Stuff...

We have the crud at our house. It's not the flu, or H1N1, just the old regular cold crud. Still, it's not fun.

Fall and the very cool weather has hit with a force. We've already had a heavy frost, and with the exception of tomorrow's forecasted 60-degree day, our 10-day forecast barely has us getting into the 50s, and a couple of days has us in the 40s. The constant gales we have had overnight and throughout this morning are only exceeded in my recent memory by Tropical Storm Ernesto's 60 mph winds while we were living in Fort Eustis, Virginia.

I've started a new afghan. It's for Hubby. Instead of 10 plain rows and then one accent row (which was that dreaded fuzzy yarn), repeat until finished, I'm doing 20 plain rows followed by two accent rows, repeat until finished. Repeat until finished is however long I want it to be, which will probably be around 200 rows. Or so.

And since he's a guy and a little wider his is 200 stitches across instead of 150. I want him to be well-covered and warm and be able to tuck it in if he's cold.

I gave in and turned the heat on for the first time yesterday evening for about 30 minutes. It was about 67 degrees in the house. It's been colder and I've been fine, but I guess with the crud I just couldn't handle it any longer. We keep our thermostats at 68 during the day in the winter and 62 at night. We have good duvet covers. I think my mom thought we were crazy.

I have over 4,000 emails in my inbox. I think I'm getting close to 5,000. I don't do email well. I've been procrastinating horribly since 2,000. Yes, I know you might think I was procrastinating before that, but I though I'd take care of it at 2,000, which means that I actually didn't start procrastinating until then. (Remember I'm sick and if it makes me feel better to tell the story that way, just let me.) My goal is to take care of it before Hubby's birthday next week, like he cares, but I need a target to shoot for, and my birthday is way too far away.

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My mom is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed on my birthday in 1998. I had a benign biopsy in 1997. Hubby wore a tie with pink breast cancer ribbons on it to work yesterday. He will wear it a lot this month.

I've spent the last two weeks going to the oral surgeon every other day for Sparky. She had her wisdom teeth extracted several weeks ago. They were healing fine, all closed up, and then she developed an infection on one of the bottom areas (it wasn't a dry socket). She had to have it reopened (you can read between the lines), packed with stuff, and sutured back up on the Friday the girls left for their youth trip. We've gone every other day since then to have the packing removed and replaced. Today it was removed and the site is just open. She has to rinse it well while it closes up, and then we go back in a week for the doctor to check it and make sure it's closing properly.

Do you have days when you feel like all you can do is "Stuff?"

Menu Plan Monday — October 5

I did fantastic last week and only have one thing to bring forward. We had leftovers from a couple of nights so I didn't make the Enchilada Casserole on Friday night that I had planned. Since I already have all the ingredients, I'll be trying it this week.

The Crispy Yogurt Chicken I made last Thursday was a new recipe I got from The Pioneer Woman. It was good, like she said not really quite fried chicken, and I'll make it again. Next time though I'm leaving out the lemon juice; you could actually taste the lemon in the coating and although it didn't totally ruin it for me, it wasn't great. I can't imagine any purpose it would serve other than flavor because you put a slab of butter on the top of each piece of chicken to keep it moist while it's cooking, and personally, butter is so much better than lemon any day of the week in my book. (There were a couple of pieces left over, I love cold fried chicken, and this was good cold too!)

Monday — Leftover Beef Stew. I always make a big pot, and since I made it on Saturday and we didn't eat any of it on Sunday (our eating out day), we can have it tonight. Delish!

Tuesday — Enchilada Casserole. Brought forward from last week.

Wednesday — We'll only have Caboose with us because the other kids will be doing roadside litter pick-up (a church youth project). They'll go straight from that to eat fast food, so we may take Caboose somewhere special. I have a few ideas but I don't want the kids to read it here and get all green-eyed.

Thursday — Tacos with Homemade Taco Seasoning. Last week I mentioned the Country-Style Pork Loin was one meal that all six of us loved; well, this is another one that passes everyone's test.

Friday — Taco Salad. I've had to start making more taco meat than I used to just to have enough leftovers for this. Having a teenage human garbage disposal will do that to you.

Saturday — Steak Burritos. This is a new recipe and is made in the Crock Pot. If I find out we have plans and I won't be home to keep an eye on it, I'll probably make Swiss Chicken Casserole.

Sunday — Eat out since we ate in all week!

Visit The Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday!

Blog Tour: When God Turned Off the Lights by Cecil Murphey

One commenter will have their name submitted to the promoter on October 22nd for a chance to win a gift basket (which includes a copy of this book).

About the Author: Award-winning writer Cecil Murphey is the author or co-author of more than 100 books, including the "New York Times" bestseller 90 Minutes in Heaven (with Don Piper) and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (with Dr. Ben Carson). He's also the author of When Someone You Love Has Cancer and Christmas Miracles, both 2009 releases. Murphey's books have sold millions and have brought hope and encouragement to countless people around the world.

When God Turned Off the Lights: Is it possible that God would use a time of spiritual loneliness and isolation in our life as an answer to our prayer for "something more?" That's what happened with best-selling author Cecil Murphey. In When God Turned Off the Lights (Regal, September 2009), he openly shares from his journey that seemed to be stalled in darkness.

Murphey decided to write about his months of seeking God in the darkness because he suspected his situation wasn't unique. "If this happened to me, a rather ordinary believer, surely there are others out there who have wept in the isolated blackness of night and wondered if they would ever see God's smile again."

Murphey could have handled this topic as a theologian and given pages of heavy, hard-to-read advice, but he chose to write from his heart and expose it for the readers to see. He talks honestly and shares his skepticism and frustration. He asks hard questions. And he lays out the steps of healing that brought him back to the light.

When God Turned Off the Lights is a book for those of us who ask, "What's wrong with me? Why are others living in the sunlight while nothing but dark clouds and darkness envelop me?" Readers will learn:

• Why God turns off the lights
• Why we have to have dark nights
• Why asking "why" isn't the right question
• What's worse than going through the darkness
• How to feel worthwhile and accepted by God
  

Each chapter of When God Turned Off the Lights ends with an inspirational personal quote from Cec. Here's a sampling:

Although it may seem as if God is asleep when we go through deep darkness, could it be that God is most watchful in the moments of our despair?

Could it be that moving from why to what might take us one more step closer to the light?

Our task is to hang on. We wait until God takes us off hold and deals directly with us again.

God's provision is based on unconditional love - not on my faithfulness.

What to Do When the Lights Go Out
by Cec Murphey

If you sincerely desire to follow Jesus Christ, life won't always be easy. Many times the Bible promises victory, and you may need to remind yourself that there can be no victory without struggling and overcoming obstacles.

In my book, I used the image of God turning out the lights because that was how I perceived the situation. I felt as if I walked in darkness for 18 months. We all interact differently with God, and my experience won't be the same as yours. Even so, most serious Christians have times when God seems to turn away or stops listening. And we feel alone.

Perhaps it's like the time the Israelites cried out to God for many years because of the Egyptian oppression. "God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise...and knew it was time to act" (Exodus 2:24 NLT). God hadn't forgotten, of course, but from their perspective, that's how it must have seemed. It may seem like that to you if you're going through your own form of darkness.

Here are a few suggestions to help you:

1. Ask God this simple question: "Have I knocked out the lights by my failures? Have I sinned against you? After you ask the question, listen. Give God the opportunity to speak to you.

2. Don't see this as divine punishment (unless God shows you it is), but consider the silence an act of divine love to move you forward. This is God's method to teach you and stretch you.

3. Avoid asking why. You don't need reasons and explanations--and you probably won't get them anyway. Instead, remind yourself that this temporary darkness is to prepare you for greater light.

4. Say as little as possible to your friends. Most friends will want to "fix" you or heal you and they can't. They may offer advice (often not helpful) or make you feel worse ("Are you sure everything is right between you and God?").

5. Stay with the "means of grace." That is, don't neglect worship with other believers even if you feel empty. Read your Bible even if you can't find anything meaningful.

I chose to read Lamentations and Psalms (several times, especially Lamentations) because they expressed some of the pain and despair I felt.

6. If you don't have a daily prayer time, start one. Perhaps something as short as three minutes--and do it daily. Talk honestly to God. It's all right to get angry. (Read the Psalms if you're hesitant.)

7. Remind yourself, "I am in God's hands. This is where I belong and I'll stay in the blackout until I'm ready to move forward."

8. Pray these words daily: "But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults" (Psalm 19:12 TNIV). Some versions say "secret sins." These are failures and sins of which you may not yet be aware. One of the purposes of your darkness may be to bring those hidden problems to light.

9. Ask God, "What do you want me to learn from this experience?" You may not get an answer, but it's still a good question. Continue to ask--even after the lights go back on again. If you're open, you will learn more about yourself and also about God.

10. As you receive "light" about yourself while walking in darkness, remind yourself, God has always known and still loves me.


I just received my copy in the mail on Saturday, so it's still in my pile to be read. I'll try to remember and post a review when I finish it.

An Update on Meredith

Thank you for praying for Meredith on Wednesday.

My cousin Jeff sent out an email yesterday with details of the surgery. He listed a boy version and a girl version. It was somewhat reminiscent of the Evinrude boat motor commercial that my hubby is so fond of, where the punch line at the end is, "A woman will say 21 million words before an Evinrude E-Tec needs maintenance. A man will say 7 million." (Just for fun I've posted the commercial from YouTube at the bottom of the post if you haven't seen it.)

Here is the boy version from Jeff's email to update you on Meredith's condition:

We went to Children's in Little Rock, had a seven and a half hour heart surgery, they fixed some problems, but maybe not all of them, they will be watching her for about two weeks before deciding on the next step.

Please continue to remember Meredith in your prayers as she heals from the lengthy surgery (she went home the following day) and as she and her family wait. Waiting is sometimes the hardest thing for me.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Here is the commercial:

Punch Needle

I usually do counted cross-stitch when I do needlework. It's unusual for me to try new types of needlework, and doing counted cross-stitch on perforated paper is out-of-the-box for me. I don't even do stamped cross-stitch.

I'd seen all these cute punch needle designs in a cross-stitch store in Virginia. I never broke down and got one because I thought it would be too difficult to do. Then I was in Michael's here in Michigan one day and I saw the cutest punch needle designs with bright colors, including my favorite orange and fuschia. I did break down and get one to try.

I worked on it during ball games in the summer sitting in my chair and if I had to wait in the van for a little while somewhere I'd pull it out. Here it is all finished, and I even framed it myself.

The frame has an easel or can be hung on the wall, which is what I plan to do after I finish my next two projects. I went back to the store and found two more kits with coordinating colors, and when I finish them I'll hang them all up together.

This post is linked to Show and Tell Friday hosted by Cindy at My Romantic Home.

Theme Thursday — Flight

This was two of my three oldest children's first plane ride, when we were moving from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Fort Dix, New Jersey. We were actually flying from Little Rock, Arkansas, after having spent most of the summer visiting family in North Central Arkansas. (Chatty's first two plane rides were from Springfield, Missouri, to St. Louis, Missouri, and back for minor heart surgery due to her premature birth. She was roughly 2 1/2 weeks old, having just been born at 27 weeks gestation.)

These pictures are from Hubby's Airborne School book. He attended soon after being commissioned in the Army in 1988. Who really knows if any of these are him.

These last three pictures are the Thunderbirds from Independence Day weekend in 2001 at Scott AFB, Illinois. Since my scanner is still not working I had to take a picture of the picture and then download it, and when I enhanced it the color kind of came out bright. I wish you could see them in my album.

We lived about six miles from one of the gates, and the first picture is from my backyard one day when they were practicing. The other two pictures were from one of the actual air show days.

Country-Style Pork Loin

This is easily one of my family's top three meals. There are few things that all six of us will eat and love, and this is one of those meals.

And just so you know, there were some cucumbers that didn't make it for the picture, so there was some green to go along with it.

Country-Style Pork Loin
from Taste of Home

1 boneless whole pork loin roast (3 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground mustard
2 T canola oil
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Cut pork roast in half. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, onion powder and mustard. Add pork one piece at a time and shake to coat.

In a large skillet, brown pork in oil over medium-high heat on all sides. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker.

Pour broth over pork.

Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until tender. Remove pork and keep warm.

For gravy, strain cooking juices and skim fat; pour 2-1/2 cups cooking juices into a large saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Slice pork; serve with gravy and mashed potatoes if desired.

I have to double this recipe to have enough for my family. I find a pork loin somewhere around 5-6 pounds, then I use 4 cups of chicken broth. At the end I never have 5 cups of cooking juices though (since I don't make the single recipe I'm not sure if you'd have 2 1/2 cups if you made it as written). I suppose the pork is supposed to provide some juices, but I usually don't even have the 4 cups from the broth I started with, but I do have extremely juicy, fall-apart pork loin, so I'm not complaining.

The mashed potatoes pictured are from the gigantic Idahoan box purchased from Sam's Club. They sure are yummy even if they aren't homemade, and really good with the gravy, even if mine didn't have any in the picture.