Thanks to everyone who participated. Unfortunately I was anemic and couldn't participate :-(.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Spoiled Rotten Girls
Minnie and Jilly don't care if the house is clean, as long as Momma remembers where the dog treats are kept.
Someday my princess will come...I hope she's wearing a Molly Maid outfit!
The other day I spent several hours straightening my living room. How large is this room, you may ask. Not very large at all. First I looked over the room and decided to return all the orphan items to their proper homes. This was my first mistake. I have a habit of hanging my purse on the staircase rail. Here’s my pink elephant Vera, love that one, and my straw summer Brighton, oh, and this little black Vera I had just carried to a funeral. Why is this one here? I haven’t carried it in two months. I gather all my purses and carry them into the bedroom to put them away. Oh, wait a minute; I should put in a load of clothes before I start. What is in these purses, they’re so heavy. Maybe I should clean them out before I store them. I’d better make the bed so I have a smooth surface on which to work. I cleaned out all my purses and I found three dollars, a roll of quarters, fifteen pens, three tubes of hand cream, one Burt’s Bees lip balm, and a book of checks for an account I closed three years ago. Oh, the washer has stopped. Dump the clothes in the dryer and start another load. Back to the bedroom. I keep my Vera Bradley bags in a plastic bin in my closet. I put all of those back in and find a purse I‘d like to carry for a while, so I keep that one out. Then I start pulling down the Brighton storage boxes. One falls and hits me on the cheek. My face is bleeding, so I grab a tissue and sit down until it stops bleeding. While I’m waiting I read a couple of chapters in Digital Fortress. Back to the living room, but first I dump the clothes from the dryer onto the bed. I fold them and put them away after I finish putting away my purses. Then I go into the kitchen to help Nick make a rub for the tenderloin he’s grilling for supper. We decided to eat lunch. After lunch I look at the clutter in my living room. That’s when I decide I need to rest a while and read my email. This is my never-ending story…….
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Hot Cars
Today someone was talking about a red Porsche and I said that Nick drove a Porsche before we got married. I said "He used to have hot cars, now he has a hot wife." Of course, I'm talking about flashes and not looks!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Sensible Shoes Sisterhood
You’ve heard of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, well, I belong to the Sensible Shoes Sisterhood. This is what my friends and I call our monthly lunch gatherings. I had never watched Sex in the City, one because we don’t have HBO and two because it isn’t listed on the list of approved television shows for a woman of the cloth; however, once the show started coming on TBS, I saw the advertisements and a few snippets of the show. The women are of course ridiculously beautiful, no offense ladies, but most of us don’t look like that, and rich, and quite honestly, a little sleazy. Anyway, I started hearing references to Manolo Blanicks (sp), and other shoes that cost more than my monthly car payment. Since there are four of them, and four of my crew, I thought we needed a name. Of course, the sex and the city girls didn’t really fit us, so I looked down at our feet one day outside of Logan’s Roadhouse, and it hit me! We’re the Sensible Shoes Girls! We’ve been calling ourselves that ever since, well, one of the husbands suggested that we be sisters instead of girls, and since we are all looking very closely at one side or the other of fifty, sisters it is! We get together for lunch as often as well can, wearing our sensible shoes of course, and instead of cosmos, we drink sweet tea or soda. The conversations are no less scintillating; I wonder if TBS would be interested in us?
Monday, September 8, 2008
World Changers?
I love stories. I love to watch people on the street and pretend I know what their lives must be like. Sometimes I will even verbalize those thoughts to Nick and we will laugh at the possible scenarios, but what is really special is when a story comes to life. The bible is full of great stories, people in crisis, feisty women and stubborn men, rebellious children, and examples for living a Christ-like life. Last Wednesday we witnessed a Bible story come to real life. Nick was teaching a children’s class and I was doing inventory in the Awana store with Cara, my commander partner. I finished before Nick and was waiting in his office when Joe Roy came in and asked me if I had keys to Nick’s truck.
“He has a flat tire, and I’m going to change it for him,” he explained.
I was reluctant to give up the keys because I thought Nick wouldn’t want Joe to do that, but he persisted and together we walked outside. He and a couple of other men started looking at the tire, the spare, and eventually the owner’s manual. There’s nothing like a crisis with a man’s truck to draw a crowd. I think before they were through, twenty people we standing in support of the tire changers. Soon, the spare was on, the flat tire was in the bed of the truck and the tools and manuals were back in their places. The Good Samaritan had come to life in our church parking lot.
Work in the ministry is a lot like sunscreen. People only notice it when it’s not there. Everyday countless actions are completed that go completely unnoticed by most people. Fortunately, most ministers do their work without expecting much in return, however, like everyone else, a little praise goes a long way. I thought Nick might be upset that I had allowed these men to change his tire, but I was wrong. As we walked back into the church, Nick was beaming, “I can’t believe those men did that for me. I feel so loved.” And to think I had almost denied him this little bit of praise.
So to Joe Roy, Jimmy Julian, Cecil Hayes, Walter Peterson, and Bucky Pinnell (and forgive me it I’ve left someone out) thanks for making Nick’s day. We love you!
“He has a flat tire, and I’m going to change it for him,” he explained.
I was reluctant to give up the keys because I thought Nick wouldn’t want Joe to do that, but he persisted and together we walked outside. He and a couple of other men started looking at the tire, the spare, and eventually the owner’s manual. There’s nothing like a crisis with a man’s truck to draw a crowd. I think before they were through, twenty people we standing in support of the tire changers. Soon, the spare was on, the flat tire was in the bed of the truck and the tools and manuals were back in their places. The Good Samaritan had come to life in our church parking lot.
Work in the ministry is a lot like sunscreen. People only notice it when it’s not there. Everyday countless actions are completed that go completely unnoticed by most people. Fortunately, most ministers do their work without expecting much in return, however, like everyone else, a little praise goes a long way. I thought Nick might be upset that I had allowed these men to change his tire, but I was wrong. As we walked back into the church, Nick was beaming, “I can’t believe those men did that for me. I feel so loved.” And to think I had almost denied him this little bit of praise.
So to Joe Roy, Jimmy Julian, Cecil Hayes, Walter Peterson, and Bucky Pinnell (and forgive me it I’ve left someone out) thanks for making Nick’s day. We love you!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Southern Living
Here’s another presentation that I did for a WMU meeting one night. You might enjoy this:
Hi, my name is Theresa and I am a home décor addict. You might be a home décor addict if
You named your pets Hilde, Doug, and Frank.
You carry fabric swatches and paint chips in your purse
You can find architectural elements in your neighbor’s garbage.
You know the days for new inventory at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.
You have more home magazines than the public library.
You’ve rearranged your furniture so many times even the cat can’t find the most comfortable seat in the house.
Why are so many women home décor addicts? One simple reason. We have a need to have homes instead of houses. We need things to surround us that are a reflection of our families. We need our homes to be a place of comfort and shelter. We need to be surrounded by beauty and to enjoy simple pleasures like sipping coffee in our favorite chair or filling a vase with flowers from our own garden. To quote a line from Steel Magnolias, “the only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize”.
How do we create warm, comfortable, and inviting homes? The first thing we do is to determine what our favorite things are and what style we want to emphasize. I am so blessed to be a part of the Southern Living family. For just over a year I have been a consultant with Southern Living at HOME. But since I have at least 20 years worth of Southern Living magazines in boxes in my house, I was a self appointed expert even before that!
The mission statement says it all: “To create a feeling of welcome, comfort, and beauty in homes all across America, while fostering the spirit of generosity in the lives of our consultants and their families.”
One of the things that impressed me about this statement is the fact that we want to reach every home, not just the homes that are expensive or over a certain square footage. I grew up on a dirt road in Massey Hill. I’ve lived in a mobile home, a one bedroom apartment, and houses with anywhere from 1000 to 3000 square feet, however, the elements that made these houses a home, have little to do with the monetary value of their contents. When we gather together our favorite things and display them in a way that is pleasing to us, we have made our house a home.
When I think about my most valuable possessions the items that come to mind are rarely things that I purchased in a store, rather they were gathered about me throughout the stages of my life. I have the antique iron bed that I salvaged from my aunt’s shed, a chipped platter, a hope chest, a raggedy Ann doll made by my brother’s wife, my grandmother’s dresser that survived a West Virginia blizzard. I have carried these things with me wherever I have lived. Even though they may not be showcased in my living room, you will find them somewhere in my home because they are a part of me. So in your planning, make sure that your home reflects who you are.
Here are a few practical tips to get you started:
PAINT THE WALLS. Nothing warms a room faster than painting the walls a warm and inviting color.
Create still life arrangements or vignettes in your rooms. Think about the pages of Southern Living magazine. The rooms tell stories about the people that live in the houses. What is your passion? What do you collect? Incorporate who you are, with how you decorate your rooms. Put out a tea or coffee server on your sideboard or sofa table, just as if you were expecting someone. Fill your guest bathroom with baskets of soaps and fluffy towels. Have fresh flowers on the table even when you’re not having company.
Don’t forget your senses. Don’t just light your candles for company. I burn candles all through the day so when I come in from outside, my house smells delicious!
Vary textures. Use throw pillows and afghans. Layering fabrics over your furniture creates instant warmth. This goes for the floor as well. Even if you have wall to wall carpet use rugs to anchor a sitting area. Rugs on hardwood floors and tile soften your rooms.
Every room needs something living like plants or flowers. And if your green thumb is defective, you can find great fakes!
Books and magazines make great foundations for your tablescapes.
Don’t forget to add something fun.
No matter your living situation, you can make a warm and inviting home by taking the time to discover who you are and how you want that conveyed to your family and friends.
Let me show you a couple of arrangements:
Herbs in lemons
Farmhouse basket
French Quarter Tray
And briefly I would like to talk about my passion, which is cooking and entertaining. I discovered my love of cooking while I was in college. I am not happy cooking for myself, I must have an audience. Even though I am not Italian, I relate to their need to feed and nurture. I began entertaining in my dorm room. With a hot plate, electric skillet, and toaster oven, I was able to create full course meals for my friends. I soon gained the reputation as the one who know about cooking. One day some friends took a day trip to the beach and returned with fish they had caught from the pier. None of them had any clue how to clean and cook the fish. Who would know this? Theresa would. And even though I had never done this myself, I had watched my parents clean and cook fish hundreds of times. And so I was able to accommodate my friends. This is how much of my experience has been gained. Trying new things and not being afraid if something doesn’t turn out perfectly.
Here are some tips for entertaining.
Take a deep breath and relax. Plan your menu and tables, but be flexible. No one will know if your dog ate one of your appetizers.
Prepare foods that you are comfortable with. You don’t have to personally make every item. Buy some things at the deli or bakery.
Present food on beautiful platters and containers. Vary the height and size of dishes.
Prepare most of the items in advance so you can have a shower and be relaxed when your guests arrive.
Don’t forget the candles.
Place the most importance on enjoying your guests and not impressing them with your entertaining prowess.
Practice makes perfect.
Now, let’s give away some doorprizes and then enjoy ourselves!
Hi, my name is Theresa and I am a home décor addict. You might be a home décor addict if
You named your pets Hilde, Doug, and Frank.
You carry fabric swatches and paint chips in your purse
You can find architectural elements in your neighbor’s garbage.
You know the days for new inventory at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.
You have more home magazines than the public library.
You’ve rearranged your furniture so many times even the cat can’t find the most comfortable seat in the house.
Why are so many women home décor addicts? One simple reason. We have a need to have homes instead of houses. We need things to surround us that are a reflection of our families. We need our homes to be a place of comfort and shelter. We need to be surrounded by beauty and to enjoy simple pleasures like sipping coffee in our favorite chair or filling a vase with flowers from our own garden. To quote a line from Steel Magnolias, “the only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize”.
How do we create warm, comfortable, and inviting homes? The first thing we do is to determine what our favorite things are and what style we want to emphasize. I am so blessed to be a part of the Southern Living family. For just over a year I have been a consultant with Southern Living at HOME. But since I have at least 20 years worth of Southern Living magazines in boxes in my house, I was a self appointed expert even before that!
The mission statement says it all: “To create a feeling of welcome, comfort, and beauty in homes all across America, while fostering the spirit of generosity in the lives of our consultants and their families.”
One of the things that impressed me about this statement is the fact that we want to reach every home, not just the homes that are expensive or over a certain square footage. I grew up on a dirt road in Massey Hill. I’ve lived in a mobile home, a one bedroom apartment, and houses with anywhere from 1000 to 3000 square feet, however, the elements that made these houses a home, have little to do with the monetary value of their contents. When we gather together our favorite things and display them in a way that is pleasing to us, we have made our house a home.
When I think about my most valuable possessions the items that come to mind are rarely things that I purchased in a store, rather they were gathered about me throughout the stages of my life. I have the antique iron bed that I salvaged from my aunt’s shed, a chipped platter, a hope chest, a raggedy Ann doll made by my brother’s wife, my grandmother’s dresser that survived a West Virginia blizzard. I have carried these things with me wherever I have lived. Even though they may not be showcased in my living room, you will find them somewhere in my home because they are a part of me. So in your planning, make sure that your home reflects who you are.
Here are a few practical tips to get you started:
PAINT THE WALLS. Nothing warms a room faster than painting the walls a warm and inviting color.
Create still life arrangements or vignettes in your rooms. Think about the pages of Southern Living magazine. The rooms tell stories about the people that live in the houses. What is your passion? What do you collect? Incorporate who you are, with how you decorate your rooms. Put out a tea or coffee server on your sideboard or sofa table, just as if you were expecting someone. Fill your guest bathroom with baskets of soaps and fluffy towels. Have fresh flowers on the table even when you’re not having company.
Don’t forget your senses. Don’t just light your candles for company. I burn candles all through the day so when I come in from outside, my house smells delicious!
Vary textures. Use throw pillows and afghans. Layering fabrics over your furniture creates instant warmth. This goes for the floor as well. Even if you have wall to wall carpet use rugs to anchor a sitting area. Rugs on hardwood floors and tile soften your rooms.
Every room needs something living like plants or flowers. And if your green thumb is defective, you can find great fakes!
Books and magazines make great foundations for your tablescapes.
Don’t forget to add something fun.
No matter your living situation, you can make a warm and inviting home by taking the time to discover who you are and how you want that conveyed to your family and friends.
Let me show you a couple of arrangements:
Herbs in lemons
Farmhouse basket
French Quarter Tray
And briefly I would like to talk about my passion, which is cooking and entertaining. I discovered my love of cooking while I was in college. I am not happy cooking for myself, I must have an audience. Even though I am not Italian, I relate to their need to feed and nurture. I began entertaining in my dorm room. With a hot plate, electric skillet, and toaster oven, I was able to create full course meals for my friends. I soon gained the reputation as the one who know about cooking. One day some friends took a day trip to the beach and returned with fish they had caught from the pier. None of them had any clue how to clean and cook the fish. Who would know this? Theresa would. And even though I had never done this myself, I had watched my parents clean and cook fish hundreds of times. And so I was able to accommodate my friends. This is how much of my experience has been gained. Trying new things and not being afraid if something doesn’t turn out perfectly.
Here are some tips for entertaining.
Take a deep breath and relax. Plan your menu and tables, but be flexible. No one will know if your dog ate one of your appetizers.
Prepare foods that you are comfortable with. You don’t have to personally make every item. Buy some things at the deli or bakery.
Present food on beautiful platters and containers. Vary the height and size of dishes.
Prepare most of the items in advance so you can have a shower and be relaxed when your guests arrive.
Don’t forget the candles.
Place the most importance on enjoying your guests and not impressing them with your entertaining prowess.
Practice makes perfect.
Now, let’s give away some doorprizes and then enjoy ourselves!
Other Duties as Assigned
As a minister’s wife I sometimes get asked to do some odd things. I call these things “other duties as assigned”. My husband gets asked to do even stranger things, but he’ll have to post those on his own blog. Because I have been a caterer and church cook, I am often asked for recipes and cooking and entertaining advice. Once for a women’s ministry day at church I was asked to do a cooking demonstration.
My friend Diane and I did this together. This was a blast. I gathered some of my favorite recipes and advice and put this all in my handout. I decided to demonstrate how to roast a whole chicken. I started out by explaining which end of the chicken was “up”. My friend Betty West still hoots every time she thinks about this. She calls it the day I made the “chicken dance.” I oiled up the chicken with olive oil and seasoned it with herbs and spices, I put everything in a foil roasting pan and this became one of the door prizes. I personally thought this was a great idea because the recipient had a free dinner that just needed to be roasted; however, the lady that won this was so disgusted by the raw chicken that she wouldn’t touch it and ended up giving it to her friend! So much for my great idea!
Here’s part of my presentation:
The Hospitable Woman of God
How to Minister and Encourage Others with Food
As women we are expected to prepare the meals for not only our own families, but other families in times of trials and celebrations. The first indication that a milestone has taken place is the appearance of a covered dish. This tradition of sharing ourselves through food began long before Jesus took the loaves of fishes from a small boy to feed thousands. Many bible stories include the sharing of a meal. You may more resemble Lucy in the chocolate factory than Martha Stewart, but nonetheless, part of your role as a woman of God is to reach out in love with food to your brothers.
Many times we must respond quickly to the food needs of a family in bereavement. The key to answering this call is being prepared by having a source of quick and easy recipes, having meats in the freezer and other ingredients in the pantry. In other words, a plan. Rosemary Lemon Roasted Chicken is a delicious meal in one dish, and makes a lovely addition to an “after funeral” meal. Many of you are probably intimidated by cooking a whole chicken, but once you see how easy and inexpensive this is, what I like to call the “holy bird”, will be one of your favorites.
How to roast a chicken in 3 easy steps:
1. Wash the chicken carefully removing any quills or hairs. Also, snip the tail with a pair of kitchen shears and remove the insides (sometimes in a plastic or paper bag).
2. Rub the skin with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fill the inside cavity with herbs, lemons, garlic, onions, etc. (this depends on the recipe)
3. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up (think about how to chicken looks standing up, the wings are her arms, so the wings are in front of the breast), bake at indicated temperature (usually 350 degrees) and baste every 20 to 30 minutes. The chicken should be done in about 1 ½ hours, or when a thermometer reads 180 degrees when placed in the thigh area of the chicken. Allow the chicken to rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
I like to add red potatoes and fresh green beans to the pan. You can also add several cloves of peeled garlic if you like.
Another recipe that I will share that everyone loves was given to me by my friend Sherese Ivey. She got it from someone in her church in Jacksonville, Florida. I passed it around like the collection plate at a tent meeting. We all had a good laugh when we realized this recipe was printed on the label of Jimmy Dean sausage! Nevertheless, it is a crowd pleaser:
Sausage Croissants
1 pound sausage, fried, drained, and crumbled
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
2 tubes of crescent rolls
Mix cooked sausage and cream cheese. Unroll crescent rolls and fill each one with about a tablespoon of sausage mixture. Roll into triangle and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. If you like you can brush the rolls with an eggwash and spinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Makes 16 croissants. You can make the sausage mixture ahead and store it in a Tupperware container for a couple of days.
Stay tuned for more cooking advice and recipes.
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