Category Archives: Uncategorized

Majestic Cornbread

enjoyment, encouragement, Family, Food, Miscellaneous, Tennessee, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

class=”size-full wp-image alignright” style=”border:.1px solid black;margin:.1px;” src=”https://preacherswifeintheknow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/cornbread-3.jpg?w=140″ alt=”Image” width=”140″ height=”104″ />They say the first step to recovery is admitting the truth…..so here I go…..I LOVE CORNBREAD!!! The problem is I don’t think I want to be free from my love affair with cornbread……..I just am not sure that it would even help. Some things only happen after prayer and fasting…..um ok….have not prayed about it…check! and I know I haven’t fasted…check! So what’s a girl to do?

The fact that I have been raised on cornbread doesn’t help any….yes Oprah I am blaming it on my Mother….and my Grandmother and all of the Aunts and family friends who have made this delicious addition to the southern feast we call….”family dinner!” Actually I really don’t so much blame them, I more over give them credit. The rich heritage I was raised on in the South is one that I am not ashamed of nor embarrassed by. We have the majestic southern cornbread……don’t be jealous!

ImageAny one can make it….but we southern girls do it best! My raisin’ taught me to use Lard…yikes! Thankfully I do not choose to do that. That is one small step in the right direction but its all downhill after that.

I do feel that you must have the correct equipment starting with the Iron Skillet. Or should I say a “seasoned” Iron Skillet. New ones can be used, but the first few batches may not be as good as the latter ones…..Also the oven has to HOT…not just hot but, REALLY HOT with a chunk of butter melting while the skillet is getting hot…..the skillet MUST be HOT before the batter goes in. The sizzle is the sound you listen for when you pour in the batter.

The skillet, in my mind is the only way to cook the bread, with one exception and only one. My Mom used to have this cute little IRON pan with six little corn on cob shaped individual…..precious, small cornbread muffin-type muffins. They were very crispy with a soft center and really cute. Gotta love old memories!

The cornbread cooks for about twenty minutes or so…I prefer it to be on the crispy side. There are times that I consider cooking dinners that go especially well with cornbread. I suppose that would be considered an addictive personality when you plan the meal around the bread? I can say honestly the bread is the star….yes I do love good bread. This is why I do not cook bread usually. Imagine if I did….I would be the size of “the broad side of a barn!!”….okay I know I am nearly there….shush!

The once, ever so often batch of cornbread is my guilty pleasure. But if I had to choose between bread and meat, I would choose bread! This is ridiculous considering my body type…proof is in the (puddin’!) or bread, so to speak, goes right to my middle! But on those few occasions when I am at a restaurant that has great bread or I make the occasional skillet of lovely cornbread, I allow myself to enjoy. You only live once, right? Slather on the butter……mmmmmmmmmmm!

Image

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Summer lovin’

humor, hope, LIFE, Old Age, Tennessee, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

Tennessee state welcome sign
Tennessee state welcome sign (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Anyone who has heard me in the more recent years, whether in ear shot or taken the time to read my written words, has heard me say how much I hate snow…cold weather…all things winter. So I may be the only one in the state of Tennessee that isn’t bewildered by the delicious heat wave we are now experiencing.

I am pretty sure that it is because I have slipped into the old age syndrome of enjoying hot weather more. I can remember when I was a little girl and my grandmother would have us out in the yard “rendering lard” on a hot summer day. Or maybe it was a fall day that was still like summer….sadly another sign of my agedness…memory loss of what time of the year we did this gross chore. Any way, I can remember how she would be so hot stirring the pot and I would think….can’t we go play?..it is soooooo hot sitting here watching her stir!” At least when running we could catch a breeze. My granny though would just endure it…not complaining. I suppose it wouldn’t have done any good…that is the way life was for her on the farm.

I am not in any way saying that a temperature of 104 is nice…yes it is awful…my sweat is sweating (sexy huh!) but I still say it is better than the cold. I even get cold inside our house…my feet are cold, I have to put on socks for which I hate….then I sit wrapped up in a quilt (not a snuggy, how moronic!). I think I must have tired blood.Or maybe I have the rickets…when was the last time I ate an orange, maybe that is scurvy I am thinking about? Could be I am becoming less of a complainer….? Nahhh not me, can’t be that one.

Maybe I am in the process of becoming skinny somehow(it could happen!) …seems like skinny women are always cold, with their brittle little fingers and tiny arms all shivery. And I am the world worse to complain when the car is hot or I feel smooshed in a hot room…panic attack begins to hit…no ventilation…no fan! Yet I am as happy as a clam in our sweltering heat. Go figure!

The only thing I can find wrong is that fall is soon to come…darkness is early and the gloomy winter isn’t far behind. But until then I will revel in the HOT days of summer. I still have all of July and August, maybe they will be slooowwww and breezy. Another thing,  I have gotten in the habit of wanting a huge amount of ice in my drink…which scares me to death…my mother-in-law does that and I also have been carrying around a plastic glass with a lid and straw a lot lately….oh Lord, say it ain’t so! I feel those smirks from my husband…and my daughter….curses!

Oh well it could be worse I guess. At least we stay hydrated!

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Fancy Cross Painting

Christianity, Faith, GOD, LIFE, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized

I painted this in acrylics and it has been very popular. I am thankful for this as it is a new take on the usual style cross. They are available for purchase if anyone should want one..just let me know. They are on Esty also!

likes and dislikes

Blogs, humor, hope, LIFE, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

Boy o’ boy!

This has been the laziest of dayz for me…..not sure if I like it so much, not to say I don’t like having time to pile up and watch movies all day, but since I have had some place to be everyday on this first lazy day in a while I sorta miss it. I know I am silly…I go back and forth with my likes and dislikes, silly woman, silly mind! But our likes and dislikes are the road map in our lives.

Just recently I confessed to a new friend of my dislike of huge amounts of mayo and mustard….after her kind husband brought us lunch from Subway with a huge amount of both condiments. Because I am not, as a rule rude I ate the sandwich, thankfully it was only a six-inch sub and I squished and squished the goop farther down the bun…and by the way loaded with dill pickles on the bun (really! I am an on the side girl!) But I did eat joyfully because it was a moment of welcoming me to their family which I felt honored to be accepted. I never would have told him but of course later I did tell my friend, his wife…..only after I was sharing with her of my weird quirks (she might as well get used to them, they are many!) I know she will tell him…I am doomed to get embarrassed! Another like is that I can hold a conversation with also a huge dislike that I talk too much! No winning!

life “on the side”

That is a huge part of my likes and dislikes…stuff “on the side”, but also a part of my charm! At least I am consistent…salad dressing, usually never, but sometimes on the side to dip into, mayo/mustard always never except for a grilled Reuben for which NO DRESSING and only a sliver of mustard, ketchup ALWAYS on the side and yes I like just a bit with a steak…on the side to just mingle with the steak juices. I have been poo pooed by waiters in good steak houses for this one…oh well bring it on!

I like new magazines(the glossiness and the good smell) but will instantly be irritated when someone sits a drink on them, makes a ring! I like new books too, the smell is great but I can’t stand the smell in a clothing store, all the dyes and such. I dislike a lot of smells…. feet, B.O., salmon patties(disgusting food, as well as liver cooking and eating), other people’s kids dirty diapers(one common to all of course but my own babies I could stand, nuts I know), old cigarette smell(I can smell one burning, but the after smell is gross, clothes, house, etc), the musty smell(basements/old books/closed up rooms), puke!(just let a puke smell come along and I am right there with them), a newly opened bag of Lay’s potato chips and Parmesan cheese. I think the dislikes beat the likes!

Many smells I like…. new car, newly painted rooms, clean hair, dial soap, Clorox bleach, lemons/limes, Sunday dinner roast cooking, bacon or anything wrapped in bacon,  fresh-cut grass, fires burning, my husband wearing cologne…mmmm!, my babies feet!

grown-ups

The problem is I like what I like and I have grown old enough to like only what I like…..the days of going along to keep peace are mostly gone unless it is a new friend situation…then I will succumb to any dislike to give it a chance for a new friend. They aren’t that easy to come by.  There are times when I can suck it up and get along, anyone who has ever been in any long relationship is a pro at that. I am sure all those episodes of House Hunters and Property Virgins have not been in my dear husbands LIKE list, but he watches with me and even helps me guess which they will pick. He can be a sport at times.Much better than me I must admit, I am a little spoiled.  But even he has chosen his own likes, that is what couples do I guess, eventually we kinda taper off to our own likes, space isn’t all bad and when I feel sorry for myself and feel left out, I try to remember that all that together time can be hard work! I need to pay him back by enduring the Sports talk shows…ugh! I don’t know if I have evolved that much!

We have too many miles under our belts to be worrying about such nonsense. He is one of my big likes, the biggest and I know I am his so even when we choose to be on the side from time to time it is okay…..makes it all the sweeter. That’s how we maintain in this life we ebb and flow with the times. When I was younger and my tastes were much more plain I never tried any thing new, stuck in a rut of foods that bored me and places and books and all the stuff we do for our life, but now I have lived outside that box and taken hold of new ideas. If I didn’ t have all this junk I would consider a minimalist life!

maybe someday

Someday maybe I will try beef jerky(the smell is the hold back with that one!) or Brussels sprouts(I let a plate of those sit and rot in defiance when I was a kid)or sugar beets(two words-slim-my)or sporting events(too big of crowd) or staying on the Interstate instead of taking a “short cut” on the back roads(probably not shorter but at least not stuck if there is a traffic jam) or video games! A fellow blogger wrote a post once about how she hated video games(I would link it if I could remember who it was, it has been a while)but one day she tried it and she clams it relieves stress( I don’t know about that one).

I suppose I will take my opinionated self on and try something new when the chance arises. I did taste a Caper the other day and found they were okay, nothing too weird so you never know what’s on the horizon in my likes and dislikes list. Oh yes, I like painting with Acrylics but can’t stand Oils……..random thought, sorry!

Feel free to compose your own list and fill me in.

There are plenty that I have left out here.

Give me a shout out!

 

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What I wouldn’t give?

Cancer, Faith, Family, GOD, LIFE, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

It has been about seven months since I said goodbye to my best com padre….and I know in my heart and mind that I will see her again, but when I let myself think about her (like nearly everyday) it is painful all the same. Though she was a woman of great faith and believed to her last breath in the God of healing, she had to receive that healing on the other side. Today her brother, my husband reminded me of just that, through his tears and pain he made known…. God still heals, maybe not in front of us as we pray for, but he still does do what he promises. What I wouldn’t give to see her healed.

The reality of her death comes at me in waves, sometimes slow like a small ripple across my feet when walking on the shore at the ocean’s edge. Other times, like today  a huge thrust of water, salty and drowning, taking me over. I sit and cry as if it just happened. I think how is it possible, I made peace with this, she is healed not in pain, beautiful and happy she is with the one who she longed to worship. But no, painful shock waves encompass my whole heart and once again I cry. What I wouldn’t give to be in worship service with her now.

Many times during my days as I do whatever needs to be done, it crosses my mind to tell her something, funny or crazy or just chatter. We needed no reason to talk, the incessant break down in laughter along with the chronic rehearsing of how we know so much better than anyone else how things should be. Anyone wonder what the next step should be in any given situation…just ask us, we knew! What I would give to go on a rant with her now.

On days like today, I wish I could ask her what she thinks, is she proud of me for what I am doing these days, she could help me count the costs and dream even bigger. I could tell her my fears and she would encourage me to not stop, keep it up….this is what you have always wanted! What I would give to run it by her and have her tell me I can do it.

The frustrating part is that I thought I was okay, dealing with the loss only to realize I may never be okay. No matter who thinks they had the market on her friendship, I know I did. We were sisters through and through. I know I am having a moment of sorrow now, lots of people have been here, but this is my first time. My first loss of someone so dear to my heart. She would comfort me for a minute…..then tell me to snap out of it and remind me that sorrow is for a night but joy comes in the morning(paraphrased) but now I have to just mourn.

I can not comprehend the depth of loss for her sons and her husband, makes me ashamed for my whinny-ness now. No comparison and I know that, but still the same I mourn also. What I wouldn’t give to talk to her again. She made a difference in my life, her life mattered, she was important to us all. I can only hope to make my life count. She always believed in me. No matter if we were in a time of joy or war, she was there telling me to be strong. What I wouldn’t give to be talking on the phone to her now.

So I will be strong and be encouraged because she would fuss at me if I weren’t, she would call me out and remind me that I am way to cynical for all this cry baby stuff. I will make her proud of me and still think of her everyday. Life is too short and too dang funny to not let it pass by without cracking up one way or another…..and I will continue to talk to her in my heart, apparently she is my alter ego in my head…she infiltrated somehow..maybe that was her plan after all……hmmm!

 

 

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Scary Moments

art, Christianity, enjoyment, encouragement, Faith, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

I read a quote today which is so true in any situation …“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ― Stephen King, On Writing.

This is not a revelation to any of us who have ventured into the unknown land of writing or any endeavor we get ourselves into. But it is comforting to me that such a well known and successful man and writer ever had any trepidation. Makes us common folks feel a bit better about ourselves, or at least I do!

Here I go!

This has been an exciting and equally scary few weeks, starting a new business. It has actually been fairly easy … God has opened a door for me after many long months … years … seems like centuries of job searching. It seems impossible these days to land one, the economy has been in an upheaval, hundreds of people applying for the same jobs at one time. Needless to say, it has not been easy. The one job I did land turned out to be short-lived, though it did get me a year or so of unemployment benefits. I have never had that before so a new experience … good, good, but then that dried up. So, as of late, it has been the land of dry bones around here.

Sink or swim?

When I aimlessly applied for … with no hope for any reply (real Woman of Faith here!) because I have sent my resume out to cyberspace only a zillion times before with no return answer. And I got a phone call, no less, the next day about an opportunity to do what I LOVE TO DO!!! Well hmmmm, can this be on the up and up? Turns out it is … and to my surprise, it is so perfect for me it scared me a little.

The Lord opened a door and I walked through it.

Sink or swim I am committed.

A sign?

At this point there is only potential … a big potential and I see myself just where I want to be. Right smack in the middle of God’s blessing for me. I don’t deserve it but I know this is HIM!

To further explain my excitement, something came to me after I agreed to take on this position … because I was worried since it is not an hourly income … then after I committed something happened. A movie (I know, silly! hang with me here) came to my mind. Willy Wonka (the old one with Gene Wilder, 1971 … the best one) and at the end, when Willie tells Charlie that he is giving everything to him and Charlie questions … why? Willie responds …

Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.

Charlie Bucket: What happened?

Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.

That is what I feel like the Lord was telling me … stop worrying silly … this is what you have wanted … do your thing … go with it!!!

Maybe I am crazy (don’t answer that!) but that is the way I think. Maybe this is my chance to do what I have always wanted. I have dabbled from time to time, in the business side of this, but never in this capacity with an open door and a ready-made business. All I can say is thank you!

I feel hopeful and inspired and ready to get busy.

It’s a start!

On this day I made my first real money.

I know it wasn’t much but it is mine and I have earned it … only a drop in the bucket, I hope, but it is a start, a chance and yes … it is really scary to start but boy it sure is fun when you do!

Scary Moments

art, Christianity, enjoyment, encouragement, Faith, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

I read a quote today which is so true in any situation …“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ― Stephen King, On Writing.

This is not a revelation to any of us who have ventured into the unknown land of writing or any endeavor we get ourselves into. But it is comforting to me that such a well known and successful man and writer ever had any trepidation. Makes us common folks feel a bit better about ourselves, or at least I do!

Here I go!

This has been an exciting and equally scary few weeks, starting a new business. It has actually been fairly easy … God has opened a door for me after many long months … years … seems like centuries of job searching. It seems impossible these days to land one, the economy has been in an upheaval, hundreds of people applying for the same jobs at one time. Needless to say, it has not been easy. The one job I did land turned out to be short-lived, though it did get me a year or so of unemployment benefits. I have never had that before so a new experience … good, good, but then that dried up. So, as of late, it has been the land of dry bones around here.

Sink or swim?

When I aimlessly applied for … with no hope for any reply (real Woman of Faith here!) because I have sent my resume out to cyberspace only a zillion times before with no return answer. And I got a phone call, no less, the next day about an opportunity to do what I LOVE TO DO!!! Well hmmmm, can this be on the up and up? Turns out it is … and to my surprise, it is so perfect for me it scared me a little.

The Lord opened a door and I walked through it.

Sink or swim I am committed.

A sign?

At this point there is only potential … a big potential and I see myself just where I want to be. Right smack in the middle of God’s blessing for me. I don’t deserve it but I know this is HIM!

To further explain my excitement, something came to me after I agreed to take on this position … because I was worried since it is not an hourly income … then after I committed something happened. A movie (I know, silly! hang with me here) came to my mind. Willy Wonka (the old one with Gene Wilder, 1971 … the best one) and at the end, when Willie tells Charlie that he is giving everything to him and Charlie questions … why? Willie responds …

Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.

Charlie Bucket: What happened?

Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.

That is what I feel like the Lord was telling me … stop worrying silly … this is what you have wanted … do your thing … go with it!!!

Maybe I am crazy (don’t answer that!) but that is the way I think. Maybe this is my chance to do what I have always wanted. I have dabbled from time to time, in the business side of this, but never in this capacity with an open door and a ready-made business. All I can say is thank you!

I feel hopeful and inspired and ready to get busy.

It’s a start!

On this day I made my first real money.

I know it wasn’t much but it is mine and I have earned it … only a drop in the bucket, I hope, but it is a start, a chance and yes … it is really scary to start but boy it sure is fun when you do!

If the writing is honest it cannot be separated from the man who wrote it. Tennessee Williams

Blogs, enjoyment, encouragement, humor, hope, LIFE, Miscellaneous, Tennessee, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

WordPress Logo
WordPress Logo (Photo credit: Phil Oakley)

I noticed this on a WordPress side bar and thought I would post it…..feels like what I think about my own writing style.

I am what I am and this spills out onto the page. Good or Bad! I do have a filter but only about some things, mostly I feel as if I think these crazy thoughts….I can’t be the only one?

SO for all the readers out there who are as brashly(not a word ?but still used it!) plain as I am in their thoughts and words….I give you a shout out today!!!!………..!Thanks for reading!

Hang tough! I will keep writing my BLOG….. because if I don’t it all stays in my head and drives me crazy all alone.

Just spreadin’ the LOVE!

If the writing is honest it cannot be separated from the man who wrote it. Tennessee Williams

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Girls are smarter!

kids, LIFE, Miscellaneous, Mothers, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

I LOVE MY NEW HAIR-DO!

Image
Daisies are our favorite flower….and the happiest one!

Girls are always smarter and when you have a daughter that is smart it feels like you as the Mom are smarter too.

Of course it works on the flip side of that too…but that is not the point today! My girl purchased  me a new hair-do for Mother’s Day and I must say it was my favorite gift! Sorry to my three sons but let’s just be real….

Girls are always SMARTER!

No more just a fact…..thank you daughter dear! I love you BIG!

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I was never worried

humor, hope, husbands, LIFE, Mothers, torture!, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

While thinking about my life as a Mother…..while the most recent holiday was just upon us, I reminded myself how amusing it is that I turned out as good at it as I am. Not to brag , but I would say I have been fairly successful. What I mean to say is to my knowledge my children don’t hate me…yet. Of course, keep hope alive kids…there is always time!

Cover of "Some Kind of Wonderful (Special...
Cover via Amazon

To Begin With

My future was not always so bright in the area of potential motherhood. As a matter of fact my prospects for a date weren’t all that great! By the time I hit high school all my peers seem to peak in their developmental stride. Me, of course, never even knew there was such a thing as puberty…..fun for me in many ways, but not so much fun when you were as boy crazy as I was. Yes…I was that girl, I had tons of boy-friends! Not BOYFRIENDS! To my dismay, I just wasn’t the kind of girl they wanted….unless it was to hang out and ride around town and laugh and be the go-between in the hunt for babes! I guess you could say I was like ” Watts” in the movie Some Kind of Wonderful and I had several “Keith” characters I was crushing on. I promise I had more fun than the other girls.

Finally

By nearly all the way thru my Senior year at seventeen and three-fourths, I finally began to ….let’s just say mature! Just the beginnings though…..finally got a date or two….scared the crap out of me…..was not ready for ALL THAT! Would prefer to stay “Watts.” So I did and had the best time in the world. Apparently my reputation preceded me and I ended up in the annual with a snarky “staff” writer opinion! I went back to re-read what it stated and now I am even more bugged by it. Stupid freaks on the annual staff! They added a lot of snarky comments to the graduating seniors BIO.

See example A.

example A

Notice the last (2) lines….emphasis on last one! Of course maybe when I stated that...” Marriage will be a last resort unless someone comes along to change my mind.” caused the freaks to use this against me. This was only self preservation…a lonely girls cry for help…..sad, poor silly girl, yet to be grown-up! They make sitcoms about girls like me now! Born before my time once again…..story of my life! This still does not give the freaks rights to be judge and jury!

The joke’s on them…by college and about nineteen years old I was on my way….no Farrah Faucet-Majors (that was her name then!) but I could hold my own! In high school my awkwardness gave way to becoming a good person…not like the self involved girls (though I longed to be like them…I wasn’t that good!)

So.….when I was well into college, after I had loved and lost a couple of times, I fell for a good one and as to not give him “the big head” I will not embarrass him with the details. But I fell hard and fast and with him we had four gorgeous children AND I think I was a pretty darn good wife. He is still with me after thirty years and I am confident of thirty more. He did come along to change my mind and I have never looked back.

For all those awkward immature young girls out there who wonder if they were going to ever evolve into a woman…..hang on it will happen and I will tell you just as my Mom told me….when it happens you will be sorry….watch what you ask for! Enjoy the innocence and take time to enjoy the ride. Do like me and prove all those boys wrong…..the ones that peaked early and are bald or balding and have a bit of a belly…working on their second or third wife! It is their loss. And to all the ones who hold all the power in high school…I officially stick my tongue out at you…stupid bunch of freaks!

By the way.

……if there is a “stupid bunch of freaks” society that I have been rude to and UN-Politcally correct to…please forgive. This is my blog…I can gripe if I want to! And I was never worried!!

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