anniversary party

Tonight was the anniversary party for Hewitt and Christine Mincey.   What a great time of fellowship with good friends celebrating 35 years.

VBS Planning

 I love how the Lord works and brings together HIS plan.  Tonight I met with Brenda to discuss this year's VBS and what our focus would be.  We came up with a plan and the Lord blessed it so much with giving us ideas that we were able to bring to fruition after dinner when we went to the Dollar Tree.  We wanted to work on some decoration ideas and we were BLOWN away with what we found tonight.  Can't wait to get it all together for the kids.

KIDS giving to KIDS.  Love that.

We also were able to come up with our Mission action for the week.  In August we will be packing backpacks for students so we will be collecting school supplies to go into the bags.  The kids will be participating in collecting items to go into the bags, then during Sunday School or Worship time they can make cards that will be placed in the bags to encourage the students.

So, went into the bathroom and in one of the bathroom stalls was an electrical outlet.  WHY?  What would you need an electrical outlet for when you are going to the bathroom?  HMMMMMM.

Cherry Cheesecake Tarts

 

Cherry Cheesecake Tarts

1 Cup Vanilla Wafers, crumbled

4 TBL oleo/margarine/butter melted

Combine melted oleo/margarine/butter and crumbs together and press in cubcake papers

Beat until smooth

8 oz cream cheese

Add: (beat until smooth)

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp vanilla

Spoon on top of crumb mixture

Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Cool and spook canned cherry topping (or any flavor, but cherry is the best) on top.

Keep refrigerated

Approximately 12 tarts

350 10 min small size cupcake papers

Hot German Potato Salad

 

Hot German Potato Salad  – Betty Crocker Recipe Card Library

9 Medium Potatoes

6 slices bacon 

¾ Cup Chopped Onion

2 Tablespoons Flour

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon celery seed

Dash Pepper

¾ cup water

1/3 cup vinegar

Pare potatoes.  In saucepan, heat 1 inch sated water (1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup water) to boiling.  Add potatoes.  Cover; cook 30-35 minutes or until tender.  Drain; set aside

In large skillet, fry bacon until crisp; remove and drain.  Cook and stir onion in bacon drippings until golden brown.  Blend in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper.  Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is bubbly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in water and vinegar.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.

Crumble bacon.  Thinly slice potatoes.  Carefully stir bacon and potatoes into hot mixture.  Heat through, stirring lightly to coat potato slices.

Crabtree variation of this recipe

Do not use low sodium bacon, it doesn’t produce enough grease.  Do not use thick bacon, you won’t get enough bacon.

We typically cook about 1 lb bacon because we double this recipe.

We do not double the salt – we stick to 2 teaspoons.  If you do not double the recipe, cut the salt in half.  

Bread Stuffing (Master Recipe) – from the Mary Margaret McBride Cookbook

Bread Stuffing (Master Recipe) – from the Mary Margaret McBride Cookbook

4 cups stale bread cubes

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon thyme or marjoram

½ to 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 

¼ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup melted fat

Combine bread, seasonings, and onion.  Slowly add fat, tossing lightly with a fork until blended. 

For a more moist stuffing slowly add up to 1/3 cup hot water or stock.  Makes about 4 cups stuffing.  Allow 1 cup for each pound of poultry.

Bread Stuffing Varations:

Celery stuffing: to master recipe add 1 cup finely chopped celery.

Sage Stuffing: in master recipe, omit thyme or marjoram.  Add 1 Tablespoon crumbled sage leaves.

Crabtree variation of this recipe:

Omit the following:

Thyme or marjoram

Poultry seasoning

salt

Add celery and sage 

The “melted fat” is a stick of butter, not margarine

Use Swanson Chicken Broth with less salt – enough to make moist (typically about 2 ½ cans)

Use 2-3 bags of fresh bread torn into cubes

Mix the celery, onion, chicken stock and meted better together until it is hot, enough to soften the celery.  Pour this mixture over the bread crumbs and cook in 2 8” square aluminum pans covered or in the turkey.  We typically cook it for about 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Some Favorite Disney movie quotes

 

Trades of Hope

 

Trades of Hope is an opportunity to buy fair trade ethically made products.  This company is giving people a chance to a job, get out of poverty, out of the depths of Human Trafficking.

My business link is  https://tradesofhope.com/barbracrabtree

There are beautiful pieces of jewelry, home decor, purses, etc.  

I love my Trades of Hope pieces.  I feel that I am able to give a piece of hope to someone on the other side of the world by giving them an income from my purchases.

Wisdom Wednesday

 Today I had my mammogram.  The appointment was scheduled a couple different times.  I wasn't really sure why we needed to keep rescheduling on the same day, but you run with it and trust the Lord.  After my mammogram, waiting to see if I would be having an ultrasound as well I was in the waiting room at the Breast Center of South Florida Baptist Hospital and met a dear lady whose name is Miriam.  

Miriam was there for her mammogram as well as ultrasound for a mass on her thyroid.  She was filled with anxiety.  I spoke with her for a bit to get her story.  She has a family history of cancer and was extremely nervous today.  Not knowing if she was a Christian or not, I asked her if I could pray WITH her, not FOR her.  There is a difference.  Many times we say we will pray for someone and yet forget.  I don't want to forget.  I want to be used by God in every moment of my life.  When she said yes to prayer, I got up from what I was working on and went to hold her hand and pray with her right then.  I continued to pray for her throughout the day as she came to my mind.  Will I know her outcome, no.  That is not the purpose.  My appointment was changed so that I could pray with her and offer a bit of peace and encouragement for her.

After coming  home and working for a bit, I received a call back from Lisa at the Breast Center indicating that the radiologist has stated that we should do an MRI with contrast first before a biopsy, the MRI may determine that a biopsy is not needed.  Lisa was going to get with the doctor office to have them send over a script for the MRI and trying to get that scheduled prior to the scheduled biopsy on May 31, 2023 at 8:00 am.  Lisa said it might be a good idea to reach out to the office to help speed the process along.  She wanted to keep the biopsy appointment just to be on the safe side in case anything on the MRI determines that the biopsy is needed.  

All this may have been just to meet Miriam and pray with her.  In my spirit I have been at peace the entire day and have not felt anxious once.  I know many would be at wits end with the thought of needing a biopsy.  I trust the Lord so much, that I know he has everything in his hands and that no matter what I will be alright.  

I do not know what the Lord has planned, I know he has me through anything that I go through.

Until next time....

Random thoughts for a Tuesday

 Today, as I went to work I was THRILLED with the fact that I had left a little later than typical and I had ZERO traffic on I-4.  That is a miracle.  It only took me about 30 minutes to get to the office.  YEAH!

Then I went to Publix to get some lunch and the total came to $14.01 (I was buying excess stuff as well).  When I went to check out I didn't have any change and the cashier didn't want to count out .99 cents so she said don't worry about it.  I thanked her and as I was walking out I looked down and saw a penny on the ground.  

I picked it up and promptly went back to the same cashier and handed it to her.  She said "thank you, the next customer left a penny as well."  Touches of heaven is what I see there.  You see, as a former retail worker I know what it means to have your cash drawer check out properly at the end of the evening, yes the cashier probably has a couple dollars of wiggle room.  But, if she continues to let people off with a penny all day, those add up fast.  This is what integrity is about to me.  See, I could have picked up that penny and went my merry way.  I could have left the penny for the next person.  Nope.  I picked it up because I didn't want her drawer to be off when her shift ended. 

This month  has been so busy with different things to prepare for, go to or get done.  I want to encourage everyone to find the Lord in all the details of your life.  The big, the small, the unexpected.  God is always with us, if we are His child.  If we are not His child, he is calling out to you to come and have a relationship with him.

A year ago during routine mammography I was told they are watching a spot and to come back in 6 months.  I went back again after 6 months and they said all was good see you in another 6 months for follow-up.  Tomorrow is the yearly follow-up exam.  I have zero concerns and I will praise God for upcoming test results, whether they be good or bad.  

I know He has my life in His hands and He will guide me every day.  

We must remember to praise Him in the good times, in the middle of times and in the bad times.  

Every once in a while I chose to praise Him for something that may be coming down the road.  That is what I chose today.  What about you?

I saw this image above of the girl with the umbrella and it spoke to me, then I saw it was from a purposeful singleness website.  Now, I have not looked at that site, but my singleness is very purposeful in all that I do, I want to make sure that I am honoring the Lord and following His plan for my life.  

Until next time...