As some of you may, or may not know, Texas has been experiencing a severe
drought. Unfortunately, a beautiful central Texas town with 21 homeschooling
families lost their homes and possessions due to a massive wildfire. These
families had 5 minutes to evacuate their homes.
Below is a link to a
website which itemizes their needs as far as homeschool books and supplies are
concerned.
http://bastrophomeschoolerswildfirehelp.blogspot.com/p/current-needs.html
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
A Favorite Prayer . . .
This prayer was posted on-line in 2001 and I've said it ever since. It seems to plead with our Lord for what this world needs right now. Thought I'd share it with you.
O Jesus, Divine Redeemer, be merciful unto us and the whole world. Amen.
O Powerful God! O Holy God! O Immortal God! Have pity on us, and all that are in the whole world. Amen.
Pardon and mercy, O my Jesus! During these present dangers, pour on us Thy most Precious Blood. Amen.
O Eternal Father! Be merciful to us; by the Blood of Jesus Christ, Thy only Son, be merciful to us, we beseech Thee. Amen. Amen. Amen.
O Jesus, Divine Redeemer, be merciful unto us and the whole world. Amen.
O Powerful God! O Holy God! O Immortal God! Have pity on us, and all that are in the whole world. Amen.
Pardon and mercy, O my Jesus! During these present dangers, pour on us Thy most Precious Blood. Amen.
O Eternal Father! Be merciful to us; by the Blood of Jesus Christ, Thy only Son, be merciful to us, we beseech Thee. Amen. Amen. Amen.
A bit of history . . .The Great Boatlift of 9/11
Just discovered this, yesterday, and it is an amazing view of how Americans can pull together without the benefit of government rules, etc. when the need arises. Makes one proud!
http://ricochet.com/main-feed/The-Great-Boatlift-of-9-11
http://ricochet.com/main-feed/The-Great-Boatlift-of-9-11
Quilting is happening today . . . I think!
A productive but busy day kept my sewing machine covered and lonely, yesterday. After posting the oatmeal cookie recipe on the blog, I was moved to make said cookies! My teen son asked me to get him some baked treats at the store and I decided that taking the time at home was less expensive and better. It was! I didn't have the pecans called for and used toasted almonds which was perfect for our tastes.
While watching television, I did, finally, complete three prayer shawls I've been working on for the last few months. They have been a fill-in project when my hands weren't full of quilting projects. I finished the fringe on the last one and now have three Christmas gifts for three, dear friends.
I do have an order for a prayer pouch to do but want to get back to my lastes crazy quilt. I'm happy with it, so far, as it seems to be falling together well. I'm on to sewing the borders on each square right now. Don't know how far I will get this week as we have religion class with our pastor this Thursday as well as a booster vaccine for my son and his college assessment test. The week seems to fill up without me even doing a thing to fill in the calender!
Going with baked chicken enchiladas for dinner only I'm using flour tortillas. I saw the recipe for the tortillas on the refrigerator door and it reminded me. The more I can avoid running into the store just for one item, the better off for the budget. I don't know about you all but once I'm in the store, the grocery cart often accumulates more than the one items I needed. Hey, I'm luck if I get home and actually remembered the required item! Yeah, store-bought flour tortillas are about two dollars - temptation is a whole lot more!
While watching television, I did, finally, complete three prayer shawls I've been working on for the last few months. They have been a fill-in project when my hands weren't full of quilting projects. I finished the fringe on the last one and now have three Christmas gifts for three, dear friends.
I do have an order for a prayer pouch to do but want to get back to my lastes crazy quilt. I'm happy with it, so far, as it seems to be falling together well. I'm on to sewing the borders on each square right now. Don't know how far I will get this week as we have religion class with our pastor this Thursday as well as a booster vaccine for my son and his college assessment test. The week seems to fill up without me even doing a thing to fill in the calender!
Going with baked chicken enchiladas for dinner only I'm using flour tortillas. I saw the recipe for the tortillas on the refrigerator door and it reminded me. The more I can avoid running into the store just for one item, the better off for the budget. I don't know about you all but once I'm in the store, the grocery cart often accumulates more than the one items I needed. Hey, I'm luck if I get home and actually remembered the required item! Yeah, store-bought flour tortillas are about two dollars - temptation is a whole lot more!
Christmas Candy!
One of the nice side effects of the holidays is letting go a bit on our diets and enjoying some of the treats of the season. One of my favorite flavors in the world is chocolate/mint. Here is a recipe that helps you fill that 'need' and provides treats to share with friends.
Chocolate Mint Patties
1 pound of powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup evaporated milk
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
Combine the sugar, butter, peppermint and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add the milk and mix to combine. This should work into a pliable 'dough'. Roll into small balls and place on waxed paper. Chill for 15-20 minutes then flatten with the bottom of a glass into a patty. Chill for an additional 30 minutes.
Melt the chocolate chips and shortening. Dip the mint patties in the chocolate and place back on the waxed paper to harden. You can also freeze them a bit to hurry up the process. Makes 4-5 dozen depending on the size of your mint patties.
Ideas . . .
Before the chocolate hardens, you can sprinkle them with crushed candy cane treats.
Don't like mint? Think about orange extract with some finely grated zest.
White chocolate chips would make an interesting coating, too.
You can drizzle the chocolate-covered mints with a contrasting melted chocolate.
Chocolate Mint Patties
1 pound of powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup evaporated milk
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
Combine the sugar, butter, peppermint and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add the milk and mix to combine. This should work into a pliable 'dough'. Roll into small balls and place on waxed paper. Chill for 15-20 minutes then flatten with the bottom of a glass into a patty. Chill for an additional 30 minutes.
Melt the chocolate chips and shortening. Dip the mint patties in the chocolate and place back on the waxed paper to harden. You can also freeze them a bit to hurry up the process. Makes 4-5 dozen depending on the size of your mint patties.
Ideas . . .
Before the chocolate hardens, you can sprinkle them with crushed candy cane treats.
Don't like mint? Think about orange extract with some finely grated zest.
White chocolate chips would make an interesting coating, too.
You can drizzle the chocolate-covered mints with a contrasting melted chocolate.
Enjoy the Ride!
Several of us were talking to our pastor after Mass on Sunday. We got on the subject of forgiveness and 'letting go'. He used the example of bad drivers on the road who take risks and force us to make quick decisions in order to keep body and soul together. The church is on a corner that has a major problem with people running the stop sign and showing little respect for other drivers. Father said he used to get overly irate whenever anyone would cut him off on the freeway, etc. and then decided to cope with the situation as it came up and . . . enjoy the ride, not letting some person's ineptness spoil the trip.
I thought about what he said and realized that we are always traveling throughout the day even if we don't step into a car. People we meet may try to sideswipe us with words or actions and we are constantly given a choice in how we react. I liked Father's idea of not letting anything spoil the ride. The rude people are not likely to change within the moment's contact we have with them on the highway or in the course of our day. It makes so much more sense in the Christian aspect of life to deal with the situations as needed and then get on with our lives leaving a prayer behind for the people who just tried to ruin our day. They aren't as likely to spoil our ride as much as we allow it to happen to ourselves.
I thought about what he said and realized that we are always traveling throughout the day even if we don't step into a car. People we meet may try to sideswipe us with words or actions and we are constantly given a choice in how we react. I liked Father's idea of not letting anything spoil the ride. The rude people are not likely to change within the moment's contact we have with them on the highway or in the course of our day. It makes so much more sense in the Christian aspect of life to deal with the situations as needed and then get on with our lives leaving a prayer behind for the people who just tried to ruin our day. They aren't as likely to spoil our ride as much as we allow it to happen to ourselves.
Words of Wisdom to Start the Day . . .
"Elections are won by men and women chiefly because most people
vote against somebody rather than for somebody."
-- Franklin P. Adams
-- Franklin P. Adams
"If only we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good
time."
-- Edith Wharton
-- Edith Wharton
"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day
basis."
-- Margaret Bonnano
-- Margaret Bonnano
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)