Pity Party

I stepped on the scale. The arrow swung back and forth to land on a number large enough to merit a look behind me. Unfortunately no one had their toe on the scale. It was all me. Anger and frustration welled up and tears threatened to roll.

I hate my sagging wrinkling body. I hate my thighs, my flabby arms, and my poochy stomach. I don't like the way my clothes fit. I can't buy cute clothes because they have to cover every inch of my body.  

In the past month, I’ve had a minor surgery which resulted in a post-op infection. It was followed by a viral illness and then a bacterial infection. The doctor has not released me to workout. Even if she had, I don't have the energy. My weight reflects the hours spent watching PBS and eating comfort food. I looked in the mirror and sighed.

I hate my sagging turkey neck and sun-damaged skin. I hate the pain of arthritis in my back, hips and neck. I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. Getting old is not for sissies.

Belle on ground patrol

I threw on my yoga pants and a t-shirt, made a cup of coffee, and took my pity party outside. I invited my canine companions to join me. They joyously accepted. Evidently they can’t read an invitation. They thought this was a squirrel hunt, not a pity party.

I sipped my coffee and watched the dance of the Chihuahuas commence. Belle stood guard ready to combat militant ground squirrels, while Dustee surveyed the trees for thieving squirrels. The squirrels were totally unfazed. They played a riotous game of chase, running up and down the trees and across the fence. The dogs never got close, but you wouldn’t know it from their ferocious barks. Hummingbirds darted in and out of the yard carrying sips of nectar. First a smile snuck out of my face. Then I began to laugh. 

Dustee ready to attack

The first cool breeze of fall revived my spirits and washed away my frustration. I began to thank God for nature: the trees; the flowers; the dogs; the squirrels; the hummingbirds, and the cool breeze. His creation filled my heart with joy.

A still small voice within me said, “I made you.” A jolt of understanding ran through me. “I knit you together in your mother’s womb. I chose you before you were born. I knew your body would deteriorate. It’s okay. Rejoice in the knowledge that you are more important to me than dogs or squirrels. I love you."

Humbled, I committed not to complain about my body, but instead to respect and care for His creation.

I found these verses comforting:

Matthew 6:25-34The Message (MSG)^25-26 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
^27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
^30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
³⁴ “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

 Happy Fall, Ya'll

Low-Fat Tomato Basil Soup

I love Tomato Basil Soup from a French Bistro. I love it, but it is not conducive to my never-ending efforts to minimize my middle-aged figure.  It is loaded with cream and butter. I have a created a soup that mirrors the flavor without added fat. I clean out the vegetable drawer and use up everything that needs to be recycled into my tummy. It's a great way to sneak in extra veggies and fiber to an unsuspecting husband or child. Get out your stew pot and I'll show you how it's done.

Tomato Basil Soup

In a tablespoon of olive oil saute:

1 cup chopped onions
1 cup of shredded carrots
Add:

2/3 cup minced fresh basil

1 head of chopped cauliflower

2 cans (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 Tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon (in the soup aisle)
1 cup of water
Simmer for 20 minutes until veggies are tender.

Add:

8 oz. pkg low-fat or fat-free
cream cheese

Puree with stick
blender until smooth.

Add:
2 cups 1% low-fat milk or fat-free Half-n-Half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Ladle into bowls. Garnish with basil and serve with bread.
*I like to toast slices of french bread, place one in the bottom of the bowl. Pour the soup over. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

It tastes better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to blend.  I save my canning jars, put the soup in while warm and store in the refrigerator.  It also freezes well.

This week I took soup to a friend who had surgery and another friend with a newborn. The addition of a pre-packaged salad, fresh fruit, and a loaf of homemade bread made a pretty good spread.
Easy, peasy!

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas

BFF Margie asked me for some waist-friendly recipes. Mission accepted!
I made these yummy enchiladas last week and they passed the "Hubby Test"--i.e. he ate them for dinner and took leftovers for lunch. This recipe makes 8 servings and there are only two of us, so I put half in an 8 x 8" pan and took it to my neighbor. Her teenage daughter paid me the high compliment of suggesting I have magic cooking powers. I love it!

SKINNY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Minutes to Prepare: 20

Minutes to Cook: 30

Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

·         16 oz. fat free Greek Yogurt

·         1 can fat free cream of chicken soup

·         2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro (1/2 T. dried)

·         2 Teaspoons cumin

·         2 jalapenos finely chopped (remove as much of the seeds and white stuff as you want to control heat) (optional-Hubby can’t take the heat.)

·         12 oz. cooked shredded chicken breast (I use leftover rotisserie chicken)

·         1 can Mexican Rotel

·         1 cup chopped onions (optional)

·         16 corn tortillas

·         2 cups reduced-fat shredded pepper jack and Colby cheese blend.

Directions

In a saucepan, mix together yogurt, soup, cumin, cilantro, and jalapenos. Heat through and set aside. This is will get to the bubble up/boil stage quickly and make a huge hot mess if you don’t keep stirring.

Heat onions in a pan sprayed with cooking spray until they are transparent. Combine  with chicken and Rotel,

Warm the tortillas until flexible. (microwave for 10 seconds sandwiched between two damp paper towels.) Fill each tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and about 1 tablespoon of cheese.

Roll the tortilla up, place seam side down in a 9×13 dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Spread the yogurt sauce over enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. Garnish with additional cilantro and green onions.

Makes 16 enchiladas. Serving size is 2 enchiladas. (Less than 300 calories per serving)

Gather your ingredients.
I made it easy by using leftover rotisserie chicken.

In a saucepan, mix together yogurt, soup, cumin, cilantro,
and jalapenos. 

Heat through and set aside. This is will get to the bubble up/boil stage
 quickly and make a huge hot mess if you don’t keep stirring.

Heat onions in a pan sprayed with cooking spray until they are transparent. 

Combine with chicken and Rotel,

Warm the tortillas until flexible. (Microwave for 10 seconds
 sandwiched between two damp paper towels.)

Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture

 and about 1 tablespoon of cheese.

Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down in a 9×13" 

dish sprayed with cooking spray or two 8 x 8" dishes.

Spread the yogurt sauce over enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese.

I took this batch to my neighbor uncooked. She refrigerated it until dinner

time and then baked it at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. 

 She kindly took a picture for me!

BAM, Margie! Mission accomplished.

Burp Cloths for Baby!

It must have been a cold winter cause we are seeing a bumper crop of babies this fall. With new babies comes baby showers. I like to make handmade blankets, silkies, and pillowcases for our precious additions. I created this basket for my beautiful friend, Amy. Her baby girl will be born this Friday. She opted to have a shower after the baby is born, so along with the handmade items I put together a few necessities: diapers, towels, washcloths, wipes, shampoo, baby wash, and lotion. As you can tell I found a few other surprises to go in my basket. After I delivered my basket of goodies, I realized I forgot to make burp cloths! This is an easy project you can make in 20 to 30 minutes. 

Buy cloth diapers

Iron flat.

Measure length of diaper

and width. Cut decorative fabric one
inch longer and one inch wider than
diaper. Mine was 5 x 20 inches.

Press under 1/2 inch on each side. If you don't sew use
fuseable tape to iron the fabric onto the diaper,

Or turn the fabric over and pin it to the diaper,

And use a decorative or zig-zag stitch.
on all four sides. You are finished!

Instead of fabric, I sometimes buy a 99 cent bandana to apply to the diaper. 

I can get three burp cloths
from one bandana.

For this little boy, I put the necessities
in a basket for momma to carry from
room to room as she needs to change him. 

As you can see, not everything fit
into the basket. I love babies and
sometimes I get carried away!

SUNDAY COMFORT-- POT ROAST

Mom's Pot Roast was my favorite childhood Sunday lunch.The thought of delicious tender beef smothered in gravy kept me awake during church. I needed help with that and didn't relish Mom's firm pinch on the leg to do the job.
As the preacher's kids we waited for the entire congregation to leave before making a beeline to the parsonage. The audible rumbling of tummies announced our arrival. Other then the flavor, the best thing about pot roast is its readiness to consume. No one had to be asked twice to wash their hands and set the table. Mom made the gravy while we completed our chores. Homemade rolls were an added bonus, but not a requirement.
I have the convenience of a slow-cooker to make it even easier on a work day. Throw the roast in your pot before work or school, turn it on (a very important step I've omitted on a hectic morning) and dinner is ready when you get home. I made this roast to take to a family with a newborn. Easy to prepare and deliver a whole meal. Beats the heck out of the customary pasta dish.
Leftovers can be "plan overs". Shred the leftover beef, cover with your favorite barbecue sauce and serve on rolls with leftover vegetables or bagged salad. Two meals in one!

Start with a well-marbled 3 to 4 lb. chuck roast.
Cover with dry onion soup mix.

Add as many quartered onions as you like.

Add peeled and cubed potatoes, and

and a bag of baby carrots. Cook on High for 4 to 6 hours
or Low for 6 to 8 hours, depending on the size of the roast.

Photo courtesy of new-mom Tesia Roberts

SUNDAY COMFORT – POT ROAST

INGREDIENTS:

4 pounds chuck roast

salt and pepper to taste

1 packet dry onion soup mix

1 cup water

3 carrots, chopped or a bag of baby carrots

1 onion, quartered

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 stalk celery, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1.         Season the roast with salt and pepper to taste. Brown on all sides in a large skillet over high heat, about 4 minutes per side.

2.         Place the roast in the slow cooker and add the soup mix, water, carrots, onion, potatoes, and celery.

3.         Cover and cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 6 hours.

OR

Brown roast in Dutch oven, add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook in oven at 325 for 3 to 3 ½ hours. I set a time bake before I leave for Sunday School. The house smells glorious and lunch is ready when we walk in the door from church.

Pour off au jus thicken with 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water OR add a can of cream of mushroom soup. (cream of onion soup can be used if you don’t like mushrooms)

There is no end to the variations of this recipe:
Add additional veggies or omit all together and roast them in the oven or make mashed potatoes.

French-style Pot Roast-- Substitute 1 cup red wine for water and 1 teaspoon of thyme.

German-Style Pot Roast – Substitute 1 ½ cups beer for water, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and ½ teaspoon caraway seeds.

Italian-Style Pot Roast--Substitute 1 can (14 ½ oz.) whole tomatoes, drained for water, 1 teaspoon basil and 1 bay leaf.
May you create wonderful memories for your family!

Mandarin Orange Cake

My favorite light summer cake. Simple and delicious. Start with a cake mix, add a little of this and a pinch of that and you have cool luscious cake. Great for a potluck or a family dinner.

Assemble your ingredients

Cake:Combine cake mix, eggs, oil and undrained oranges.

Mix just enough to incorporate all ingredients well.

Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For Topping: Combine the dry vanilla pudding powder
 with crushed pineapple. 

 Mix enough to incorporate all the ingredients well.

Fold in Cool Whip.

Spread over cooled cake. Store in refrigerator.

Mandarin Orange Cake:

Cake:

1 large cake mix, either butter-flavored or yellow cake

½ cup oil

4 eggs

11-ounce can mandarin oranges, undrained

Topping:

3-ounce box vanilla instant pudding powder

8-ounce container of Cool Whip

20-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained

Directions:

Cake: Combine dry cake mix, ½ cup oil, 4 eggs, and the undrained can of mandarin oranges. Mix just enough to incorporate all ingredients well.
For layer cake, pour the batter into 3 round 9-inch cake pans lined with waxed paper or parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
If you want a loaf cake, pour the batter into a greased 9x13 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees (glass pan 325 degrees) for 25 – 30 minutes.

Topping: Combine the dry vanilla pudding powder with crushed pineapple. Fold in Cool Whip. Mix enough to incorporate all the ingredients well.

If making a layer cake: Spread the topping just between the layers and on the top of the cake.

If a loaf cake: Spread the topping over the entire top of the cake.

Store in the refrigerator

Great for breakfast too! What? It's got eggs and fruit in it!

SUICIDE SURVIVOR

I hadn't talked to my older sister in six months to a year, but she called to wish me a happy birthday. She sounded anxious and flustered. I could hear the wind in the phone and the crunch of gravel as she paced.

“Randa, are you okay?” I asked after a minute of pleasantries. 

"No, not really. After I lost my job at Wal-Mart, I got a job helping emotionally challenged kids. I thought I could make a difference. I understand what they go through. The director said I wasn’t the fit they were looking for and let me go. I don’t know what I’m going to do now.

I’ve been clean and sober for two years, but it is so hard to stay that way. I don’t have any support at home. My husband says it’s his house and if he wants a drink, he’s going to have it,” her voice broke.

Alarmed, I asked, “Randa, are you on your medication for bi-polar disorder?”

“No, I can’t afford it without a job or insurance.”

“Honey, you’ve got to get some help. I can’t do anything from Texas. Is there anyone in Kansas I can call for you?”

“I’ll be fine. Talking to you helps,” she continued to pace.

“Lace, do you think God will forgive me for all the things I’ve done?” she asked.

“Don’t you know He only forgives the perfect people?” I responded. She guffawed. I teased her because we’d had this conversation before. I knew she knew the answer, but it worked to break the tension.

“Randa, no one is perfect. If I gave you a beautifully wrapped gift would you open it or would you put it on a shelf and wonder if it was for you?”

“I’d open it, of course,” she said.

“God’s forgiveness is the same. It was yours the first time you asked for it, but you’ve placed it on a shelf. Open the gift, Randa!"

I assured her of God’s unconditional love and begged her to get some help. She assured me she would be fine. I should have called her husband or sons and thrown a fit, but I didn’t want to interfere.

Last family photo, November 2003. Randa is in the middle of the front row.

    Five weeks later on October 2, 2004, my mother called with the news. In good spirits that morning, Randa had fixed a big breakfast for her husband. They sat and chatted before she saw him off to work with a goodbye kiss. He was clueless to her plan. 
     Her 32-year-old son was living in the basement of their home at the time. He had spent the night out and ran home before work to pick-up a few things. Entering the house, he called out for his mom, but got no answer. He ran downstairs to grab a clean shirt and saw Randa’s little Boston Terrier lying at the end of the bed. As he started back up the stairs, he called to her. She didn’t respond. Her eyes focused on the other side of the bed. He walked back downstairs and around the bed to see his mother’s lifeless body on the floor. She had used his gun to end her life. She was only 52 years-old.

     Today, I’d like to shine some light on the subject of suicide and depression. Every year at this time a spirit of depression descends on our entire family. It affects not just my parents and Randa’s three sons, but my siblings and my children.

     I have a wonderful life and do not consider myself depressed. I was surprised to recognize some of the symptoms listed below in myself. My doctor however explained it as a chemical imbalance and prescribed a low dosage of an antidepressant. I am amazed how the cloud in my brain has lifted. I no longer wake-up to a barrage of negative, self-defeating thoughts and my energy has returned. My only side-affect seems to be a dry mouth. It is totally worth it for the clarity which has been restored to me. I thank God for giving man the intelligence to create such a little pill.
     The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention lists the following warning signs of suicide:

Observable signs of serious depression:

• Unrelenting low mood
• Pessimism
• Hopelessness
• Desperation
• Anxiety, psychic pain and inner tension
• Withdrawal
• Sleep problems
• Increased alcohol and/or other drug use
• Recent impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks
• Threatening suicide or expressing a strong wish to die

Making a plan:

• Giving away prized possessions
• Sudden or impulsive purchase of a firearm
• Obtaining other means of killing oneself such as poisons or medications

• Unexpected rage or anger

      The emotional crises that usually precede suicide are often recognizable and treatable. Although most depressed people are not suicidal, most suicidal people are depressed. Serious depression can be manifested in obvious sadness, but often it is rather expressed as a loss of pleasure or withdrawal from activities that had been enjoyable. One can help prevent suicide through early recognition and treatment of depression and other psychiatric illnesses.

      Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, stated in an article in USA Today, “Ninety percent of people who die by suicide have a mental illness, and many are afraid to seek help. Sometimes people fear they will lose their jobs or be viewed differently if they acknowledge these problems."

     If you or someone you love exhibits any of these symptoms, I implore you to get help. There is no shame in seeking treatment. Depression is an illness which can be treated. If your loved one had pneumonia you would cart them off to the hospital whether they liked it or not. Mental illness should be viewed in the same way. You may save their life or your own.
     The National Suicide Prevention Hotline number is 1-800-273-8255.

     Gratefully, that is not the end of the story. Two years to the day of sister's death, my granddaughter, T-Bug, was born. She is the epitome of joy! He gave us the opportunity to celebrate life, rather than mourn a senseless death.

Because of my sister's death, my youngest daughter and her husband chose Budapest, Hungary to serve as missionaries.Budapest has the highest rate of suicide in the world. 

Please talk to your children and be aware of others' hopelessness. Light up the world with His love.