Then I Thought of Home

Sometimes the more blessings we have the harder it is to see them. Sometimes the very fact that we have so much makes it hard to be thankful. I know I've shared this before but it seems a good time of year to share it again. Our water here at the house has never been very good so for years we went to Mark's mom and dad's house and hauled our drinking water from the spring. Good, clean spring water. Years went by and we built the chicken houses which meant we dug a new well. Now that water was good, it didn't smell and it had a good taste. So we no longer had to drive to Pekin to get water, now we just had to walk down to the chicken houses. I didn't even have to go get it. That was one of the jobs the kids had, to keep water at the house. That wasn't good enough for me though. I clearly remember the day I went to the sink to get water and got mad because I wasn't like everybody else and able to simply turn on my faucet and get a drink...

We all know Cranberry Salad is the Queen of salads when it comes to the Thanksgiving Table. It is just understood, even if you don't like it..it's understood. It's just part of the tradition. Mark's mom makes the best Cranberry Salad ever. One year I made it. I used her recipe. Something went wrong. It wasn't like hers. No one said anything. Not even to say, "Do you want to bring it again next year?" No one said that. I didn't bring it. But I started making something we like just as much or dare I say even better. I started taking it to other holiday dinners. Everyone liked it because as I said, there are a lot of people who don't like cranberry but they like cherry. So in honor of my Grandma Money, I'm going to share her Cherry Jello Salad recipe. Its  on all our holiday tables. We really like it and it's so pretty and so simple. The picture I'm sharing isn't mine but is had the jello and had the c...

This is one of my favorite fall recipes. There's something warm and inviting about pumpkin and cinnamon, and of course, everything is better with cream cheese! This originally had a cream filling but the idea of an airy cream filling with pumpkin just didn't appeal to me. I felt like it would be so much better with cream cheese because of the heavier,thicker consistency. I used the cupcake recipe but used the filling recipe for pumpkin roll. So glad I did, it pairs wonderfully. This would be a perfect Thanksgiving dessert or great for breakfast the next morning! Like most things pumpkin,these are better the longer they sit,which means they can also be made ahead of time...HUGE PLUS! Whatever you do this year, take time to really think about what you're making and why you're making it. So many times in the Bible we see where Jesus and many other people ministered with food. It's a tool to heal the soul and break down walls. I have often said that I enjoy cooking beca...

Heidi found this recipe in the Point of Grace cookbook. We had them for the first time when we were on vacation a couple of years ago and we've making them every since for special occasions. This picture isn't ours. It's from the Point of Grace facebook page. You know what I mean   for those times when you want something just a little bit different, a little more special than  your usual green beans. The recipe says they are best made a day ahead of time and that makes them ideal for Thanksgiving because as you know the more things we can get done the day before the better. Here's the list of things you will need. 6 cans of green beans, drained,  any brand you like and it's just the regular size cans. 1/2 cup cider vinegar 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 pound bacon 1 large onion cut into thin rings 1. Fry bacon 2. Remove from pan and take grease off of heat. Crumble the bacon. 3. Mix vinegar and sugar. Add to grease. 4. Transfer to a large pot. Place onions...

I don't know how I could consider myself much of a poultry producer's wife if I didn't offer a chicken recipe from time to time. Thanksgiving is  a good time to share our chicken and dumpling recipe, of course I guess at Thanksgiving we should say Turkey and Dumplings. So without futher delay, here it is. Dumplings 2 cups water 1 stick butter (real butter) 4 cups self rising flour Bring the two cups of water and the one stick of butter to a boil When it boils remove from heat and pour over the top of the four cups of flour you've placed in a large heat proof bowl. This will really foam. It will fluff up like a cloud sort of like it's giving you a sneak peak at how light and fluffy they're going to be when they're done. Mix well with a large spoon.  It's going to be really hot and you need to be careful. I always have to get my hands in it to finish up as soon as it's cool enough. Roll out dough and cut into strips and then cut the ...

Mom asked me if I wanted to contribute some ideas of sides/desserts for all the upcoming holiday dinners. I said I would...and this recipe is a new favorite. Most of our holiday meals are usually packed with rich food and rich dessert...both of the same is just too much. This recipe is the perfect ending to any kind of big meal. It has just the right amount of sweetness to offset dinner but not so much that its overpowering. We agree that it actually gets better the longer it sets It also might appear to be a lot of complicated steps but its not...its very simple and doesn't take a lot of time. My family always enjoys trying new food, we are not one to have the same old stuff. Of course we have the staples but there's always a little something different too  Plenty of good reasons to add it to your table this year! German Chocolate Bread Pudding For the Bread Pudding 1  Tbsp. butter softened 2  cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz) 1  stick butter, cu...

My mother-in-law,  June,  is the best cook I know. Her Oyster Dressing is the best I've  ever had. Karen,  June's daughter,  my sister-in-law is as good of a cook as her mother and if you put their dressings side by side on the Thanksgiving table I couldn't tell them apart. Karen wrote the recipe out for me and I have been following it faithfully for several years now. To me,  it never tastes as good as theirs but my family assures me it is. You know how it is though...someone else' cooking is always better. If you don't like Oyster Dressing just omit the oysters and you will still have a wonderful dressing recipe. So are you ready? Let's go, you're gonna need: 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 bay leaf 1/4 cup butter 6 cups dry bread crumbs  ( you can buy the unseasoned packaged bread crumbs or tear up your own, I've done both) I Tbsp, chopped parsley 3 cans drained, chopped oysters, ...

Okay, I know what you're thinking,  what am I doing starting a Thanksgiving Day Side blog with a post about Brussel Sprouts? Well I'll tell you. I know lots of people don't like brussel sprouts but I also know brussel sprouts are gaining respect and love in the food world. I  also know  with all the Thanksgiving prep and stress we all need an easy side or two. So don't worry, there will be posts coming about dumplings and sweet potato casserole and oyster dressing and yes, Wendy, even buttered shrimp but for today we're honoring the often overlooked, yet beautiful fall vegetable, Brussel Sprouts. All my kids like brussel sprouts, greens cabbage, kraut..well all of us except Heidi, she is different that way but when she tried these she liked them. So don't be to quick to write this one off, give it a try. I can't remember where I got this recipe. I think I got it off the back of a package of brussel sprouts or salad dressing. I do know it did...

We talked about out gifts at Bible study last night and I'm still thinking about it today so of course you know that means I'm going to talk to you about it because when I think it I end up writing it. I asked everyone what they thought their gift was or what they were good at. I asked because the book told me to ask but I already knew they wouldn't answer because I wouldn't have answered. I have been in groups where that same question was asked and we all sat there and didn't say anything or we said we didn't have any. You and I both know why we do that..... we do it because to flat out say what your gift is feels prideful or arrogant. and who wants to be prideful or arrogant? The fact is Satan has lied to us. This is where in your minds eye you see Gomer Pyle saying, "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!" Only it's no surprise. The Bible tells us Satan is a liar and since we know that why do we always believe him over God? God tells us h...

Today is my mother-in-law, Junes birthday. She doesn't act or look her age. She keeps her house spotless, cooks three meals each day from scratch, works in the greenhouses and garden, keeps flowers, hangs up clothes on the line and takes them in again. Makes yeast biscuits and  various cakes and keeps them in the freezer so she is ready  when needed. She in Lowell will be married 65 years come next week. I think I have that right I might be off a year I need to check on that. Things haven't been easy, money was tight and June had to work away from home a lot of years. June has never not even once been an interfering mother-in-law. Sometimes when I was young if anything I thought she didn't show enough concern. I was wrong. She was just different from my mom. I see now I needed both of these women. I needed my mom to show me nurturing in mothering in one way and I needed to learn a different kind from June. I learned how to get up and keep working w...

We've got to wake up and stop running scared. We've got to remember we're the parents and it's okay to tell our kids no. It's okay to not make them happy all the time. We've got to live like we ought to and expect the same from them. We are in desparate need of fathers in our country. Men need to stop being passive and when they do stand up and lead we women have got to stop telling them they are doing it wrong and taking their srtength from them. I know I've shared the story of the elephants with you befor but in light of current events I'm going to share it again. In a game park young, you could call them teen age bull elephants started hurting the other elephants and each other and tearing up the park. They rangers couldn't understand why these young bulls were so out of control, they had never seen anything like it before. They tried to do things to stop them but nothing worked. One day they realized there were no old bulls ...

We've shared this simple little tip before but as we get new friends here it's always good to share again. When you are dealing with your little ones about something go to them and get down on their eye level. Look them in the eye and talk to them. They are smarter than you think, they can understand more than you think when you are calm and speak simple. If they are misbehaving and you need to do something, don't yell it from another room, if it really needs to be dealt with then it is important enough for you to stop what you are doing and go to the scene. In the beginning years if you put the time in to training that it takes your toddler years will be much smoother. An older woman once told me if my child was a normal healthy child I should have them under control by 18 months to 2 years old. Now days people think that is crazy but it isn't. Satan as always sold us a bill of goods. Our society tells us that our newborns or tiny babies are manipulating...

Have you ever been going through something and you just don't seem to be able to get through it? Have you ever been in a difficult relationship at work or church or even in the family? I have. Sometimes it's been an event, by event I mean something that happened that I didn't like or hurt or I didn't want to be. Sometimes it's been a person. What I've discovered is the same thing many of you have discovered. It's never the event and it's never the person it's always me. Now that isn't to say the event wasn't bad or the person wasn't wrong it's just to say I can't control that but I can control me. I remember one event in particular, when the house burned and I was so busy doing okay with it and seeing the protection of God in it which is a good thing but I failed to stop and ask what I could learn from it. What could God work out of me or into me through the losing of our home? So I asked hi...

Christian bookstores are full of books on how to grow a church. Bible colleges offer courses on growing churches. There might be some good things to learn from them but  a person can't help but wonder if we're looking in the wrong book. Don't we already have the answer? John 6:44 says,  "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them" We need to be praying that hearts will be softened and that God will be drawing people to himself. Programs are good but they won't get the heart, only God can do that. In the book of Acts the New Testament church as we know it today was born or had it's beginning. Chapter 2 verse 47 says, "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." The Lord added them, men didn't. God speaks through His Word and hearts are convicted and lives are changed through His Word and yet somehow, the Bible the very power we need,  has taken a backseat in church. We're afraid peop...