Take a Shot at This

It's snowing, so we are indoors doing indoorsy things.  I already made a chocolate cheesecake for my daughter's and my mom's birthdays tomorrow (yes, they were born on the same day 60 years apart).  I made other food too.  Pretty soon we're going to go outside to see how the snow saucers work on our hills. But just now, I said to my younger daughter, "What should I blog about today?"  She said, "Shots."  I asked, "Shots?"  She said, "Yeah, like how it's weird that we go to a doctor and let them stick a needle in us and inject something we don't even understand into our bloodstream."  She's almost 19.  The one who will be 23 tomorrow said, "You mean like immunizations?  Well those are just dead or maimed viruses."  When they were younger they had different thoughts about shots.

I'm going to refer to my kids by their initials.  Maybe I shouldn't bother, but I don't want my blog to haunt them when people google their names.  This picture is of DH, BL and KM in 1996.

It was 1996 when we decided it was time to get the varicella vaccine-- that's the vaccine against chicken pox.  You see, I never have had chicken pox myself and from what I understand, it can be quite dangerous for adults.  Therefore, I had always done everything in my power to keep the kids from being exposed and it worked.  None of the three of them ever got them.

When the vaccine came out, our doctor recommended that the three kids and I get the vaccine.  All at the same time.  This was risky business because both girls were needle-phobic.  Usually I handled the kids doctor visits by myself while my husband was at work, but this time I called in the reinforcements.  It was an exciting afternoon.  BL was 2, KM was 6 and DH (our son) was 9.  I was 36.  They lined us all up, sitting on an examination table.  DH was first.  His shot was administered and he said, "Ow."  KM was next, and as she saw the needle coming, she shouted, "NO-NO-NO-NO-NO!" as loud as she could.  That didn't help poor little BLs nerves, so by the time her turn came, she just shrieked a long continuous shriek that sounded like it could shatter glass.  She was a little hoarse for a few hours after that.  I am happy to report that I remained silent as the needle slid into my flesh.

BL wants you to know that she has gained control of herself now and can endure immunizations without a whimper.  She says she's like "an oasis of calm."  We're not so sure about KM.  Just kidding. But hey, we've never had to endure chicken pox and we're supposed to be protected from shingles too, so the temporary trauma was so worth it.

Here's two of them, even now reaping the benefits of their chicken pox-free life...  it's KM and BL themselves!

Mmm Mmm Monkey Cake

It's Christmas Eve day, so what am I doing?  Making monkey cake of course!  It's our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.  It meets all my requirements for a special family breakfast:  it's yummy, it's sweet, everybody likes it, and it's easy.  I've been reading a book about healthy eating and I think we should do that.  But not today.  I got this recipe from my dear mother-in-law, and here's how you do it:

In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup of butter.  This makes the lovely, ooey, gooey syrup that goes over the whole thing.  Just put in on low and stir it now and then while you're working on the monkey part of the cake.  (I don't know what it has to do with monkeys and it doesn't look or taste like a cake to me, but that's what it is what it is.)

Oh, you might want to turn your oven on to 350 now.  My oven takes a long time to heat up, so I give it plenty of time.  You can be creative with this next part.  I used to put the cinnamon sugar mixture in a plastic bag or plastic container with a lid.  Now I just mix 2/3 cup of sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon in a regular old bowl.  You'll need this in a minute.  Just let it sit there.  And stir that pan on the stove!

Then open one of your four cans of Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits.  Yes, you can use the generic ones if you want.  I trust Pillsbury, so that's what I'm going with for Christmas.  Don't you love the "pop" when they open?  It used to scare me, but now I can remain quite calm.

Then cut up the biscuits into quarters.  When the kids were little I would have them help with various parts of this operation and it seemed to take a long time.  It's actually a pretty quick process!

Then drop a bunch of the cut up biscuits in your bowl of cinnamon sugar and toss them around a little.  I like to use a slotted spoon sort of thing and just scoop them out when they're coated.  

Deposit those delightful morsels into a pan of some sort.  Bundt pans were a necessity in every kitchen in the 70s and 80s, but I always had stickage problems with mine, so I got rid of it.  A bundt monkey cake looks lovely, but now I use two regular loaf pans instead.

Stir your syrup on the stove!  Then keep cutting and coating 'til all four tubes of biscuits are done.  Now you're ready for the syrup.  It should be all melted and simmered together by now.  The butter tends to float on top of the melted sugar and that's okay.  Just pour it over your biscuits.

My word, that looks good, doesn't it?

Pop 'em in the oven and set your timer for 25 minutes.  Now do your dishes.  Don't let them pile up. You may hate doing it now, but you'll hate it more later.  

Since the dishwashing didn't take very long, you might as well balance your checkbook... and get something ready to dump your monkey cake on when you take it out of the oven.  You must dump it out upside down IMMEDIATELY before the syrup starts to stiffen up.  If I'm serving it right away, I plop it out onto a plate, but since this will be waiting for tomorrow, and I'll want to warm it up in the oven then, I'm going to put mine on a sheet of foil ontop of a cooling rack.  Is ontop really not a word?  It should be.  Upon is one word, so why not ontop?

It might take longer than 25 minutes to get done.  It should be plenty brown on top.  When you think it's done, just turn out your monkey cake and make sure you scrape out any delicious syrup which may still be clinging to the pan-- the more that ends up on your cake, the better!

I should warn you that if you try to eat some too soon, you may very well burn your fingers and your tongue.  I know what I'm talking about.

The whole recipe appears below at the bottom of this blog.

Merry Christmas everyone.  Of course it's not about the sweets or the gifts or even family-- it's about our wonderful, wonderful Savior, Jesus.  Don't forget to sing happy birthday to Him tomorrow!

MONKEY CAKE

4 cans buttermilk biscuits

2/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Syrup:

½ c. sugar

½ c. brown sugar

¾ c. butter

Combine 2/3 c. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon in bowl or plastic bag.  Either cut each biscuit into quarters OR leave whole and shake or roll biscuits in sugar mixture.  If left whole, line up in loaf pans in 2 rows of 10 biscuits each per pan.  If cut up, put half in each loaf pan or all in one bundt pan.

In saucepan, combine ½ c. sugar, ½ c. brown sugar and butter.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Pour over biscuits.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  Turn out onto a plate immediately.  Serve warm.

I Am Always Right

I am always right.  I know the best way to organize a kitchen cupboard.  I know whether you need to wear a coat outside.  I know that in stores with high and low racks, they should put the large sizes way up there on the high rack (for all the tall people who wear those sizes) and put the smalls and mediums on the bottom rack where I can actually reach the hangers!  I know that people should stay in front of or behind their shopping carts and NOT beside them thus blocking the grocery aisle.

Alas, the world does not cooperate.  Stores continue to put the small sizes on very high racks.  Clumps of people clog the grocery store aisles.  “Kids” refuse to wear coats (they may be 20-something, but they’re still kids.) 

I’ve known for quite some time that my life would be easier if I would accept the fact that the world does not revolve around me or my wishes.  So today I’m going to try to cut people some slack.  I’m going to allow people to disagree with me.  I’m even going to be patient with all those indecisive people jamming the store aisles.  Maybe I should start out by asking God what He wants instead of telling Him what I want.  Wouldn’t my family be surprised to hear those little-used words come out of my mouth—“Well, have it your way, then”?

This doesn't have anything to do with anything.  It's just funny and cute. Am I right?  

I was inspired to write this blog by today's (December 21) entry in the "God Calling" devotional.

Children, take every moment as of My Planning and ordering. Remember your Master is the Lord of the day's little happenings. In all the small things yield to My gentle pressure on your arm. Stay or go, as that pressure, Love's pressure, indicates....

And when things do not fall out according to your plan, then smile at Me indulgently, a smile of Love, and say, as you would to a human loved one, "Have Your way then" -- knowing that My loving response will be to make that way as easy for your feet as it can be.

Website for the God Calling devotional online

The Weak and Lowly

It's Christmas time!  I can tell because there are lots of sparkly lights everywhere, the Wal-Mart parking lot is packed all the time, and my credit card balance is... up  (don't worry, we pay it off in full every month-- and we will this month too).  But that kind of gift-and-glitz holiday is not the Christmas we Christians really need.  That's just the Christmas we get caught up in-- the one causing me to bake dozens of sand tarts and peanut blossoms.

The Christmas we truly need to celebrate is the one where God became a man and walked among us.  He became somehow fully human even while He was fully God.  Emmanuel-- God with us.  A supernatural, supremely powerful, completely authoritative creator, and a radiant redeemer, all wrapped up in a tiny little package of a fragile vulnerable baby boy-- Jesus.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;

 he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: 

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.  

Luke 2:11-12

God, in a helpless baby's body.  Incredible!  Why would He do such a thing?  I think one reason He would do this is so He can identify with the lowest and least of the people He created and loves.  God couldn't have chosen to become much lower than becoming a helpless baby born into scandal and abject poverty, forced to use an animal's feed trough for his first bed.

And things didn't get a lot better for him as an adult.

He was despised and rejected by mankind,

    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.  

Isaiah 53:3

You see, Jesus was very familiar with pain and grief and suffering.  When we hurt and grieve and suffer, He hurts and grieves and suffers with us.  

Having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,

 which stood against us and condemned us; 

he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.  

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, 

he made a public spectacle of them, 

triumphing over them by the cross.  

Colossians 2:14-15

2,000ish years ago,  it looked like Jesus had lost and Satan had won.  Jesus died a horrible death, being excruciatingly crucified on a Roman cross.   Then everything was turned upside down.  Satan's evil plan was thwarted.  Jesus didn't stay dead.  Not only did He rise from the dead, He's bringing every believing person with Him!  Did you ever notice how much God enjoys irony?  The story of Jesus gaining the greatest triumph the world has ever known after being brutally and  publicly executed is the ultimate plot twist.

God is still using irony today.  

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; 

God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—

and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are.

  I Corinthians 1:27-28

I truly believe that one day Jesus is also going to redeem every degrading, impoverishing, humiliating, grievous, painful evil that happens on this earth.  He loves us and will never let our suffering or the suffering of those we care about to go unanswered.  He was born as a baby.  He lived, loved, rejoiced, laughed, suffered, wept and died like everybody else.  The difference is that He was not just human, He is God.  His motive is always love and His power is for redemption.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; 

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."  

John 10:10-11

Places the thief has come to steal and kill and destroy:  your own hometown; Newtown, Connecticut; Hakahana, Namibia...  But don't ever forget about the power and love and victory of the Good Shepherd.

Hakahana

Jesus knows what it's like to be one of the foolish, weak and lowly ones.   Take note of who and what He chooses...

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; 

God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—

and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are.

  I Corinthians 1:27-28

Making the Enemy Pay Full Price

"God will never let Satan sift you like wheat unless he has a specific plan in mind for how he can work that experience out for your ultimate good."  Author, Donna Partow made that statement in discussing why trials come into our lives.  I happen to know a few people who are being sifted like wheat right now.  It's heart-wrenching.  Those "sifting" experiences are the things that make us  gasp a punched-in-the gut "Why?!"  We may never know the answer to that question on this side of heaven, but we can be certain of God's love and faithfulness.  We can be certain that He will never leave us.  And that He will meet us in our times of fearful desperation.  

That "sifting wheat" passage is from Luke 22:31-32.  Jesus speaks it after serving the last supper to his disciples.  He knew all too well that he was going to go through extreme suffering himself very soon.  Peter and the other disciples were still pretty clueless, sitting there arguing about who was going to be greater than the others.  Then Jesus comes out with this surprising statement, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  Peter answers that with a boastful confidence saying that he is willing to die for Jesus.  His words and actions later that very night prove that he wasn't ready for the "sifting" coming his way.  Who ever is?  A couple of things to note are that Jesus Himself was praying for Peter.  It would have been good if Peter had also been praying that his faith would not fail.  Jesus knew he wasn't strong enough, but He also knew that Peter would come back and that he could be a "source of strength" for the rest.  Jesus made sure Peter was allotted more than three strikes.

Satan wants to steal, kill and destroy and he's really good at it.  But, as Donna Partow says, we need to get good and angry at him and not let him win.  "I'm on a mission to make sure the enemy pays full price for every item he has ever stolen from me."  That statement blew me away.  I never thought about making Satan pay for what he does!  How do you do that?  "Nothing could be easier.  By devoting your life to glorifying God, by being determined to fulfill God's purpose for your life.  To be able to say in speaking to the Father, 'I have completed the work you gave me to do.'  You make the enemy pay by... fulfilling your specific assignment in the kingdom of God."  (p. 92 in Soon to be a Major Motion Picture:  New Direction for Life's Dramas)  That is an awesome way to live life.  I disagree with Donna that "nothing could be easier" though.  The concept is easy, the execution of it when you're in the midst of painful trials is not. It's hard.

My purpose in writing this blog today is to encourage you to pray.  Pray for yourself, like Jesus said, that your faith will not fail no matter what.  Pray for people you know who are being sifted right now.  People who are battling cancer, who have lost jobs, who have lost loved ones to senseless violence.  Pray that God will strengthen them and show them how to respond to their trials in a way that will "make the enemy pay full price" for everything he has tried to steal, kill, or destroy.

And no, we haven't had any snow like this yet.  These are just peaceful, pretty pictures for your enjoyment.

What's a Northern Neck?

The Northern Neck is a piece of Virginia that looks like the Rappahannock River is going to split it loose from the rest of the state and  make it fall off  into the Chesapeake Bay. It's really a beautiful spot:  very woodsy, yet there's water and beaches everywhere.  And it's a great place to eat crabs.

My friend, Joy, and I went to visit another friend, Cheryl, who lives there.  Oh, did you two want to remain anonymous?  Well, don't worry, you practically are because not that many people read this blog.  We had so much fun spending a couple of days together.  We were especially glad the Northern Neck survived Hurricane Sandy since we were traveling down there a few days after the storm blew through the area.  They had very little effect from it and we had no trouble driving down.

Here's Cheryl's cute house set in a beautiful location with a lovely woods right behind it.  She even has her own playhouse outside. ;)  We have to go back in warmer weather so we can get the full experience.

She fed us crabcakes and taught me the mysteries of preparing and enjoying grits.  I didn't think I liked grits until I ate Cheryl's cheesy grits.  Now I make breakfast grits for myself a couple of times a week!

She also took us down to the Bay at sunset.  How peaceful and beautiful!

Cheryl and Joy

Cheryl and me

The Three Stooges... er... Amigas

We shopped, ate, redecorated Cheryl's house (at her request) and basically created work for her and her husband.  And we took over her daughter's room.  What a gracious family!

I think this next picture is the Rappahannock River.

On our way home, we saw signs for George Washington's birthplace.  It was only 2 miles out of our way, so of course, we stopped.

George's parents did find a lovely riverside spot for a home.

But, alas, the original house no longer exists, so they built this house sort of where it was in a style sort of like what could have been there, with things inside that are from that time period.  Well, we got the idea.  I loved the big tree framing the house.  Beautiful!

Thanks for a wonderful time Cheryl!  The Northern Neck is a lovely, one-of-a-kind place.  I highly recommend visiting there sometime.  Cheryl's a great hostess, but call ahead.  ;)

I like Ike... and Mamie too

Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower's farm is in Gettysburg, PA-- about a mile away from me as the crow flies.  Wanting to be a good neighbor, I thought I'd drop in this morning to give my Christmas greetings.

I would have liked to just walk over the field to their house, but with security as it is these days I thought I better take the shuttle bus like everyone else.  That meant I had to drive to the Gettysburg Battlefield Visitor's Center.  Here I go across the battlefield to get there...

When I got there I found that the Green Police had been busy.  I've never seen signs like this before.  Seriously?  I felt discriminated against.  I didn't think it was illegal to drive a car that runs on gas.

Some of  you may remember that Abe Lincoln visited Gettysburg, but he didn't have a Gettysburg address like Ike did (so to speak).

My friend, Joy, and I bought our tickets and hopped onto the shuttle to go back out to the farm.  We drove up the lane which is flanked by trees which were originally from each of the 50 states. This is how the entrance looked last summer.

We pulled up to the site to see the green/gray barn.  Ike himself mixed the unique color of paint.  You'd think he'd be sick of green after all those years in the army, but maybe he was comfortable with that.

Ike had been stationed at Camp Colt in Gettysburg in his early years and had fond memories of the area.  He bought the farm here in 1950 to have a place to spend his retirement.  General Eisenhower was one of very few 5-star generals the country has had, and he didn't realize at the time that he would be elected President of the United States in two years.

He and Mamie had the old farmhouse extensively renovated.  Much of the structure was torn down and replaced as a lot of deterioration had occurred.

The formal living room was filled with lovely portraits of Mamie and Ike as well as treasures which had been gifted to the Eisenhowers or collected by them over the years.  This portrait of Mamie shows her wearing the pink gown made for Ike's first inaugural ball.

The odd "pouf" below was probably quite fashionable at the time.  The General didn't really like it.

The marble fireplace was an anniversary gift from White House staff.  It had been removed from the White House by President Grant during redecorating many years before.

The living room and dining room were the two most formal rooms of the house.  The rest of the decor was very homey and ordinary 1950s decor.  I would have felt very comfortable visiting them on this sunporch if only they had been home when I stopped in.

The dining room was lovely.  Unfortunately I couldn't stay to eat-- I had other lunch plans.  I was expected at Subway.

While living in Gettysburg, Mamie heard that Stuckey's (a gas/convenience store/restaurant chain popular in the 50s and 60s with the memorable slogan of "eat here and get gas") was selling a souvenir plate with their picture on it.  She sent a Secret Service agent out to pick one up for them.  My friend, Joy, along with many other local residents, remembers Mamie shopping in local stores.

Mamie's favorite color of pink even extended to the lighting fixtures in the hall.  Everything was bathed in a rosy glow.

Since the Eisenhower's moved so frequently with Ike's army career (I think some 40 times), Mamie had selected a color palette of pink, green and cream which she used in every home.  It enabled them to feel "at home" in new surroundings much more quickly.  Even their White House bedroom was decorated with the same colors.

Mamie's bathroom was covered in pink.

The kitchen looked very typical for the 1950s as well.  After Mamie died in 1979 the house was immediately made ready for tourists.  About 6 months later, tourists were filing through.  The Eisenhower's had given the property to the Park Service before either of them died, with the agreement that they would live there until they both were deceased.

Ike spent a lot of time in his study.  Pink seemed to be banished from this room.

I couldn't get any good pictures of the outside.  The house was obscured by scaffolding from an unfinished paint job.

The old milking parlor connected to the barn was converted into offices for the Secret Service.

Thanks for the visit, General and Mrs. Eisenhower!  I enjoyed it.  You have a lovely home.