Friday, March 13, 2020

Corona Virus is not my First Scare of 2020


covid-19
Corona Virus (COVid-19) is not my first scare of 2020. The deadly virus seems pale in comparison to aiding my 34-week pregnant daughter during her horrifically scary placental abruption and subsequent birth (Please stay tuned for the video). Corona also seems very distant compared to the recent phone call I received from the Murray County Hospitalist explaining my husband needed a transfer to an intensive care unit capable of intubation and his subsequent six night hospital stay at Emory.

Amid the panic and public outcry over COVid-19, my heart is still rooted in the faith that brought me through the first two months of this new year, and the last

Thursday, January 2, 2020

3-Ingredient Southern Biscuit Recipe

biscuit recipe
3-Ingredient Southern Biscuit Recipe
1 1/2 cups White Lily Self-rising Flour
2/3 cup or more buttermilk
1/2 stick frozen butter
Preheat oven to 425. Place flour into a glass mixing bowl. Grate butter into flour and combine. Pour in buttermilk to form a ball with dough. All flour should be in the dough ball. If too dry, add another tablespoon or two of buttermilk. 
Turn dough onto floured wax paper. Knead with hands. Roll out with rolling pin, fold back over, knead and repeat the process again. Knead and roll precisely six times, this creates layers in the biscuits. 
Roll out dough. Cut out biscuit with biscuit cutter. Place onto baking stone or pan with sides touching for best results. Bake for 18-22 minutes until desired browning is achieved. 
Makes 6 biscuits. Recipe can easily be doubled.
Cook's Tip: Grate butter with a Pamper Chef or other brand cheese grater.


Here's to your kitchen 365,

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Our Unforgettable Decade: An Honest Review

unforgettable decade


2009 - The first year in my life without a public job. 
Quitting my job was the last thing I envisioned for our lives. I loved my job and the people. Leaving employment without a backup plan was one of the scariest and most faithful things I've ever done. God had a plan. I followed it. His plans always work out.

2010 - I published a book and Sydnee graduated college.
I knew from an early age writing a book was to be written into my life. I just had no idea

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Frozen 2: A 6-year old Perspective


Disney's Frozen 2
Disney's FROZEN 2 is the biggest movie at the box office right now. I loved Frozen! I heard from several sources this sequel was better than the first. I was super excited to see the movie with my grands and my daughters yesterday!

I had a lap full with both girls sitting with/on me. Milisende, age 3, played out every detail with her facial expressions. Lisette, age 6, and I watched intently with much less expression.
grandgirls

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Checked off an Item on my "To-Do" List



painted door
I've completed a few projects that's been on my list for months. The feeling of checking off items on your own "to-do" is such an accomplishment. Some women get excited about finishing their first 5K. Me? I get excited about painting an old wooden box that holds my fake topiaries which are losing plastic evergreen branches at an alarming rate from old age; possibly dry rot. Still. I must refresh them because I refreshed my front door with mustard yellow! And, when I'm finished, I can check off another item from my list. 
painted mustard door
Paint is AWE-mazing! My old topiary planters got a new coat of glossy black paint. They went from drab to fab especially monogrammed by my artistic daughter! Thanks Syd! I'm considering spray painting the evergreen part a nice color of green but I'm afraid they'll look "too" fake because right now they look really realistic. (wink)

Joyfully, while I'm painting and refreshing these jewels, God began to speak to me. Does God speak to you? I wonder sometimes if folks think I'm nuts for saying that but honestly, I have many conversations with God. I hope you do too! I really hope you don't think I'm nuts

I do the same thing with myself that I did with my pots. I try to refresh me with a new hairstyle, new clothes, fake nails, a massage, a vacation, etc. If you can think of it, I've probably used it to "renew" myself. But my topiaries, underneath that new glossy black paint is the same old white, cracked, peeling, coming-apart pots. Nothing really changed. Their worn appearance was masked with paint. Unless I allow God to refresh and cleanse my heart, I'm the same ole fleshly Tammy.

Can I really mask my heart with a new outfit? Can I change my attitude with a vacation? Will I love my neighbor more with refreshed topiaries? My heart grows weary in well-doing. My mind wanders far from God. My spirit becomes dampened. Please God, refresh me! There's no better feeling for God to cleanse my being. Cleanse me from my own humanity.  Remind me what matters.

I matter. I am always on the top of his "to-do" list. You are too! Such a refreshing truth that I never have to wait on God to get around to me. I never have to worry I'm not a priority. I never have to worry he'll not have time for me today or any day. I never have to worry I'll be put on his list and forgotten. I'm permanently on his "to-do" list. You are too!

What can he do for you today?

Refreshed365,