Intentional in 2012

This New Year I hope not to change things about myself that will only be beneficial for me, but to change things about myself that will also benefit others.  No, I am not trying to be a real do-gooder, but I learned something in 2011.  Even though we often talk about it, I truthfully experienced what it means when people say that helping others, in turn, helps you (me).

This year was full of lessons, successes, and sadly, full of hurts.  As every year before it, there was good and there was bad.  However, this year was a bit different.  Lessons stuck and I am thankful to be reflecting on them.  So, instead of writing all that I will give up, or telling you the best way to lose 20 lbs or quit a habit, I have decided instead to share what it is I intend to do this 2012. Since intentions are less demanding than resolutions, I thought this information may be a bit more realistic and retainable.

What I learned:

No matter how hard I try, there really are things I cannot change.

The only One capable of changing anyone is God, and that is only after the person trusts Him to do so.

Time well spent doesn’t always include hours of preparation, a large amount of money, or even the presence of another person.

Sometimes the best time spent is the very still, quiet time God allows us to have with Him- the time we actually catch the beauty of fluttering butterfly wings, or the rhythmic sway of blowing fields.  It’s in those moments we actually get to see Him.

It is true.  Anything really worth having may come at the expense of your patience.  You learn how true and real your desires are, the longer you wait for them.

You really can’t add days to your life.  No matter how long I want to wait for the ‘ideal’ to be… age, life, and time continue to move forward because God’s plan is certain.  It is the wise person who asks God what His purpose is for his or her life and even more wise to then live in it and enjoy it.

Silence is an answer, and probably the one of greatest impact.

Instead of keeping up with the Jones’s, I learned it is far better to keep up with Jesus’ way of life.  He was more concerned with giving, loving, and serving, and He was entirely content. The Jones’s don’t need keeping up with.  Too much looking at what someone else has will eventually cause regret and leave you wishing you were able to look back and enjoy all you really had.
 
Truly, the love of money is the root of all evil, but the love of the Lord and the love of your neighbor is the root of all good.

There is something else besides change that is the only thing constant and that is… choice!

Where your heart really is, what you treasure the most, will be most accurately visible in the choices you make.

 
We cannot replace the people the Lord has purposefully put in our lives.  Our families and our friends are ours for a reason.  The Lord knows what kind of people we need in our lives to help us understand the way He loves us.  You see, He loves me and you unconditionally- even more so on those days we know we do not deserve it.  When we can love the people in our lives that way, it’s an occasion to catch a glimpse of how He loves us (it truly is only a glimpse; His love for us is incomprehensible.)

Lastly, I wrote a poem about being intentional this year. 

2012 With Intention

This year rather than give up something that I know I’ll take right back,

I decided to remember last year, and its lessons of greatest impact.

Instead of trying to ‘one-up,’ I pray to feel joy for the one,

Who may have worked harder or longer for the successes they have won.

Rather than to look at what is wrong, I pray to see what is right-

I want to be less negative and less likely to start a silly fight.

This year I will choose, to look through eyes that judge less,

Remembering that I too have been a product of my bad choices that left a mess.

When I feel like I can’t give one more minute of my time,

I’ll remember that time is a gift and sharing it is sublime.

This year I will try to use words that encourage and heal,

Remembering that words cut deep with wounds the heart can feel.

My way or the highway, is a bad way to think.

And I will consider that, that kind of attitude makes a person stink.

It is ok to be vulnerable and admit when I am wrong

This is not a sign of weakness, but instead makes me strong.

 

I will try and listen better and be an honest ear

How can I be a real friend if their words I never do hear?

I will treat my own beloved family better than those I wish to impress

Remembering that they will always love me more than those in fine dress.

I will take a deep breath when I feel like the walls are caving in,

Knowing that God can be trusted, He loves me and is sovereign.

Above all, I intend to embrace and cherish each day He so gracefully gives,

Because now I understand that the one who is merciful, sacrifices, and loves others more than themselves-is the one who truly lives.

Sometimes the best lessons to learn are the ones that hurt going through them.  Pain helps you remember. I pray we remember the lessons we learned in 2011 and use the information for a better 2012.  If we can be intentional and focus on others this year, our resolutions may just be easier to keep!  God Bless You This New Year!

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

Be intentional in 2012.

The Ultimate Gift

I learned a special lesson recently, one I won’t quickly forget and one I have promised myself to frequently share.  I hope this true little story touches your heart the way it did mine. 

            When I am on the road for work, I often have to back my car up to delivery docks that are invariably located next to the most heinous smelling dumpsters.  I recently had the misfortune of parking next to one that produced a smell I am convinced could burn nose hairs!  Additionally, this dumpster was leaking horrendously foul water teeming with wiggling maggots and frantic fruit flies.  Disgusting would have been an understatement.  Surprisingly, out of this scene, I caught a glimpse of something beautiful.  

            From behind the dumpster I heard the faint meowing of a cat.  Soon a young, silver and white speckled cutie emerged, filthy, and hungry.  Saddened, I knew that all I had in my car was a box of crackers and a chocolate granola bar.  For some reason I remember hearing that it was not good for animals to have chocolate, so I opted for breaking the crackers into small pieces and put them on the ground for him.  When I came back outside, I noticed he had eaten all of my crackers and was now washing them down with the nasty maggot water.  I felt terrible, so I went back into the store and bought him his very own jug of cold milk!

            I put the milk in a bowl from my car and tried to give it to him, but he ran back to the dumpster water.  I thought that since we already became friends through crackers that he would definitely want my milk.  Strangely, I would put the bowl down and whistle him near, only to have him inch close and then run back to that sickening dumpster water.  This went on for some time.  Finally, I put the bowl down and walked away far enough to make him comfortable, but close enough to be in his sight so I could see what he would choose.  From a distance, I saw him stick his little head into the bowl and take a taste of the fresh milk.  He was caught off guard at first and taken aback by its cold goodness.  Quickly, he was face planted and indulging in what was probably his best meal in days.  This time he did not go back to the maggot water!

            This incident taught me a valuable lesson.  For a long time I was like that cat; I knew that there is something better in this life, a healthier way to live. However, I was often more comfortable swimming around in my own form of maggot water- hurtful habits, bad relationships, terrible attitudes, and an overall lifestyle of dissatisfaction, rather than truly trusting and believing in my heart that there is something better.

             Then I started thinking about how I offered this cat a free gift, something healthy and beneficial, yet he didn’t want it.  When faced with the risk of coming to me and chance drinking what I put in the bowl, he would get frightened and run away.  He did not trust that what I offered was good for him.  When he finally surrendered and gulped down the milk, he learned that nourishment I offered far exceeded the putrid alternative the dumpster provided.  I never forced him to drink that milk.  He chose to and he had all he needed. 

            This is how God offers us the ultimate gift through His Son Jesus.  We know God is there and we know how to reach Him, yet when it means that we have to make a choice or change a lifestyle to fully experience what He offers, we retreat back to the maggot water or old hurtful behaviors and remain miserably comfortable.

That cat did not wish the milk into existence.  He had to believe that it was there in the bowl, have faith to try it, and then trust that it was good for him. 

            This Christmas my heart is heavy.  I know the pain that the Holidays often bring.  I once cringed at the thought of Christmastime because it reminded me of how empty, lonely, and sad my life had become.  No gift that I could have unwrapped during that time would have made my heart feel any better.

            With the economy struggling and with the daily news not making things any brighter, my guess is that this Christmas may be a tough one for most both emotionally and financially.  Yet, the gift that most people really want cannot be bought with money. Wouldn’t we all like to have real Peace, Joy, and LOVE this Christmas? When I finally received God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, my feelings and attitudes started to change.  

            The Baby in the manger is not just some cute Christmastime story character.  He is a real documented historical figure: One that performed miracles, One that crowds saw crucified, and One that eye-witnesses saw resurrected from the dead and historically documented.  Truth is, He did all of this to offer us a free gift.   

            Like the free gift I offered the cat which would make him healthy, happy, and satisfied, he could not receive it until he believed and trusted- God offered us His Son Jesus, if we would just believe and truly trust in Him.  “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand,” (John 10:27-28).  I did not force the cat to accept my gift.  He had to choose to trust me.  Jesus will not force us to trust Him; He gives us the choice because love cannot be forced.  Just believe and unwrap His splendor this Christmas!  

His gift will never disappoint.

 
Yummy Chocolate Bark Recipe.  Makes a Great Gift!

Ingredients:

25 Oreo cookies

3 cups white chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips (can do half of both)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use with semisweet chips only)

To Make:

Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with waxed paper. Coat the paper with nonstick spray; set it aside. Pour the cookies into a large bowl and break them into small pieces.  Melt the chips in a large microwave-safe bowl according to the package directions. After chips have melted add extract. Remove from the microwave and quickly fold in the cookie pieces with a spatula. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread to about a 1/2-inch thickness. Refrigerate until solid, about 1 hour.

Remove the bark from the pan and carefully peel off the waxed paper. Set the bark on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the bark into 12 bars for wrapping or 24 triangles for boxing.  Store in an airtight container.

ALL…

A Gift Worthy of Thanks.

            What happens when those ads and those commercials stop touching our hearts?  What happens when we don’t feel the hunger that the famished little boy with the Santa belly feels? What forms when we grow annoyed at the media attempts to raise money for those in Haiti, Africa, and Japan? We forget.  We forget where we live, what we have, and Who is distributing it all. We forget to be thankful.

            The following data from Poverty Facts and Stats, and Trak-In, will help you remember:

·         Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

·         Close to half of all people in developing countries suffer at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits.

·         For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:

            640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)

            400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)

            270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

·         In developing countries some 2.5 billion people are forced to rely on biomass—fuelwood, charcoal and animal dung—to meet their energy needs for cooking. In sub-Saharan Africa, over 80 percent of the population depends on traditional biomass for cooking, as do over half of the populations of India and China

·         Millions of women spend several hours a day collecting water.

·         Having access to a bathroom means a person is more fortunate than 2.5 billion people in Asia Pacific and Africa who lack sanitation facilities.

·         Having electricity makes a person more fortunate than 1.6 billion people who do not have access to electricity.”

(Anup Shah -http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats)

(Arun Prabhudesai-http://trak.in/tags/business/2007/12/20/indian-people-fortunate-futurescope-quiz/) 

            With these facts, are we pushed toward gratitude?  We have all we need in the United States.  Yet, so often we are stuck in attitudes of dissatisfaction.  If we focus on what we are without or what we must attain, we will never know the joyful blessing that comes from being thankful for what we actually have.  What is it like to be the famished child in Ethiopia?  Living here in this country, to be alive at all, is a privilege and a blessing from God. 

 Every moment of our lives truly is a gift.

            My eyelids open to light peeking in; I am awake.  My hair gets stuck in the brush and I feel the tug; I can brush my own hair with my own hand, the tug hurts and I feel the pain.  He made the coffee strong. I smell its bold aroma and I can taste its needed jolt.  I pull supper out of the freezer, finish last minute cleaning, miss my workout and am two minutes late to work again.  Children laugh at the bus stop; I can hear their joy and breathe in the nostalgia.  The leaves have turned, the colors mesmerize me; I get to see and experience the seasons change.  Dinner is served, the warmth of the shower relaxes, and my head hitting the pillow brings peace… 

I must give thanks because I understand that:

Waking up to experience a new day is a gift because tomorrow is not promised.

Brushing my hair is a gift; some have lost theirs.

Smelling bold coffee and tasting its goodness is a gift; some can’t afford coffee or even open their mouths to taste it.

Having supper to pull out of the freezer, a home to clean, the ability to exercise and a job to arrive at are all gifts worthy of thanks; I’m sure that’s what the famished boy would tell us too.  We need hearts of gratitude.  What needs to change is not the amount of things we have in our possession or the successes we have accumulated, but rather the amount of thanks we store in our hearts and the perspective from which choose to look.

Being constantly thankful is not easy but it will always change our perspective.

A Blind Perspective.

“I, who cannot see, find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch.

I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf.

I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough shaggy bark of a pine….

I feel the delightful, velvety texture of a flower, and discover its remarkable convolutions; and something of the miracle… is revealed to me.

Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song….

At times my heart cries out with longing to see these things. If I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more beauty must be revealed by sight.

Yet, those who have eyes apparently see little.

The panorama of color and action which fills the world is taken for granted…

It is a great pity that, in the world of light, the gift of sight is used only as a mere convenience rather than as a means of — adding fullness to life.”

~Helen Keller (www.aholyexperience.com)

Make this Thanksgiving more than a holiday.

            If we could see like Helen Keller or talk to the little boy with the bulging belly, we would understand that Thanksgiving is not just a holiday but a lifestyle.  In a season that has us anticipating Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Black Friday Sales, can we dig a bit deeper, slow down a bit longer, and spend concentrated time looking at what we have, being truly thankful for it?  Tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us; making today, and all that is in it worthy of great thanks! 

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name." 1 Chronicles 29:11-13 KJV.

“It’s when all fails that His love never fails —

and this is why we are a people who can always give thanks.”  Ann Voskamp

Rust … Is Ugly!

            I will never forget my first ten speed mountain bike.  It was pink and gray speckled, with handle bars that went straight, instead of looking like the horns of an antelope!  This bike really was something.  My dad and I had spent a full day pressing little colorful neon decorations onto each spoke.  While riding my bike, I could hear them clank up and down, while spinning round and round uncontrollably.  Cool was an understatement…for this bike.  Unfortunately, I left it out in the rain one too many times.  It truly was a sad day when I went outside only to find that my shiny spokes of silver were now shades of brown, red, and orange, colors that definitely did not enhance my bright neon spoke decorations.  My treasured ten speed was not so cool anymore…my bike spokes were ruined.

            A bit more recently, my husband and I were spending the day with some friends.  Their little boy was outside playing in the rain when he dashed through the door to unfold his tiny, muddied hand dropping a palm sized dump truck right onto the table.  “Mommy, this one has metal and it can’t be in the rain!”  From a lesson learned in the bath tub, he remembered that metal toys and water do not mix.  The result can be rusty toys that are no longer worth playing with.  

He understood that rust can ruin something special to him, and he wasn’t taking any chances…

            Rusting is a process that takes time to develop.  One small droplet of moisture reacts with oxygen in the air and causes a chemical reaction to steel and iron.  Over time, an acid is formed from dirt/dust mixing with the chemical reaction, which eats away at the metal, ultimately forming… ugly rust!  

Have you ever had anything ruined by rust?

            I started to think about how our hearts, intentions, and attitudes often seem clean and shiny.  When we are treated right and everything is going how we want it to, it’s easy to have that appearance. Then, one droplet of soggy hurt after another, and we begin to tarnish with layers of fear, anger, and bitterness. The longer we hold on to the hurt, or whatever it was that offended us, the closer we get to irreversible rusting.  What happens is something like this; I used to get stuck in self-pity.  The ‘poor me’ game in my head, often overwhelmed my heart.  Before I knew it, my self-pity turned into blame, which turned into un-forgiveness.  Before long, I was in cruise control taking strolls down Envy Dr., Bitter Blvd., and Anger Ave., only to come to a screeching halt on Whoa-is-Me Lane!  What started as a way to talk myself through a hurt or injustice done to me, ended up keeping me in a whirl-wind of ‘someone owes me something’ bad attitudes and negative outlooks.  Left like this too long and rust takes over permanently- or the hurt becomes the attitude, and the attitude becomes the person. We often convince ourselves it’s just who we are, when really it is what we let our lives, circumstances, undealt-with hurts, and feelings determine who we will be.  When you allow your hurt to cause you to be dishonest with yourself or others, you harbor bitterness and let ugly rust form on your heart. This is dangerous, but reversible.

Rust can be prevented.

            When dealing with actual rust, the most obvious prevention is to avoid moisture.  When dealing with the rust we let form on our hearts, there is a measure of prevention that is 100% effective yet often unused.  Honesty & Forgiveness. Normally, there is a ‘someone’ who did ‘something’ that caused an initial hurt.  If we never forgive that person, they stay with us all day long in our minds.  Replaying the offense in our heads, we bring them to breakfast, lunch, dinner and then right into bed with us because we think so much about the hurt they caused.  The longer we hold on, the more time we give for rust to take over.  But, if we forgive and truly let go of the hurt, piece by piece and layer by layer, we begin to see ugly rust lose its grip on our hearts and emotions.  We have to be honest about the hurt, even if it is one that we caused ourselves.  Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is the one that looks back at you in the mirror.

Don’t let rust ruin what’s valuable.

            The little boy knew that rust could ruin his prized dump truck, so he took precautionary measures.  Similarly, we need to know that rust, or not being forgiving, can ruin what is most valuable to us- our well-being and our relationships.  Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends (Proverbs 17:9).  Hopefully, we too can protect that which is valuable by utilizing honesty and forgiveness- preventive measures that truly work.  If rust is allowed to develop over a lengthy period of time, it can take ten times that amount of time, to get rid of it.  In the long run, we only hurt ourselves and miss out on the good in this life when we hold onto pain.  Thankfully, the Lord is good, ready to forgive, full of unfailing love…for ANYONE who asks for help (Psalm 86:5).  We can trust that the Lord will forgive us, help us to forgive, and ultimately clean the rust off of our hearts if we ask Him too (1 John 1:9).   “I’m sorry,” starts with I, and “I forgive you” starts with I too.  It is a personal choice.

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32

‘Dump Cake’!

Because of the dump truck that caused me to think on rust, I offer this incredibly easy and interchangeable recipe.

1 package white cake mix (or preferable flavor) 1 package instant turtle pudding mix (Try any pudding mix) 4 eggs, beaten 2/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup white sugar 1/3 cup water 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (Can add extras; heath, coconut, peanuts etc.)

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
2.	In a bowl, mix the white cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and water. Gently fold in the sour cream and chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
3.	Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling racks

What's In A Name?

Smith. Jones. Williams. Did you ever wonder where your last name came from? I did! Recently, I tried to look up this information so I could offer you some fascinating history. Although it may not be necessarily fascinating, it is quite interesting. Here is what I found:

In Europe, surnames began to be used in the 12th century… In the 13th century about a third of the male population had a given name of William, Richard or John. To uniquely identify them, people began referring to different Williams as William the son of Andrew (leading to Anderson), William the cook (leading to Cook), William from the brook (leading to Brooks), William the brown-haired (leading to Brown), and so on. Eventually these surnames became inherited, being passed from parents to children.

Broadly, most surnames fall into four categories.

o Surnames derived from given names include Johnson, Williams, and Thompson...

o Occupational surnames refer to the occupation of the bearer. Examples include Smith, Clark, and Wright.

o Locational or topographic surnames are derived from the place that the bearer lived. Examples include Hill, Woods, and Ford. See place names.

o Surnames derived from nicknames include White, Young, and Long.

(http://surnames.behindthename.com/glossary/view/family_name)

This is such a seemingly simple explanation for where all those last names may have originated. I found this too easy to accept and I realized why. From my perspective, my last name tells a plethora of information about me. Because of my last name, Butkovic (maiden), most knew me as Thom and Nancy’s daughter, Tommy’s sister (which made me a little cooler in school because he was 5 years older than me), or so & so’s friend. My dad always told me, “your name is a good one, wear it proud.” It was, I did, and still do but my name would soon be embellished by another; ‘LaGra’s Josie!’

My grandfather, Lorenzo (Larry) LaGra is a hard working business man, with over 30 years being spent here in Bedford. LaGra’s is known by many as the name of our long standing jewelry store in downtown Bedford, or as the name of the Sicilian tomato products on many store shelves. Thankfully, my grandfather allows me to run our food division for him, hence, ‘LaGra’s Josie.’ To this day, he is known for being trustworthy, willful, helpful and generous. It is an honor to represent this name and my grandfather, whose legacy is a great one. ‘Butkovic’ and ‘LaGra’s Josie’ defined me for a very long time, but God had yet another name for me. Soon I would marry, take on a new name and lineage. This name is one that intimately tied me to another human being and all that he is connected to, forever; my husband Jason Valley, and I am so grateful. Names have meaning and often define us.

One of the most famous dramas ever written depicts how the power of a name can be defining. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the last names of the characters are extremely important to the overall theme: Montague and Capulet. Their story is based upon the profound question that Juliet asked, “What's in a name?” Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2). Even though their last names connected them to their family, traditions, and lifestyle, they would not let it define them internally or change their love for each other. We know that this story ends tragically, yet they broke free from tradition and societal pressure to risk being together. Names often dictate our actions.

Of course thinking on this would leave me to ask, ‘What’s in your name?’ I often hear people say, well I can’t help it, I am a _______! Fill in the blank either with a last name, first name, ethnicity, position or ‘title’. We sometimes use these ‘names’ as a license or explanation for the way we speak or act. I admit I have used the old, ‘I’m a female’ in defense of my driving, or ‘I’m Italian’ in defense of my need to cook for forty in our home of two! My point is this, our names say a lot about us, but they do not say everything. Does your name accurately depict who you are in your heart? Names can change.

Although I am Josie Butkovic, LaGra’s Josie, and Josie Valley, when I truly let go of my familial traditions, societal expectations and actually decided to have a real relationship with Jesus Christ, my name changed yet again. Why? Because the Bible says, “That anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; and a new life has begun in Jesus Christ!” (2 Cor. 5:17). Oh how His name causes a reaction…and a life change! When you read the name of Jesus, what is the first thought you have? Does it make you uncomfortable or joyful? Something about His name moves us all… Sadly, His name is often a part of a tradition, used in vein, or plain out silenced. When I accepted His name to be stamped on my heart and life, His love and promises overwhelmed me. His name offers more than any other name ever could. What’s in His Name? He Is The: True God, Almighty, Creator of All, Upholder of All, Everlasting Father, Beginning and Ending, Alpha and Omega, First and Last, Eternal Life, and Son of the Highest. He Promises to Be Our: Savior, Hope, Brother, Portion, Helper, Physician, Healer, Refiner, Purifier, Master, Lord, Servant, Example, Teacher, Shepherd, Keeper, Feeder, Leader, Restorer, Resting-Place, Peace, Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and our Redemption. WOW, and that’s just some of them! I am grateful for all the names I treasure here, but they only temporarily tie me to a trait, lineage, or legacy. Choosing His name makes me permanently a part of and accessible to His promises, His traits, and His Home! All we need is in His name.

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver.” Prov. 22:1.

His Name, Like His Promises, Never Change.

Watch Worthy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehmv2UObaVs&feature=related
http://www.blueletterbible.org/study/parallel/paral19.cfm


NO NAME DESSERT! (You can name it yourself depending on what fruit you use!)

1 pkg. of Strawberry Jell-O (or whatever flavor you like)
1 pt. cottage cheese
1 c. Strawberry fruit (whatever canned or Fresh fruit you like)

Prepare and cool Jell-O. After Jell-O has started to firm a bit add cottage cheese and fruit. Mix well. Chill. Great as a salad or dessert.

Freedom Isn't Free... But It Is A Choice

We rarely ask, but he has a name. We would never know, but he has a story. We can’t miss him, slightly hunched, the proud elderly gentlemen with the decorated hat and vest. He usually stands outside of Giant Eagle passing out those little red flowers in exchange for a donation. Faithfully, he stands post. He is a Veteran of War.

As a “thank you” for the small amount of change I put in his bucket, he eagerly gives me that little red flower he calls a ‘Buddy Poppy.’ Until recently, I never contemplated all that the little flower represented. I learned that these little trinkets of thanks are normally assembled by disabled veterans. They construct and pass out these Poppies to raise money for hospital costs and other needs. However, there was something about these ‘Poppies’ that touched my heart even more…

“In the World War I battlefields of Belgium, poppies grew wild amid the ravaged landscape. How could such a pretty little flower grow wild while surrounded by death and destruction? The overturned soils of battle enabled the poppy seeds to be covered, thus allowing them to grow and to forever serve as a reminder of the bloodshed during that and future wars.”
http://www.vfw1733.org/buddy_poppy.html

I came to realize that as this ‘Poppy’ is handed to me, so is an opportunity. In that split second I can briefly connect myself with a part of the history that has given me my freedom. The one handing me this ‘Poppy’ may be one of the men who experienced the first United States draft registration during World War I. Maybe he aided in rescue efforts after Japan’s surprise assault on the U.S. air base at Pearl Harbor. Sadly, he could be one who returned home after Vietnam, reject and scored by many who would never understand his experience or sacrifice, and never even try to. These who stand outside of businesses with red flowers in hand, have a story. They are each a thread woven into the fabric that has made the comforter of freedom under which we all so easily lay.

‘Buddy Poppies’ will forever remind me that feeble hands, once strong, fought so that my hands would never have to. Freedom is never free; there is always a cost; it is called sacrifice.

As I was thinking about this, something in an email that my Aunt Jamie sent me last week, really hit home; “Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you....Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.” This is very true, except that Jesus died for our freedom too. Our soul’s freedom…

Many of us never realize that as free as this society allows us to be, we are still slaves to negative thoughts, habits, addictions, and memories. We can be as free as streakers at a baseball game, but if our souls are in bondage, we never truly experiencing freedom at all. We can be held in bondage by fear, regret, shame, bitterness, doubt, anxiety, jealousy, loneliness, stress… the list goes on and on. WE ALL HAVE something that keeps us from being utterly free. Thankfully, God’s Word tells us that Jesus came to set the captives free! (Luke 4:18). We are prisoners of war, battling against ourselves and so many outside influences. Until we surrender and allow Christ to truly change our hearts, we will always be a prisoner to something. We have to choose to love (and trust) Him back and accept the freedom He gives to experience true ‘soul freedom.’

What the ‘Buddy Poppy’ is to the Veteran (a symbol of sacrifice, dedication, and liberty), the Cross is to Jesus Christ and to all of us who choose it, a symbol of love, completion, and ultimate freeing freedom.

THANK YOU & GOD BLESS YOU!
TO ALL WHO HAVE, WHO ARE, AND WHO WILL SACRIFICE,
YOU ARE REMEMBERED AND APPRECIATED.

‘POPPY’ SEED CAKE
Ingredients

• 1 Package of Yellow Cake Mix
• 1 Box of French Vanilla Instant Pudding
• 1 Egg
• 1 cup of Water
• 1/2 cup of canola oil
• 2 teaspoons almond flavoring
• 3 Tablespoons of Poppy Seeds

Baking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a Bundt Pan with oil and lightly coat with sugar (It won’t stick to the cake). Mix all ingredients and pour into Bundt pan
Bake for 40-45 minutes
Cool for about 20 minutes then flip on dish- A nice glaze would compliment this well!

THE ROYAL WEDDING

The Royal Wedding

To be a princess…

Standing in front of a full-length mirror, she saw herself, a bride. Dressed in lace, decorated with jewels, and trailed by a beautiful veil, she would soon be a princess. Did she always dream about becoming a princess? As a little girl, did she twirl in pretty dresses and pretend to be swept away by her Knight in Shining Armor? On April 29th, many of us day-dreamed about being Kate Middleton, or should I now say, ‘Her Royal Highness Princess William Arthur Philip Louis, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus.’ Wow! In one day, she went from a commoner to Royal Highness, Princess, Duchess, Countess, and Baroness. What a title!

In my own daydream, I remembered a box full of beautifully worn and torn old prom dresses that I used to play with in our childhood basement. They were my mom’s dresses from the 70’s. Bold multicolor striped, magenta, green shin length, long-sleeved burgundy lace, these dresses were anything but spectacular, but to me and my girlfriends, these were not just old prom dresses; they were ‘special’ dresses that could transcend us from my Garfield Heights basement in 1987, to a Royal Ballroom wedding celebration for us and my our very own ‘Knight in shining armor!’ I laugh when I think back to those times in the basement. Little girls almost always dream about being somebody’s princess.

Humbly, I realize I have been so very blessed to feel like somebody’s princess… three times.

I started dating when I was three years old. Really! My dad took me out once every couple months for the entire day. He called it, ‘Queen for a Day.’ The date began with breakfast, followed by a trip to the beauty salon, and finished with a grand finale like the Goodtime III or the Bolshoi Ballet. I will never forget those ‘Grand Finales.’ My dad sure is something. The entire time we were on our date he would open all doors for me, pull out my chairs before I sat, never let me walk on the outside of the side walk (in case a car jumped the curve he walked closest to the street) and he would insist that any man worth marrying would be sure to do the same. He was right. My husband did all of those things on our first date, and he continues to do them to this day. His selfless love and commitment to me is what makes me feel like a princess; for the second time.

Still, there is someone who’s Royalty and Kingship has actually given me the truest title of Princess Josephine. Really, I AM A PRINCESS! Oh now don’t be jealous, this King would be more than happy to make you His princess too. I’ve been on a poem kick. Here is one to help you understand.

Oh to be a princess
Someone’s real Cinderella
The Grand Ballroom, a big white dress,
And just the perfect fella’.

Red carpet, glass slippers, with jewels that glisten and shine
First class, fine dining
and to know it was just all mine

That Someone would find me the fairest
More than any other one before
To think that I was the one and only
His Royal heart would adore

Then I understood…

The One who sought my heart
Was the One who put it all together
He knew that I was flawed in many ways
But none of which He wouldn’t weather

With immense joy He pursued me
Showering me with precious gifts, patience and love
I knew His heart for me was different
Only to understand it was from above

No Earthly man could ever
Love in a way so pure and true
This Love is unexplainable
Because Love equals You.

Ladies, we can be thankful that God is a gentleman and anxiously awaits an invitation to be the King of our hearts. We at least can agree that we all have that same burning desire to be genuinely loved; even though we are often unlovable. To be perfectly frank, although they love me the best they can, even my dad and my husband cannot fulfill that love I desire. You know why? We were purposefully created with a part of our hearts that would never be satisfied by any earthly object or being. Our Creator intended to make us, His creation, with unfinished hearts. He did this to know that He wasn’t forcing us to love Him, but rather giving us the choice. See, relationships worth having are never forced, they’re chosen, agreed upon, and then continuously worked on and nurtured. A relationship with God, a true King is no different. He gave us a choice to choose Royalty and be made whole, or to remain unfinished in constant pursuit of love (1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8). Only love from this King can ever satisfy the heart of a princess.
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8”

HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!
You’ll never know what our relationship means to me. Thank you for being my first date, setting a Godly standard, and ALWAYS ENCOURAGING ME! I love you.

Easy Recipe for Chicken ALA “KING”

1 pkg. frozen peas (10 oz.)
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. minced onions
1/4 c. minced garlic
Dash of red pepper flakes
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk or light cream
2 c. cooked diced chicken
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook peas, drain and set aside. Place butter, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in a 3 quart glass casserole dish. Cover and microwave 2-3 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in chicken broth and milk. Microwave 3-7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Add peas and remaining ingredients. Cover and microwave 5-7 minutes or until bubbly. Stir once during cooking. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice or egg noodles.