look for Mr. Right for us.

Sheesh, I talk a lot. :) Good thing this is my blog, huh?

Financial Peace University

I have the opportunity to take FPU right in town! Heather has been telling me for awhile what a great experience it is and how encouraging it is. Plus, Crystal talks a great deal about how much she and Jesse have benefited from the Live Events. And since I can't go to a live event, (one) because they are on Sabbath, and (two) there are no live events in California.

The thing is that it starts tonight! Eeek! I am doing some serious praying because the materials for the course cost about $146, which I have, but that much money aways makes me tense up :)

Cherry Pie

I made a cherry pie for my aunt and uncles annual bash, after reading Kate's post about her beautiful cherry pie. Here are some pictures and the recipe for the filing. The crust was one I bought from Trader Joes and it turned out very well. I am going to get another package to keep in the freezer.

1 pound bag frozen pitted cherries, or pound fresh pitted cherries (I used frozen Black Cherries from Trader Joes)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp lemon juice

Place frozen cherries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed medium-sized pan. Heat on medium until cherries begin to release their liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer and heat until cherry mixture has thickened. Allow it to cool. It should make about two cups.

I followed Kate's wonderful advice and took the pie out of at about 20 minutes and brushed it with egg (I wanted a yellow tint, so I used a whole egg and not just whites) and sprinkled it with sugar and then put it back in for another 20 minutes or so, watching it carefully.

I am very happy to say it got very good reviews. It was a good thing my mom cut a piece for my dad as soon as it was served or he wouldn't have gotten any :) Although, I need to practive my lattice lines. :)

Am I Alone?

"A woman's heart should be so close to God that a man should have to chase Him to find her."
(C.S. Lewis)"

I think this quote is just so eloquent.

But it also makes me pause. And I hope I am not offending anyone with my following thoughts, but they shouldn't be shocking to anyone in the Church.

That being said...I don't know if it is just me and my perception, but I have noticed a growing number of men and women in the faith that are marrying outside of the faith. Are we still looking for converted baptized members as our mates, or are people giving up and looking elsewhere?

I have had several people, with the very best of intentions; suggest that I try dating through websites like eHarmony, etc. And while I wholeheartedly appreciate their concern, it surprises me every time. Why would I do that? I believe that the Bible is very clear about people not being unequally yoked (II Cor. 6:14). Don’ t these verses mean that a baptized member shouldn’t be dating, let alone marrying, outside of the faith?

And believe me, I know that marrying someone inside the faith doesn’t promise bliss and perfection, but at least the marriage is (or should) be starting with the equal understanding of God’s role in the marriage. Two converted people would always have God as their foundation.

I think that marrying outside of the faith is even harder on women than men, although I could be wrong. If a woman is trying to exemplify and serve her husband as a Christian wife, and…submit (gasp, I used the “s” word :), which is a hard thing to do, how much harder would it be to do with a husband that didn’t have God’s Holy Spirit? When you marry someone that is converted, hopefully they would at least appreciate the effort submission takes! Cause let’s face it, if it was easy, everyone would do it. :)

Okay, what if someone married a man that was a “Christian”. What do you do with the kids? Do you take them with you on the Sabbath, and your spouse takes them on Sunday? What about Christmas and Easter, or when they are old enough to understand the sermons that called their other parent deceived and wrong? What if your son hits six years old and would rather play t-ball than go to Church? How are they to learn to keep God’s laws, if one of the main suppliers of human behavior is not exemplifying it on a daily basis?

But say you met the most understanding and supportive person ever. Say, they had no problem whatsoever with your faith and all it encompasses, whether it be unclean foods, or the Holy Days. But the one area of your life that is the most important, the part that motivates how you live, what you say, and how you love is the very area that they just can’t understand and you won’t be able to share with them on a deep level.

And on the practical side, I don’t want to go to Sabbath services or the Feast on my own. I don’t want to go to Sabbath dinner at my parent’s house and not be able to have spiritual conversations because it might offend or exclude my husband. I have visions of sitting in services with my husband beside me and my children playing (quietly, thank you!) on the floor. Leaning over and telling them to “hush” when they get too loud.

What about God calling members through us from outside. Does God really call people just because we decide to date outside the Church? Does He need us to broaden our horizons so that He can call people? Does He just decide to overlook II Corinthians? A person can’t just decide to “convert” to this knowledge and all the pushing and manipulating we do in any circumstance will not make it happen for the right reasons. I keep thinking of that old saying, “the path to hell is paved with good intentions”.

I deeply want to be married, I mean…come on, seriously…have you met me? But I don’t want to settle, and I don’t want to create some situation that is a counterfeit of what God really has for me because of my lack of faith or my fear.

It is hard to be alone. It’s hard to think about never being blessed with a husband and children. But I can tell you right now, I would rather be single and occasionally lonely than married to the wrong person. As one of my favorite quotes goes, “I can feel like crap all on my own, I don’t need anyone else’s help”.

Am I crazy? Should I just jump on the bandwagon? Should I just tell God, “nice try, but I am tired of waiting”? I mean, what if God’s answer is “no” to my prayers to be married? I guess that is the hard part, waiting on God. God knows what I want, because you know I am very clear! :) And He knows what I need, because He knows my heart. He knows me better than I know myself.

So, who better to decide my future in this area, then the God that knew from the beginning?

Lovely Quote

This is from Peter Marshall in 1949. I wonder what he would think of the world now.

I believe that women come nearer fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else. It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realm of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultramodern. The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith. The world has women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need woman, and men, too, who would rather be morally right that socially correct.

Lovely Quotes

I have a bunch of great quotes somewhere that I want to post when I find them. This is one of them.

“As one 27 year-old Orthodox woman put it to me, with a toss of her long black hair, “there is a saying that goes Einb’not yisrael hefker. It means that the daughters of Israel are not available for public use.”

From Wendy Shalit’s book Return to Modesty (pg. 131)

I wish more women felt this way about their bodies!

5 things

Five things you may not know about me.

1. I am a natural brunette (and yes, I still have my blond moments).

2. I have a mole in the shape of a heart (really, no lie).

3. I am obsessed with all things domestic (ironic, huh?).

4. I have a sarcastic sense of humor (nuff, said).

5. I have never been in love (there's still time, right? :).

Why am I posting this? Because I am bored and currently hiding from my firm's impression of Fear Factor to raise money for the Food Drive in our County. I am talking worms and all people!

Verse of the Day

This verse has been coming to my mind today, so I decided to look it up. Don't ask why, it's been a rough day :)

Jeremiah 17:9-10

“ The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.

The Dreaded Question

This may be the most dreaded question ever posed to a single woman.

"So, why aren’t you married yet?"

Answer (in my head)
Um…I…well…I haven’t…that is…God hasn’t…ya, um, I really don’t know.

Answer (out of my mouth)
"I haven’t met a man I wanted to marry."

This is the part where I should receive an Oscar for my performance (insert applause here)

Is it just me, or is this question kind of like asking a woman with a bit of a belly if she is pregnant and then finding out she isn’t?

Yeah, awkward!

Nuff said. Sigh.

Just Beautiful

I saw this and had to post it. And yes, it does make me want a baby :) Sigh...God's will, God's will. :)

When I Grow Up

I want to have the strength, character and bravery of Irena Sendler.

"Every child saved with my help and the help of all the wonderful secret messengers, who today are no longer living, is the justification of my existence on this earth, and not a title to glory,"

About ten years ago I was blessed to go to the Feast of Tabernacles in Israel and Jordan. One of the truly amazing places we stopped was Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. I will never forget it. It is horrifying to think of all those people and not only that they died, but HOW they died. The truly moving part was a separate museum there dedicated to all the children that died in the Holocaust.

It makes me glad and thankful that I live in the United States. For all its faults (which are gaining every day) it is still the land of the free.

Moderating Comments

I had to turn on the Moderate Comments option on here. Most of the comments I receive are lovely. However, I got one the other day from an author who's website was inappropriate. Just an FYI to anyone that cares :)

Ya Think?

I am always surprised when other people are surprised when they realize that the rules apply to them. This is a video interview segment about a girl that was not only not allowed into her senior prom, but she became so aggressive about it that she was led away in handcuff. I am not sure how she was handcuffed without her outfit becoming even more indecent. eek!

Where in the world are this girl's parents? Did she look in the mirror before she left the house? LOL. This dress was custom made? First of all...the designer should be shot for making it for a child, and secondly, what are her parents thinking!?!?!

It amazes me that people act indignant when they are forced to abide by the rules.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle...

A poem in tribute to all you mom's out there :)

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Is the Hand That Rules the World

Blessings on the hand of women!

Angels guard its strength and grace,

In the palace, cottage, hovel,

Oh, no matter where the place;

Would that never storms assailed it,

Rainbows ever gently curled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,

Power may with beauty flow,

Mother's first to guide the streamlets,

From them souls unresting grow--

Grow on for the good or evil,

Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission

Here upon our natal sod!

Keep, oh, keep the young heart open

Always to the breath of God!

All true trophies of the ages

Are from mother-love impearled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!

Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,

And the sacred song is mingled

With the worship in the sky--

Mingles where no tempest darkens,

Rainbows evermore are hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace (1819-1881)

Just Beautiful

Note to self: Don't watch amazingly moving videos like this when you don't have a tissue handy. Love like this is just amazing.

I have to go find some tissue now...again! :)

Sexiness Kit?

I am the first one to admit that I am always looking for advice on how to better myself and not just in the character department. I ask questions, I read books and I pray (ALOT!) LOL

But I am not sure why I find the following advice from Carmen Electra so amusing. I mean, should a Christian woman take advice from a twice divorced Playboy model? I am thinking probably not, but it's still amusing.

Now...what to put in my sexiness kit...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Newly engaged – to guitarist Rob Patterson, who will be her third husband – Carmen Electra is sharing some of her secrets on how a woman can attract a man.

First, be prepared. One way, Electra, 36, tells Cosmopolitan for its June issue, is to keep a "sexiness kit" within easy reach in the car or at work.

Contained therein: "Perfume, lip gloss, and a pair of heels" to show off the legs – to say nothing of an air of confidence. Her personal role model, Electra reveals: Ann-Margret, as she was in the 1962 movie Bye Bye Birdie.

In the same vein, Electra instructs, "Being flirty is a way of letting a guy know you're interested without making a fool of yourself."

Eye contact is key, as is touching – even if it's just removing a piece of lint off his clothing. As for your own clothing, "Take a chance," she advises – and don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have to practice the "Being flirty is a way of letting a guy know you're interested without making a fool of yourself.", which to be honest has escaped me thus far. :)

Encouraging

I had at least three people come up to me a church to tell me that they were praying for me. Isn't that cool? I will give you three guesses as to what they are praying for, but I doubt you will need all three :) giggle.

Celtic Woman

This Sunday I was able to see Celtic Woman perform at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. It was amazing (see the video below). I am not sure how much is accompaniment and machinery, but they did a great show! I seriously wish I could sing like that! There were only 5 girls in CW right now, since Maev has left to focus on a solo career. The girl that doesn't sing, but dances around the stage playing the violin was truly amazing. She danced around like a Sprite! I got tired just watching her :) This was once in a lifetime and I am so grateful to be able to see them. This ranks right up there with seeing Kristin Chenowith in Wicked and Sarah Brightman!

Being Frugal

Being good with money does not come naturally to me. I wasn't until I moved out on my own that I have really come to understand the importance of being a good steward of what God has blessed me with. Several years ago James and Stacey told me about Dave Ramsey. Ramsey's outlook on money is that you don't use credit EVER. I wish I had come to hear about that concept before I got through college! He has a radio show (and a TV one as well, I think). I catch his radio show on iTunes, which I can listen to for free for an hour.

I am definitely still a work in progress! I just came across this website Get Rich Slowly, after seeing a link on Ladies Against Feminism. It was this article called Raising A Family On One Income (Part One) that they referenced. The ladies that write and link on LAF have a strong belief that women belong in the home taking care of their families, not working for someone outside of that family. They have wonderful articles and link that are encouraging to women trying to return home, or at home now.

While those things don't apply to me right now in my life there is so much I have learned about money and budgeting from all these websites. With the way the housing market is going, it is more important for me to have a full handle on my finances.

Being a grown up can be rough...LOL :)