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Sunday, January 27, 2013

Artichoke Dip

is happiness in a white, round, casserole dish.




Artichoke Dip

1 cup Mozzarella cheese (grated)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup (Hellman's or Kraft) mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic (pressed)
1 8 oz. can artichoke hearts (drained)

Cut up the artichoke hearts, then combine with all the ingredients.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. (I used a round 24 oz. casserole dish.)

****

The plan was to try-out this new recipe for Wonderful Husband on Friday.

I left work 45 minutes early because of the snow. We've had brutally cold temperatures all week and the prediction was that the snow would be sticking to all road surfaces.

The dinner menu was Artichoke Dip served with Wheat Thins, adult beverages (beer), and relaxing while the snow fell outside at the end of a long week.

Wonderful Husband gave the recipe two thumbs up. Hooray!

The snow shimmered like diamonds.



Yes, an empty nest is a great place to be with warm food and each other.

Friday, January 25, 2013

July - August 2012

July 2012

I began writing a series called "Finding Church." Wonderful Husband and I began visiting different churches and I must admit that I haven't finished the final post of this series. (I guess I had to leave something to write about in the new year!)

I was searching for life application from sermons, stronger leadership, more Christ, and a need/desire to be a part of a new (to me) faith community.

Meanwhile the month looked like this....

Wonderful Husband assisting our neighbor in
balloon removal from his tree.
The family Pig Roast.
A hot air balloon traveling over our home.
(Not the balloons that were stuck in our neighbor's tree.)

August 2012

I felt surrounded by blogs, books, and sermons speaking to me about church. A spiritual month filled with stretching and growing in my faith. 


The Teacher read to his niece.
Had to include her sweet "Fishy Face."

On August 24th, I began reading The One Year Chronological Bible (again). 

Yes, I realize I said August.

"Better late than never" is an encouraging old saying.

It seems very forgiving too.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Some Things

never change.

I wanted to take a video of our granddaughter walking.

You'd think I'd learn that kids don't "perform" just how we want them to...



Did you notice that she starts by crawling then goes into "walk mode?"

She is a blessing and makes me laugh!

Free entertainment people!

Monday, January 14, 2013

May - June 2012

May 2012

A month of pondering what tithing means to me, celebrations with mostly cards for nine birthdays, attending a bridal shower for our future niece-in-law, and my sister got married.

I notice a trend in my taking pictures of
chocolate while attending our
niece-to-be's bridal shower!

June 2012

A month in which we attended a wedding of my friend Terri's son,

Sweetest Wedding Favors Ever:
Pretzel rods dipped in white or dark chocolate!
I read One Perfect Word: One Perfect Word Can Make All the Difference by Debbie Macomber.

We vacationed in South Carolina


and enjoyed days full of sunshine, blue skies, ocean breezes and beach time. Golf for the men. My time spent at the pool, reading Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus by Kyle Idleman, highlighting, contemplative thinking, and relaxing. Thank you South Carolina!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

One Word for 2013

This is the fourth year of my choosing a word.
Hope in 2010,
Grace in 2011, 
and
Fellowship in 2012.

I remember as an elementary school-aged child when my mother would suggest writing out my New Year's Resolution(s). I sat down and probably wrote out 20 things because I was all about high numbers back then. A couple items I remember from the list were feed the dog and shine my father's shoes. I probably fed the dog a few times that year, yet not on a regular basis (don't worry, my mother saw that the dog was fed).... but I can guarantee I never shined my father's shoes.

In August of 2012 I began reading The One Year Chronological Bible.

Please understand that what I mean is that I didn't read it from January through July.

And I wish that I could tell you that I finally read through Revelation for the first time in my life.

But I can't tell you that either.

Yet on December 29th (while reading Revelation) I read the following scripture:

Anyone with ears to hear
  should listen and understand.
Anyone who is destined for prison
  will be taken to prison.
Anyone destined to die by the sword
  will die by the sword.
This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.
Revelation 13: 9-10 (NLT)

This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.
Revelation 14: 12 (NLT)

My One Word for 2013: Endure.

At first glance you may think I'm expecting horrible things to happen this year but I have to say that I don't know what 2013 holds for me.

When I was a young adult with young children I could "bank on" certain things happening. Kids going to school, playing sports or musical instruments, vacations in Wildwood, NJ, etc. (In fact last year was the first time in I don't know how many years that we didn't go to Wildwood.)

But the older I become I see life as much shorter, and a gift to be thankful for every day.


en·dure

[en-doo r, -dyoo r]  Show IPA verb, en·dured,en·dur·ing.
verb (used with object)
1.
to hold out against; sustain without impairment or yielding;undergo

2.
to bear without resistance or with patience; tolerate

3.
to admit of; allow; bear
verb (used without object)
4.
to continue to exist; last
5.
to support adverse force or influence of any kind; suffer without yielding; suffer patiently
6.
to have or gain continued or lasting acknowledgment or recognition, as of worth, merit or greatness

from Dictionary.com

I looked up and (ok I admit) I highlighted the words endure and endurance in my Bible, where I read more encouraging scripture about how God's faithful love endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34), the one who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13), and about the patient endurance that comes from Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5).




Yes, I will endure and have endurance in 2013.

I look forward to seeing what God will teach me this year.

As a side note, I read Debbie Macomber's book One Perfect Word: One Word Can Make All the Difference in 2012 and highly recommend it! Great ideas on how to choose a word and work with it throughout the year.

This year I'm linking to these two blogs:




The Lettered Cottage
















One Word 365


Do you choose a word? If so, please share.

Friday, January 4, 2013

March - April 2012

March 2012

While reading through my journal, I realized that I was living with and leaning more closely toward God. I focused on sending cards to whomever God placed on my heart and most were easy to recognize.

March was a month filled with sending 27 cards and adding to my list of One Thousand Gifts. A month when I was a part of one of the Growth Groups at our church, the ladybugs once again invaded our master bathroom, and our sweet granddaughter slept like a baby.




April 2012

The remaining six cards were mailed during Lent. Yes, some days were a challenge but at the end of 40 days it was a blessing. Hopefully for others, definitely for me, and a tradition to be continued in 2013.

I was definitely enthralled with everything either beginning to bloom or already blooming....

Phlox from our yard

Daffodils from a neighbor's yard

I saw God leading me through my word for 2012 (Fellowship) using scripture, blogs and books. It was a wonderful month of God showing me connections and my sharing time with my Growth Group, breakfasts with former Bible Study Buddies, and the (in)RL 2012 webcast.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

2012 In Review

Last year I read Mary Elizabeth's 2011 Year in Review and asked to borrow her idea. She gave me her blessing so here I go...

January 2012

Began with my almost having a heart attack from a mistake on our water bill. Previous quarter was $221.26. The following quarter was $9,769.32! Ack!


The problem? The township installed a new water meter and it was running backward. The problem was resolved but I still don't know how many years were "flushed from my life" from receiving this bill! Ha!

The good news was that after a deer ran into my van in November....


I brought LaVania home all undented and pretty in January. I guess I could have included a picture but you know what an undented van should look like, right?

February 2012

A month filled with love....

Our daughter was married at the courthouse.




Our granddaughter was baptized.


Valentine's Day gifts from Wonderful Husband.


I finally began reading my Kindle Fire and really appreciate the compactness of it all.

Karen Ehman inspired me while I read her post entitled, "Don't Give Up Something For Lent." The idea was to send a card of thanks or encouragement every day during Lent. Seven cards were mailed this month.