Abundant Love

"To my Loving Wife"

This is a little note to tell you how much I love you.I know God blessed me with you from the beginning. My love has grown for you each year.I pray God will send you a special Joy to help you get through this Christmas without your mother. God is in control of all things in our lives.God has placed me to help you and love you.I could not have asked for a better gift from God. You are my sunshine and my love.I wish you a special Christmas. God made a wonderful person when He made you. He has given you a special way to help other people by teaching and showing them how to be better exposed to helping others through Christ. We often meet them when we go out. God will bless you for your caring and love to each one. Christ, you and our children make my Christmas. With Love Always.

The Lord has blessed my husband and I with 33 years of abiding love. This is what he wrote and placed in my stocking for Christmas morning.This tender message filled my heart during this first Christmas after losing my mother. It was also the passage in my life from 42 years of full-time nursing, most recently as an educator into the time of retirement. It takes a true man of God to have written these beautiful words to me.

Ephesians 5:33 "Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." King James Version: The Open Bible.

Scenes - Memories- Different Views

How different the same scene can look when viewed on different days in different seasons. This tree is across from the end of the country lane from our house. The old fence posts fallen down remind me of a different time when the land was occupied by neighbors and the fence row stood even and tall. Down the hill behind the old oak tree was a real horse drawn syrup mill. As a child I ventured with my daddy to see the horse walk in a circle pulling on a large wooden stirrer in the syrup as it cooked. The syrup began as juice from sugar cane and ended as Ribbon Cane Syrup, often sold in a quart can.

Memories floating gently like leaves falling from a tree,
Sometimes remembered through the misty fog of time;
Golden like the straw in an old pasture,
New memories branching out green in the hope of Spring.
Written by Morninglory 12/7/2012

"It may be hard going forward, but it is worse going back." 
Charles H. Spurgeon

Ma'Maw's Coconut Pie

When a cool snap comes south during late fall, I begin reminiscing about the food my mother and mother in law used to cook for family gatherings.My husband's all time favorite is Ma'Maw's Coconut Pie". I tried for years to make a pie just like his mother. Somehow mine always came out more like a chess pie rather than a custard. I even tried to slow cook the custard that I had prepared for my daughter when she was a baby and then add fresh grated coconut. Several years ago, my best friend brought us a splendid pie that was just like the pie my husband dreamed about. She wrote the recipe down and I had a winner. Oh my, did I make a mistake when I lost that recipe. I called my daughter to see if she had borrowed it and she said no, but she knew where I could find Ma'Maw's recipe. When my daughter had lived in Gulfport, Mississippi, she had participated in compilation of a church cookbook. She said that while in college when she spent a lot of time with her Ma'Maw, that she had written down her coconut pie recipe and it was now in the church cookbook. I made the pie and my husband smiled and smacked his lips in joy. Here is the recipe for you to enjoy.

Ma'Maw's Coconut Pie

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

2 T cornstarch

3 egg yolks (Save whites)

2 cups milk

1 dash salt

1 can coconut or 1 cup fresh shredded coconut

1 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar, flour, and cornstarch together. Stir in about one cup of milk into this mixture. Mix the other cup of milk into the egg yolks and stir into the mixture. Add dash of salt. Cook slowly over medium heat, stirring constantly until it becomes a smooth custard consistency. Add coconut and vanilla and blend until very smooth. Pour into a baked until brown pie crust.  Cover with meringue.

Ma'Maw's Meringue

Cream of tarter-One dash

3 egg whites

1/4 cup of sugar.

Whip egg whites and cream of tarter on high speed until peaks are formed. Slowly add a small amount of sugar at a time while still whipping on high. The meringue is ready when it is no longer gritty when a little is rubbed between finger and thumb. Seal the meringue to the entire crust edges so no filling leaks out. Cover the entire pie surface. 

Bake the pie at 350 degrees until the meringue is golden brown. Cool and serve unless someone you love digs into the pie before there is time for cooling. Enjoy!

"This is the day the Lord has made,

Let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

Cast Iron Cooking

Sometime I just have to revert to my country heritage. My 91 year old daddy planted enough mustard greens to feed an army and they just keep producing.. He has been worried that they might go to waste even though he gives mustard greens to every person who comes to visit.Growing up in the depression era, he is not one to waste food of any kind.  He has given to all the neighbors and still the greens grow. I decided I would pick a 33 gallon bag full and cook them in my black cast iron dutch oven outside on the butane cooker. My husband and I picked mustard greens, pulled the stems out and torn the leaves into small pieces. About that time an elderly couple came to visit daddy. Of course they said yes when I offered them mustard greens. God blessed us with all those greens and sharing made us all happy.
"Everyone helped his neighbor,
And said to his brother,
Be of good courage."
Isaiah 41:6

We had not used the butane burner since last year and it did not work. My husband banged on it and determined that the line was filled with a dirt dauber clay plug. By the time he had the fire burning and the black pot on the blaze, I had bacon ready to sizzle until tender before adding a chopped onion. Once the onion sauteed, we added the fresh washed greens and covered with the lid for about 20 minutes on low heat. When we uncovered the greens they had begun to turn darker. I added a smoked ham hock and about a two quarts of water. We covered the greens and let them cook slowly for over an hour.

My uncle used to call all greens rabbit food and a friend of mine said I was eating grass. I know that southern cornbread served with fresh mustard greens smothered down in an iron dutch oven really make this country woman smile. Try it and you might like it.

Holy God-Eternally Invincible

Walls surround you,
Tall, Solid and Strong.
Angel guards watch and wait,
To protect you from all enemies.

Prayer opens the door;
Opens communication with God.
Seeking from the Lord of Lords,
Comfort, security and protection.

He is our rock and fortress.
Invisible yet invincible. 
Your hand in His nail-scarred hand,
Joined in fellowship of holiness for eternity.
Written by Morninglory 11/7/2012

Abstract Painting Joy

My three grandchildren live close enough to ride bicycles over to swing, play music, cook and many other activities including painting. Last week they brought their nine year old friend. She looked at the background of the above painting and said, " It looks like an abstract". All of the children quickly agreed that the painting could be enhanced by streams of colors flowing down. They each selected colors and the final painting was completed with joy, laughter and excitement.

"Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged;
           parents are the pride of their children." 
Proverbs 17:6 NLT Everyday Matters Bible for Women.

Mandevilla Memories

The last Mandevilla blossom.
Love- Heart's Empathy.
Imprinted in my memories.
Pulling my Spirit skyward.
Positive light flowering
Glimmers of hope.
Written by Morninglory 10/28/2012

" For we walk by faith not by sight." (2Cor. 5:7, NKJV)

WEAK BUT COURAGEOUS

Early morning breeze
Blowing gently.
Blue Heron lifting off pond
Wings spread wide.
Pine trees
Swaying in fog.

Human touch
Cool and soft.
Self, Renewed and refreshed.
Soaring with hope.
Still  swaying weak
but courageous.
Written by Morninglory 10/18/12

"One thing I have desired of the Lord,
that will I seek: that I may dwell
in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion
in the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock."
(Psalm 27:4-5, NKJV)

BOUNDARIES

Thorns sharp and piercing.

Pulling and pushing, we cross the thorny hedge.

Enticing and inviting; The sweet of the unknown.

Bleeding, we suffer the consequences;

Harmful death to our soul.

Thorns , the needed protection;

Serves to warn us not to cross the hedge.

Guarding us from harm;

The thorns prick our awareness.

 Watch cautiously. There is another path!

Inspired by "The Hedge of Thorns", dating back to 1611 is

one of the oldest tales in the "Lamplighter" collection.

A hymn of deliverance written by William A Ogden, 1841-1897
" Tis the grandest theme thro' the ages rung;
Tis the grandest theme for a mortal tongue;
Tis the grandest theme the world ever sung.
Our God is able to deliver thee."
Morninglory

"The Lane"

When I was a young child of 8 years, this area was an open pasture where grass was planted for hay. Since we dairy farmed, bailing hay was an annual event. Daddy had bought an old model 39 Chevrolet  which had a fairly large trunk. My brother would take the square bails of hay, stuff the trunk full, and we would take off down this lane. Of course, the ride was bumpy since the lane was red clay dirt with no gravel. We headed to the back pasture where we cut strings off the hay and tossed it about for the cows to eat during winter months.  At other times, I recall walking down the lane with my mother toward the back field to bring cows home to be milked. Those walks provided good times for mother-daughter talks. Sometime during my pre-teen years, daddy bought a horse which we named "Old Maude". Again we went down the lane to bring the cows home to be milked.  About 17 years ago, my parents decided to plant the acreage in pine trees through a Farm Service Administration program. The tall pine trees on both sides of the lane have enhanced its beauty. As I drive out through this memory lane, joys of childhood return. My grandchildren now use the lane for bicycle rides and photography. My 90 year old dad now rides his golf cart or four wheeler through the lane to my house.
"Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere." 
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tears Rain on Cheeks

Rain clouds gray; 
No rain.
Broken self;
No tears.
Warped soul holds internal pain.

Gray clouds shed
Soft gentle rain.
Heart of self sheds
Flowing tears soft on cheeks.
Self's soul released into healing.
Written by Morninglory 9/29/2012


" Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." ( Lam. 3:22-23, NKJV)

FRAGILITY

A fragile flower found on sidewalk,
Broken from its bush.
Landed hard,
Still intact, just bruised.
Written by Morninglory 9/28/2009

John Newton wrote, " Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;Tis grace has brought me thus this far, and grace will lead me home."

Joyous Path of Life

Joy fills us internally while happiness is fleeting and usually based on external circumstances. As many of you know from following my blog, my mother has been terminally ill for the past four months. She created some of the best memories as we laughed together and dealt with the sad reality of  end-of-life issues.. My mother had grown up during the great depression, married young, worked a farm as entrepreneurs of the dairy business with daddy and raised two children to work more than play. Here at the end of her life she freely expressed her joy and hope in Jesus Christ she knew. One day while mamma, daddy and I sat at the dining room table watching doves feeding outside, she took my hand, looked over at daddy and said, " You know I always loved your daddy".
Hospice called me to come home as mamma had taken a change for the worse. When I entered her room and told her who I was, she reached up with both arms and held me close in a hug. That was her final hug to me as she went into glory later that night with me at her side.
Later in the week, I glanced at the date of her burial on the calendar. It said "New Moon".

 "You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16: 11NAS Study Bible

He Anchors My Soul

Lightening streaked closer and closer and the thunder kept getting louder. Even though it was not raining yet, it was evident by the black clouds that a storm was brewing. My daddy’s dog Jack, also known as Baby, is very frightened by bad weather. Daddy opened the back door and let Jack into the utility room.  When I arrived to drop off groceries, no one could find Jack. We called as we searched throughout the house. Daddy found Jack in the old fireplace behind the artificial logs. He was happy and unafraid and refused to come out until the storm was over.

It seems that life’s circumstances can bring joy or grief, happiness or despair. It is so great to know that for those who love the Lord Jesus Christ there is safety from all harm. The challenge is to simply believe that God’s assurance of His everlasting love is true. If we want to live a life without fear, we must trust and obey God completely. v. 19 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19 NAS Study Bible

 Psalm 112 v.7 “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.  v. 8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look with triumph on his foes.”

Following her Whim!

It is so important to seize the moment when your mother is on Hospice. She told me how nice it would be to go for a ride to where she used to work. The outdoor temperature was in the high 90's and the air was humid with threats of rain. My husband helped me load her oxygen,portable nebulizer & medications in the SUV. She and I sat in the back seat so I could observe her breathing and condition. Daddy talked about his memories of many rides to work on the old Hwy 10 to Jackson, La.. They both laughed about when in the 1940's , Hwy 10 was gravel and rains would flood the road. When we drove by the tall brick structure covered now with ivy and vines, mamma pointed to a screen door and told me that used to be the entrance to her apartment when she first went to work at CC1. She showed me where the bench had sat where daddy first held her hand. We had a "picnic" in the car since mamma was too weak to get out in the weather or go inside a restaurant.
I can now look back and know how happy it made her for us to follow her whim to go down memory lane.
v. 14 " When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." Ecclesiastes 7 :14 NAS Life Application Study Bible

Joy in God's Creations

I located a wonderful new blog site.  http://heathertimagery.com/blog Heather post beautiful pictures and scriptures that glorify God. She is a photographer who makes day to day events like fishing and ballgames show natural appeal. Pictures taken at her friend's wedding had creativity I have never before seen in wedding photography. I have been inspired by Heather's fun creative way of applying scripture to God's creations and have begun to look up scripture to accompany pictures I take.  Visit Heather at her blog and enjoy  "Scripture and a Snapshot".
V1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.Psalm19: v1 NAS

Strength To The Weary

I am delighted to finally find a site that writes about the role of being the caregiver for others. Caregiving.com has expanded my opportunities to share not only my stories, but to respond to those from all walks of life who have found a venue for expression of cares and concerns of caregiving. Fears, fatigue, physical and emotional stress and the unknowns that are yet to be faced are things that caregivers feel safe in expressing. This week on their home page, I requested membership in a group called Christian Caregiving  and felt blessed to be welcomed into this group.  I make it through each day by the grace of God.


v.28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. 
v.29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
v.30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
v.31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint. Isaiah 41: 28-31 NIV Life Application Study Bible

Fun Shared in the Kitchen

My 15 year old granddaughter and I decided to make a special burger with  ground venison. She cooks with either me or my husband at least once a week and always wants to prepare something different that she can add to her recipe file. We began adding ingredients and the burgers turned out moist and flavorful. Here's the recipe for the masterpiece burger that would probably be just as good if made with ground lean chuck.

Hunter's Choice Venison Burgers

2-2 1/2 pounds ground venison

2 eggs

1 package onion soup mix

1- 6 oz bag soft bacon bit pieces

3/4 cup Fat Free Half & Half

1 slice toasted wheat bread

Salt & Pepper

Thaw the ground venison. Place in medium mixing bowl. Add eggs, onion soup mix and bacon bit pieces. Scrap the crisp bread crumbs from the toast into the bowl. Pour the fat free half and half over the remainder of the slice of toast. Let soak until even the edges are soft. Mash the bread and add bread and milk to the meat mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Thoroughly mix and shape into burgers, thin or thick as you like. We used the George Foreman grill to get both sides of the burger a nice brown crisp while retaining moisture. The meat is so lean that less than 1/2 teaspoon fat  drained off the grill. 
I would love to hear from you if you have a great venison recipe.

Our God is an Awesome God

v6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.  v 7And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. v9And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. Genesis 6-8 KJV

The entire mission team walked through a village in Nicaragua to distribute bags of sugar, oil, meal and flour. Glancing off through the dense lush green on the side of the trail, we were awestruck with the glory of God as we saw this volcano in the distance.

      This post is linked to:

Family Love- Fruitful Efforts

It was humorous to watch the antics of my daddy as he jumped up, as quickly and unsteadily as most 90 year olds, from the dining room table to grab a string hanging through the window.  He began jerking the string and asking mamma if she saw anything flying out of their fig tree. I couldn’t help but ask what they were doing. Daddy said he was determined to scare the redbirds away from his figs. He had tied a piece of an old wind chime to the end of the string in the fig tree. When he pulled the string the chimes rang in the tree.  I moved to the window and noticed that he had tied strips of black plastic to the string where it stretched across the yard to the fig tree. He said he had to put the plastic ties on the string so no one would run into it.  I think the birds only temporarily leave the fig tree long enough to fly over to the corn daddy has put out for the doves. When they are full of their vegetable, they fly back over for their fruit.  Only daddy could grow a twenty foot tall fig tree twenty five foot across filled with beautiful plump ripe figs and redbirds. I was blessed with sweet figs for supper.

V1 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. V2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, he meditates day and night. V3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 NIV Life Application Study Bible

Daddy called about 8:30 PM Saturday night to let me know he could not go to church Sunday morning. I asked if he was sick since he never missed church. He said he had to pick the figs. I told him to plan to go to church and I would pick the figs. At about 7 AM Sunday morning, I began picking figs and it wasn’t long before my husband came with his helpful hands and several buckets. We went up under the branches, stretched limbs down for each other to pick and after about an hour, we had four gallons of figs.  I knew to take them on home with me so mamma would not feel she had to start stemming them. We were both drenched with sweat from the high temperature. I quickly went into the kitchen and salted fresh tomatoes for Sonny and myself. That helped replenish and refresh us. I washed each fig, carefully sorting any that seemed to ripe or green then placing them single layer on towels to dry while we went to church. I called mamma to let her know we would be by at our usual time to pick up daddy. I told her about the beautiful figs and that I would prepare them after church for freezing. She asked if I thought I would have time to help her prepare the ripe tomatoes for freezing. Of course, I said, “Yes” without hesitation.  Church was a blessing and I thought of how blessed I am to have aged parents who are still so capable and desiring of taking advantage of the bounty God willing provides.

Preparing tomatoes had to meet with mamma’s expectation. She wanted to peel them all. I suggested that I boil water in which to submerge the tomatoes long enough until the skin began to pop. She insisted on helping even though she was struggling as usual to breath. I suggested that she and daddy sit at the table where I would plunge the boiled tomatoes in ice water and she could wear her oxygen while peeling off the skin. She agreed and we began the assembly line. Actually, I think everyone was enjoying themselves as we steadily worked through the ripe red harvest of three varieties of tomatoes. After about an hour, I squeezed the large bowl of tomatoes, removing any tough centers or green remnants. The bowl was soon full of enough prepared tomatoes to fill six freezer bags with 2 ½ cups each.  Mamma and daddy smiled as they looked at the tomatoes placed into the freezer.

There are many days when I feel incapable of pleasing my parents when I must run to the arms of my Lord Jesus for comfort and reassurance.  Today I feel that I have done my very best to show my love to them and I feel good about the results.

v. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.” Galatians 6: 4-5 NIV Life Application Study Bible

Praise to the Lord-He watches over all who love Him

Even in the shade the Louisiana temperature blazed above 100 degrees and the slightest breeze felt like a heater.  At 3 PM as I picked up my keys to leave work, my cell phone flashed a call from mamma. Since she is terminally ill, I answered immediately. She told me it was 84 degrees in their house and the air conditioner had broken earlier in the day. I told her to go into the bedroom where the window unit could cool her and daddy and that I would be home as soon as possible. I called my husband to meet me at my parent’s house and called the air conditioner repair service. I reached their house in 12 minutes to find mamma sitting in the bedroom under the ceiling fan, drenched with perspiration, very pale and laboring to breath. Even though daddy was in the room with the air conditioner, he seemed dazed and his skin was clammy and pale. The caregiver said he had been outside picking vegetables and became overheated. She had given him milk with sugar in it to bring his blood sugar up from the extremely subnormal level of 45. While I convinced mamma to come with me to my car, the caregiver fixed daddy more sugared milk.  Mamma walked slowly to my car using her rolling walker with me carrying her oxygen cylinder. She sat in the cool car breathing her oxygen while I ran back into the house and checked daddy’s blood sugar again. It had risen to 85, which is still very low.  He said he felt better  was no longer seeing dots before his eyes. My husband arrived and stayed with daddy while I drove mamma to my house to get her cooled off. Thankfully, the caregiver delivered mamma’s oxygen concentrator to my house and helped get it connected because the cylinder had run out of oxygen.  Daddy insisted that my husband climb up in the attic to see if the AC drain pan had gotten stopped up. The drain pan was dry, but the heat from the attic  increased the temperature in the house even more. While I hurriedly cooked supper, mamma quietly glanced through a stack of books to choose one to read. The AC was soon repaired at their house and she immediately wanted to go back home. However, when daddy and my husband came to eat supper, she agreed to stay. In addition to the meal and the now calm atmosphere around the supper table, we had many wonderful blessings for which we thanked God. 

V3 “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. V4 One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. V5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty; and I will meditate on your wonderful works.  V6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works; and I will proclaim your great deeds. V7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness; and joyfully sing of your righteousness.”  Psalm 145:3-7 NIV Life Application Study Bible

Living in Love

I hesitated in a protective mode. It was going to be in the upper 90 degree range Thursday evening and I just had difficulty accepting that mamma wanted to go to the wake. There are many times I must overcome the worry and fear for her and just allow her to make her own decisions. After all, her close friend had died and "respects" should be paid. Mamma said it was the right thing to do. I wanted to say that she was too weak, too short of breath, and that she might have to walk a long distance to get inside. I did not say any of those things. I drove mamma and daddy to the wake. Mamma was glad to speak with her friend's family and recall events of their childhood.She spoke of the friendship she and her friend had shared through many years. She paid her respects and we drove home. Mamma said. "Thank you." I hugged her and was glad to know God had carried me through the fire.

 v 16 "And so we know and rely on the love of God. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." v. 17 "In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him." v18. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4: 16-18

Terminal Shopper

At 88 years of age and in a state hospice calls terminal, mamma requested to be driven to the “Dollar General” store so she could pick up a few things.  First, there had to be a mental note of everything necessary for her well- being on the “Road Trip” The portable nebulizer to ensure that she received her breathing treatment on time was plugged into the vehicle charger. The two tubes of the breathing medication for the nebulizer had to be kept out of light until she was ready for the treatment. A cylinder of oxygen was connected to the oxygen tubing and placed on the floorboard where she sat, along with another full cylinder in the back floorboard. She had agreed that it seemed more practical to be pushed around the store in her wheelchair rather than using her rolling walker. Getting the wheelchair into the 4Runner the evening prior to the trip proved to be more than I should have attempted alone.  Pulled muscles across my shoulders and another in my middle back convinced me that my husband should come “Along for the ride.”  The Hospice nurse had helped me accept that mamma might think she was more capable of doing things that she actually lacked strength to complete.  However, mamma made up her mind and there was to be no diverting her attention from her plan.

There has never been such a trip. Mamma wanted to examine every item on all shelves. My husband pushed the cart while I pushed the wheelchair. He had fixed a nice holder onto the wheelchair in which to secure the oxygen bottle. After having selected items from every department of the store, and having picked out all five items on her list, we headed for the checkout line about two hours after entering the store.  While I stared at the clerk when she said $279, mamma, a type 2 diabetic, was happily eating a candy bar off the shelf next to where we had parked her wheelchair. My dear husband loaded everything into the 4 runner and off we went to the restaurant where mamma decided she had plenty strength to go inside for her meal rather than getting take-out.  With oxygen bottle in hand, mamma walked inside to a table with me holding her arm because we did not have her cane or walker and we felt it was almost too much to ask my husband to get that wheelchair out and into the vehicle again.

Overall, it was a great day and she did not get too exhausted. My husband and I unloaded all the purchases and put them into cabinets, freezer and refrigerator.  Later, after I awoke from a four hour nap, I phoned to be sure mamma had not been excessively fatigued. She said she had taken a brief nap and after she got up, she had made me a list for when I might go to town again.

V9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly for my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. V 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The Wife of Noble Character

My dad's garden is beginning to produce fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, green beans and potatoes. He amazes himself and everyone around him that he still has his green thumb at the age of 90.  He loves to share with the neighbors. The interesting thing is that he believes my daughter and I can cook, freeze or can all of the various produce just the way my mother has always done. Does food ever taste as good as our mother's cooking? My mother has cooked 3 meals a day for 65 years of marriage and knows more recipes by heart than I could find in a dozen cookbooks.  I love the scriptures in Proverbs 31:5 about "The Wife of Noble Character."  V. 10: "A wife of noble character ", who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.v. 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value."
My mother truly is the example of the wife who has never been afraid of work, has respect for her husband and shows love, kindness and respect for others.  My prayer is that God will v. 31 "Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

Perhaps you are one of those diabetics who really love sweets. So are my parents and I. My mother's family were coming for a visit from Ms. I knew better than to make deserts filled with sugar because my dad would not resist the temptation. The few deserts located in the market which were sugar-free were too pricey.  I decided to make my own sugar free cake.
I used two layer cakes baked in 9x13 pans. Pillsbury now has a yellow sugar free cake mix of which I made two cakes. For a delicious filling, I heated Smucker's caramel sauce sweetened with Splenda and applied to the first layer, then placed the second layer atop. The creamy spreadable white frosting began with a can of Pillsbury sugar free icing sweetened with Splenda. I whipped the icing with an 8 ounce pack of cream cheese.The icing spread smoothly over both layers of cake and swirled into a decorative pattern.I have made this cake with another variation and it was equally delightful. By adding Almond extract to the cake batter and to the creamy icing, it has almost the flavor of wedding cake.
I would be so happy if you have a great home style diabetic recipe and would share it on my blog.

"God gives us all things to enjoy." I Timothy 6:17

Tropical Holiday Fruit-Sucralose Style

Easter Sunday is a great time for a wonderful family meal after "SonRise Services" at  church. Our family has been eating healthier more nutritious foods to help prevent and manage diabetes, obesity and hypertension. This  tropical fruit salad is flavorful for brunch or dinner. Even though the fruit contains natural carbohydrates, the sucralose in this recipe adds sweetness without additional calories or carbohydrates. I hope you enjoy the abundance of joy that comes from your Easter worship and your family time together.

TROPICAL HOLIDAY FRUIT-SUCRALOSE STYLE

 2 Pound Bag of Fresh Frozen Fruit ( strawberries, peaches, pineapple, mango)

Fresh mango (Juicy ripe)

Crushed pineapple (One large can in own juice)

Mandarin Oranges ( Two large cans in own juice)

Gala Apples ( 4 fresh-chopped small)

Sucralose ( Sweeten to taste)

Slightly thaw the fresh frozen fruit. Cut the peach slices  and pineapple chunks into pieces. Usually the strawberries are sliced before frozen. The fresh juicy ripe mango adds a terrific  flavor. The juice of an additional mango or your favorite fresh natural nectar may be added. Adding crushed pineapple canned in its own juice smooths the texture of each bite since the frozen mixture has  chopped chunks of  fresh pineapple. The brightly colored mandarin oranges add flavor. Drain before adding to the fruit mixture. Gala apples can be peeled or left with the golden and red skin on the small chopped pieces. I use Sucralose non calorie sweetener to bring out the natural sweetness of the fruit without compromising the taste. When refrigerated after mixing, the frozen fruit keeps the mixture nicely chilled until ready to serve. This splendid tropical version of holiday fruit can be served alone, with pound cake or with a dollop of whipped cream. It also can be served alone or with fruit flavored gelatin to maintain nutrition without extra calories.

V 7 " He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. V 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." V9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. V 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. V 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand her looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." ACTS 17-11 NIV

God Sustaining All

 I had spent hours in the emergency room with nurses, doctors, lab technicians and respiratory therapists performing  tests and procedures in an effort to identify why mamma's heart was racing up to 144 beats per minute and her respiratory rate was up to 34 per minute. The frailty of life was reflected in her thin pale skin and shallow breaths struggling to continue life in my mamma's  87 year aged frail body. Turning to God for His strength and sufficiency was my only hope. I humbly admitted my weakness and prayed affirming God's power. I felt His love enveloping  me and my mother with His light and His might. To God be the glory for returning my mamma home after her recovery from flu and pneumonia.

V9 " But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. V10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

Healthy Muffins

My mother has been a natural cook at adapting recipes for my diabetic dad for over 35 years.  I love muffins and the ease of warming them quickly in the microwave for a breakfast on the run to work. Today, I tried my hand at modifying a recipe for Carrot-Orange bread into a low sugar, low fat variety. Rather than putting the mixture into a bread pan, I scooped the dough with a small ice cream scoop into a miniature muffin tin. My grandchildren convinced me of the fun of juicing and I recently purchased a juicer which places the pulp into a container and the juice comes out the opposite side. I juiced 6 very fresh plump carrots.Since I did not have oranges, I juiced one Gala apple. . To minimize the sugar content, I replaced 2/3 cup honey with  Equal Sucralose. I substituted apple for orange juice and apple pulp for canola oil, thus reducing the fat content and increasing the moisture and fiber. Before adding the two egg whites, I whipped them to incorporate air to add fluffiness to the thick batter. The flour and baking powder were combined and stirred in last. I added the remainder of the carrot juice for extra moisture.. After the tiny muffins baked in the preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, they were crunchy on top and moist throughout. The sweetness of these low fat, high fiber muffins was surprising. I shared the muffins with the family while they were still warm. Mamma said they were a delicious diabetic treat. She suggested one muffin as a serving since there was natural sugar in the carrot and apple pulp and juices.


Carrot-Apple Pulp Muffins
3/4 cup loosely packed carrot pulp
1/3 cup apple pulp
1/4- 3/4 cup carrot apple juice
2/3 cup Equal Sucralose
2 fluffy beaten egg white
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder

Galatians 5:22 " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." NAS

Allergic to Honey Bees

My office phone rang.My daughter told me quickly that Pa had been stung by hundreds of honey bees and was on his way by ambulance to the local hospital. While I grabbed my purse, left school and drove to the local rural hospital, my daughter explained that daddy had been unable to get the lid off the hive. He had taken a board and hammer and tried to prize the sections of the hive apart. When the lid had come loose, bees swarmed him. He had dropped his tools, run to the four-wheeler on his 90 year old long legs and raced  the four wheeler away from the hive. Bees were inside his sleeves, pants, and shirt as well as clinging to areas of exposed skin on his neck , ears, and face. In his hurry to escape, he had dropped his glasses and run over them with the four wheeler tire.  By the time I reached the emergency room, the physician had given him prednisone and Benadryl to stop his body’s swelling and other allergic reactions. The nurse had pulled over 50 stingers out of his head. When I entered the room, daddy said, “Well, I guess you are going to tell me that you told me so.” “ I guess you’ll want me to just sit in the house now and do nothing until I die or my feet rot off from high blood sugar because I don't get any exercise.  Now, I was truly speechless as I watched my daddy try to maintain his sense of control while his ears and nose had become the size of Dumbo’s. 

Our preacher stayed in the ER with us until daddy was released. When we got home, daddy realized he did not have his gloves, hammer, or glasses. He questioned me if my husband could go get them. When I told him that the bees were angry and that it would be best if my husband and everyone stayed away from the bees, he just looked at me like a sad swollen child. He actually poked his lip out when I told him that he must leave the bees alone. He told me the bees were his pets. The next evening, I was not really surprised to find that daddy had a sheepish grin. He said, “ Well, I have always heard that a criminal will return to the scene of a crime.” “ I just went over there to find my glasses, and only a few bees stung me.”

It would seem reasonable that being a nurse, I would explain how the body can have a more intensified allergic reaction with subsequent exposures to stings. Daddy, however, said I was raising my voice and that was when he took his forefinger and rubbed it across his lip making a buzzing sound. Mamma and I decided we could both really enjoy a cup of soothing herbal tea.

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." 

Proverbs 27:1 NIV