Hope Is Real!

Our hopes for the future are implied, and therefore in some way present, in what we have done. (120) ~ from "Making a Way Out of No Way" by Monica A. Coleman Have a Merry Christmas, or Happy Ramadan, Solstice, Chaunakah, or Kwanzaa!

Right now I am in Maryland visiting relatives. For dinner, we are having mashed potatoes, stuffing, creamed spinach and mushrooms - the mushrooms are divine! - and a roast. Everything is already made by my Uncle Kirk, who loves to cook and is great at it. I am making the roast. New Things I Ate This Morning: a bagel with cream cheese and lox, capers, and onions. It was fabulous! I mean, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven! Kirk told me that the secret was to sprinkle lemon juice on top of the salmon, so that it did not taste too fishy. New Things I Ate Last Night: slices of an apple that was dipped in caramel, nuts, and chocolate. Yum! Homemade Clam Chowder!!! I had never had it homemade before. I mean, I had had it restaurant-made, but never homemade, especially for me. (My uncle had made it for us, so that if we wanted something after being in the car twelve hours, we could.) Creamy, vegetabley, clammy, bacony goodness! Yum! It's funny, but on Shapely Prose, a reader j

This pizza was out of this world! I baked squash and zucchini medallions that was covered in rosemary and olive oil from my mother's garden for fifteen minutes. Then I put them on a piece of garlic Nan, with feta and mozzarella cheeses and then I baked it some more-about five minutes. The veggies that did not make it on the bread were still baked a little longer and were put in a bowl with the cheeses. Fab! I have discovered that I just love baked veggies-the heat carmelizes their natural sugar and with a little seasoning, you just cannot go wrong. The bread, although toasted, was super soft and the whole thing melted in my mouth. ******************************* I told my mom today that I am just going to have to suck it up and learn to love and accept my new body. I say "new," because I have gained about ten or fifteen pounds, which has made my boobs bigger and quite a few of my clothes no longer fit me. I saw my nutritionist a few weeks ago and she stated that my e

This cartoon describes exactly how I feel, because I just love my new job! Here are more Ezekiel inspired poems: God Alone Is God It is time I give up my idols And seek instead Godde's justice-love. Let my sin slip away, Like the dead skin That hides the fresh, Pure skin underneath And let Godde's light shine Out from every pore. " May Your Light Shine " by Margo Langohr Ez 6:14 "God alone is God." Do not declare me "emotional" As if it is a curse - Godde gave me these emotions! She told me to cry out And to beat my breast - For it is better to mourn The loss of a nation Than to pretend That indifference Is what makes the world A wondrous place. Ez 21:12 12 Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people; it is against all the princes of Israel. They are thrown to the sword along with my people. Therefore beat your breast. Godde never forgets us, But we forget Godde Everyday that we Do not give thanks for the color purple. Ez 23:

Just in case you ever want to make a candy cane reindeer, I am going to let you know what makes the red pom-pom nose, the two googly eyes, and the gold (or brown) pipe cleaner antlers stick! Regular glue does not work. Modge Podge does not work and neither does rubber cement. I know, because I tried them all! Now I am sure that super glue or a glue gun would work, but the pieces, especially the eyes, are so small that unless you are really careful, you could really hurt yourself. But never fear-use "glue dots!" These are stretchy little dots of putty with a super strong adhesive on both sides and they work like a charm. For the eyes, you can even pull the dot in half, and roll each side into a tiny ball, perfect for sticking on something so small. To be fair, it was my mom that thought of them. I had already tried the traditional forms of glue and was beginning to think that I would have to come up with a different craft project, when my mom suggested trying the glue dots. Yo

But not all discord is bad, and discord is always preferable to becoming numb to the world. Discord and conflict are necessary factors in the process of change. Discord can produce hope just as easily as it can produce horror or pain. (67) ~from Monica A. Coleman's book, " Making a Way Out of No Way "

[...] God wants us to have intense experiences. (65) ~ from the book, "Making a Way Out of No Way" by Monica A. Coleman Yesterday was full of loving and it was absolutely wonderful. First, I went to my friend, Katie's house, and we watched the movie Julia and Julia to get us in the mood for cookie making. After a few cups of tea and peanut butter and honey toast - Yum! - we were definitely in the mood to bake cookies. We had to make these cookies for the cookie swap at my church's Christmas party that night. Katie - my friend - made cute, little lemon cookies, but I made big, honkin' Monster Cookies. The recipe is from the book, " Mrs. Witty's Monster Cookies, " by Helen Witty and this is a much loved book, as my mom and I used recipes from this book all the time when I was a kid The cookies are called monster cookies, because they are so big - six inches! - and the ones I made are called "Apple Saucers." They have apples, walnuts, raisi

I don't know why, but I have always been afraid to cook portobello mushrooms. They seem very gourmet to me and my cooking is anything, except gourmet! They were on sale at the grocery store and I thought to myself, "Why not?!" So I grilled them on my George Foreman grill and they were fabulous! I am now proud to say that I am no longer afraid of these mushrooms. First, I let them sit in this marinade for an hour. After grilling, I put them on toasted Arnold Thins, slathered with cream cheese. The reason I chose cream cheese is because I know people often pair goat cheese with mushrooms and I figured cream cheese is similar enough to goat cheese to use as a substitute and I was right. As my friend yesterday said, "Cheese is better than butter!"

I was going to make another pretzel salad for my church's potluck supper, but it needs a night to set and I was too lazy last night to start it, so I made a really easy -my own recipe!- corn salad instead. I discovered this recipe when I was making my fabulous cornbread one day and I used these ingredients for the base. Ingredients: 2 cans of Green Giant Chipotle White Corn (I ended up not using the middle can...) Sour Cream to taste Shredded Cheddar Cheese to taste 1/2 Small Onion Directions: Mix well and enjoy! I got a lot compliments, which almost did not seem fair, since it only took a minute to make! I am sorry that there is not a picture of the end result, but I guess I was too excited to remember to take a picture! Whoops! I do have to share a great statement that one of the kids said to me tonight when I told him that one of the ingredients was cheese. Me: Cheese makes everything better. Kid: Yeah, cheese is better than butter! Indeed, oh, indeed it is!

You that are mighty in this world, Realize that the Almighty is far mightier Than anything You can imagine. Recognize that Godde alone Is the truely Glorious One. Do you hear the crashing thunder Or see the lightning flash? That is really Godde speaking to our heart And Godde's splendor being made manifest. Do not be fooled! The Holy One's voice is electrifying! Giant trees are felled with one word; Mighty mountains are like mere Stepping stones to Godde. So do not worry! Let Yahweh shake your desert heart And move you to seek Godde's justice-love. Give up your false images of control And stand in awe of Godde's Thunderous love. Let Love storm your own heart. Let it strengthen you, So that you may be strong Enough to bring peace. To read an excellent article about the original psalm, click on the picture. To compare it to the original, click here .*********** Scholars think that the 29th Psalm is the oldest psalm and it is basically saying to the Canaanites' stor

This recipe is from Pioneer Woman and features fresh thyme. I used the last of our thyme from our garden at home. Ingredients: 12 Carrots Handful of fresh thyme Salt and Pepper 1/4 Cup Olive Oil The recipe is super easy and super yummy! My mom had found the recipe online and I must admit that I was a little skeptical at first, but these carrots are absolutely delish and I will definitely make these again. 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 2. Cut the carrots lengthwise-this ensures that they will cook evenly. 3. Mix them in the olive oil (the recipe said 1/2 cup, but I think it would be fine to use less.) 4. Sprinkle thyme and a little salt and pepper. 5. Bake for 35 minutes. The carrots will look a little withered when they come out, but that's normal. You can eat them with a fork or just pick them up with your fingers and eat them like fries. The only problem is that just like fries, they will be gone quickly, so make plenty.

The Question Whether they listen or not Is not the final question. It is rather whether you speak Godde's truth to power. You can only control yourself And that, Really, Is up for debate! Pieces of Meat If you think you are a choice piece of meat, Think again. The true choice cuts are those have been tossed aside And left to die. We must purge out our gristle And be hammered by life's trials To become tender and vulnerable As people of Godde. To become a juicy fillet, We must first go through The fire. Ez. 11:7 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The bodies you have thrown there are the meat and this city is the pot, but I will drive you out of it." Godde Signs We are signs of Godde to each other. Some say, "Go! Be bold in Godde!" Others say,"Caution- Change is coming!" Still others, "Stop! Godde knows best!" But all of us hold A piece of God in Our hearts And if we let our Godde-Light shine Out strong The da

Those who reside in Hell are only Those for whom You are silent. So listen to my plea for mercy And answer me with Your strength. Do not remain silent to me, As You do with those who are false - Those whose words are like lace to each other, But are really a web of lies. Although the world bestows them with honor, I know You will find them in their web, All tangled and unable to become unstuck. Yes! Godde has answered my plea for mercy And my heart leaps for joy. I cannot help but sing! The Holy One makes the weak mighty- She is a powerhouse for the powerless, And in the crook of her arms, She is ready to carry her children home. *************************************** To compare it to the original, go here . *********************************** I have started reading my Bible right before I go to sleep and as I think about the verses I have just read, I put my thoughts into little poems. Perhaps one day they will be published... Here are a few of mine, all inspired by Ezekiel. Go

Every Thanksgiving needs a salad! No, not a healthy, leafy, green salad, full of good for you fiber, but a jello salad, full of butter, sugar, and fat! This recipe is from allrecipe.com and it's actually called a "pretzel salad," because is uses pretzels for the base. It turned out deliscious! I made it and took it to a friend's house where we had fabulous food and fellowship. The fellowship was especially great, as my Naval officer brother was able to come home at the last minute. Ingredients 2 cups crushed pretzels 3/4 cup margarine, melted 2 teaspoons white sugar 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 3/4 cup white sugar 4 1/2 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin 2 cups boiling water 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries 1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). 2.In a medium bowl, mix crushed pretzels, margarine and sugar. 3.Press crushed pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, and bake

Two eggs, sunny-side-up, on top of refried beans, on top of toasted Arnold Thins, with shredded cheddar cheese. Yummmy! This is my new favorite lunch! I have no idea how I knew that the beans and eggs would go together so perfectly, but somehow I just knew. It is super packed with protein and fiber-two things that keep me going throughout my busy days. It's especially good, because my new medicine makes me extra hungry and these open-faced sandwiches really hit the spot. My mom thinks that the combination sounds too weird, but push aside those inhibitions, because this is sheer food heaven! To be honest, I have been having trouble adjusting to the extra weight that I have gained due to my new meds. Sometimes I feel like my eating disorder is not just a disorder, but is more like a really evil entity that I must serve. The gained weight means that I am doing well in my recovery, but when most of my pants do not fit anymore, it can be hard to remember that recovery is the desired

At the annual “Alternatives Conference” organized by the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse , NAMI’s Multicultural Action Center and received the conference’s “Fruit and Nut Bowl Award.” No, the name of the award is not a slur. It’s an honor. The award recognized NAMI’s leadership in helping to "make it safe": for the LGBT community "to be proud and diverse" in addressing mental health needs. The Multicultural Action Center mission includes public education to decrease stigma. In many respects, the Fruit n’ Nut award is a statement of pride that stands stigma on its head and unifies the LGBT and mental health consumer communities. The award was first presented in 2007 to Bert Coffman of the Zappolarti Society , which runs a weekly LGBT peer support and recovery group in New York City. Coffman presented the award to the center’s director Majose Carrasco and coordinator Marin Swesey. He specifically cited NAMI’s creation of the cent

Psalm 27 The Holy One is my flashlight And it shows me my salvation. If I follow it, then why fear? The Holy One is my foundation And my life is built upon it. If I live there, then why fear? Some people are like the flesh-eating bacteria- Only they want to feed upon my soul. Even in the midst of war, When I am surrounded by the soul-terrorists, I will stand firm and shine bright. I do ask to stay inside my house made of love. Let me stay there all of my life. I only want to surround myself in beauty Instead of hate. I want to stay in safety Instead of fear. I know my house is really your house. I know I am protected by your love. Therefore I will drown out the shrieks of sorrow With my songs of joy. Like the game “Marco Polo” When I call out your name Please respond. I listen with my heart And I want to see your face. I search everywhere- Shine your light upon it! Do not reject me like my imperfect parents, But stay and support me forever. Unlike my other teachers Teach

It was another rainy day and I was feeling miserable and bored, so I decided to make marshmellows! The recipe was posted last February for Valentine's Day-I can't believe I did not lose it!-in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. When I first saw the article, I did not even know that one could make marshmellows at home! I wasn't too wild about them, so I threw the recipe away after I made the marshmellows, which I am wishing that I had not, because now I will not be able to give the exact recipe to you. Whoops! Boil corn syrup and some other stuff. Three packs of unflavored gelatin and some water looks kinda funny. Pour boiled cornstarch into bowl with gelatin. Add two cups of sugar and some vanilla flavoring. You can add other types of flavoring and food coloring if you want. I wish that we had had other types of flavoring, myself, as I would like to try mint marshmellows! I thought the pictures of me using egg beaters turned out pretty cool. Grease a sheet of saran wrap