Category Archives: Writing Projects

Things I’m working on

Seasoned Roasted Carrots

Things to ponder....

Last night I took vegetables to a dinner. I was in the mood for roasted carrots and wanted something different from what I’ve done in the past. After reviewing several different recipes, I came up with a solution. The veggies were a hit! Everyone thought I had sweetened them, but NOT!

If you want to WOW someone with a simple dish try this…

DISCLAIMER: I rarely measure anything unless I’m baking, so the measurements are estimates. Do not feel you have to rigidly stick to them. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Put in a bowl:

1 – 1½ pound peeled carrots, cut into three inch pieces and then cut into wedges.

Mix together:

  • 3 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  • 1 – 1½ teaspoon coriander
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¾ – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ – ¾ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Pour the butter mixture over the carrots and mix well.

Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.

Spread carrots on pan and bake for 30 – 45 minutes. After 15 minutes turn the carrots. Check again at 30 minutes and turn. You want to cook the carrots until some of them start to turn brown.

Serve and enjoy!

An Interesting Dilemma to Ponder…

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I recently read an article from the Washington Post about millennials who nix their parents’ treasures. I can see aspects of this story from both sides.

Several years ago, my husband and I performed a major downsizing effort to move west. It was an interesting experience. We have a large gaggle of adult children. Of things we wanted to find new homes for, some of the kids took a few things. We were surprised at several large family pieces we had no takers for. We sold those pieces of furniture, as they were not going to fit in our new life. It was a bittersweet revelation to us. Sad the heritage of the pieces won’t be maintained. Proud our kids could make those decisions and not take the pieces they didn’t want or couldn’t use just because they thought it would please us.

For us, or at least me, the downsizing project proved to be unbelievably liberating. We kept things with the most meaning to us, and things that would fit in our new home. It’s been good for me to travel lighter and have fewer things. Others who have gone through a similar process also talk about the freedom, which comes from shedding stuff. Perhaps the younger generation has it right. Hold onto things lightly and embrace life.

Yet I wonder if they may someday recognize the loss of some of the things they’ve passed on. We do genealogy research, so we have many photos, scrapbooks and family historical information. I have framed my great-grandfather’s original citizenship paperwork. There is only one original. I hope it will have value to someone in the family, as it is part of our roots as Americans. But I don’t know.

I’m sensory. I enjoy visual pleasures from art and photography; the fragrances of food cooking, flowers blooming or even autumn in the morning air stir me to life; the sounds of wind blowing through the tree leaves adds another dimension to the meaning of autumn for me; holding a book and actually turning the pages is part of the story coming to life; enjoying an old piece of furniture or dishes I remember seeing my grandmother use takes me back in time to her kitchen. Can one savor all those emotions without some of the things from those times?

For clarification – I do believe embracing life and all it has to offer is of far higher value than clamoring after ‘things’.

I look forward to some fun discussion. I don’t think there are any ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers, just different perspectives on this topic. Now for the questions:

1. As the parents, we aren’t ready to part with all those things yet, so how do we discern which things those kids might want later?

2. If you don’t want things, what method do you use to save memories for later enjoyment?

3. Are things of historical value important to you? Why? or why not?

4. How do you embrace life?

Have a great day — and enjoy life!

My Opportunity to Give Back…

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Living out west has given me a totally different appreciation for water and how important it is for life.

Something broke within me this year when watching a video of a mission trip to Haiti with Poured-Out. I’ve prayed for and supported others on specific mission trips as God has guided me, but I’ve never before felt the call to actually go on a mission trip. All that changed this year.

I’ve learned that in Haiti, it’s estimated 1 in 5 children die before the age of 10 due to dirty drinking water. I have the opportunity this summer to be the hands and feet of Christ for these individuals in Haiti. I will be traveling to Haiti with a group from our church, ‘The Orchard’ to partner with Poured-Out. We will be installing water filtration systems and sharing the love of Christ with individuals in desperate need. Our focus will be in the rural areas of Haiti reaching the communities and people who have not yet received aid and desperately need clean water.

As my friends, it will be a blessing to share the adventure with you and I’m asking for your help. Please pray for each member of the group. You can especially pray for me that I will trust God to help me overcome my fears and see His glory in this trip. Above all, pray God would be glorified throughout this journey. I’m expecting great things and consider it an honor to be able to serve beside other believers to help improve living conditions in this area. I also hope the local people will witness the love of Christ in our actions. Poured-Out is a nonprofit organization focused on under-reached communities across the globe in need of clean, safe drinking water. Their current focus is in Haiti, where the need for water has grown exponentially since the 2010 earthquake.

In order to be a part of this opportunity, I need to raise $1800, which will cover airfare, insurance, room & board, the purchase of a BioSand Filter for a family, and travel while in Haiti. Please pray and if you feel compelled to help support this missions trip, please message me for the details. If you are not able to help out financially, please be a prayer supporter. I believe that God will use your prayers greatly!

Expect to see periodic updates leading up to and after the trip. Thank You for your Support through prayer, finances, or both.

 

Think About It…

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I won’t be here forever.

None of us will.

When you reflect on that fact, what do you think about?

I know I’ll be in a better place, so I’m not worried about me.

However, I spend a fair amount of time thinking about what that will mean for others. Probably since I was in my 40’s I’ve tried to make it my goal to ‘make memories’ with others. Besides ‘stuff’, which may or may not be of value to anyone else, I feel memories are the only thing I can leave behind which will make a potential difference in one’s life.

I think about those I’ve lost in my life. The ones I think fondly of were those with whom I shared good memories. Others, well, I was able to perform the necessary functions required at the time, but their loss was not much of a loss to me.

There will always be ‘givers’ and ‘takers’ in life, but the creation of memories only happens when each party is contributing, shares in the other’s joys and sometimes sorrows; each party wants happiness for the other. These memories may not always be about happy times. With one you truly love and are invested in, there may be times when one of you is struggling with something. In a deep relationship, even during those times you make memories with the other person by being loving, supportive and caring for them.

I want my life to be about making memories! Memories that will leave people thinking fondly of me, either when we part for a time or when eternity arrives for one of us.

I struggle with how to pass this understanding on to my children. I want my time spent, whether talking with or being together, to be about building understanding for each other and making memories. I enjoy thinking of the successes they have shared with me. I pray for the concerns they have. I love it when we are planning a future get-together or event and each of us is involved in the process.

Instead, I sometimes find conversations that feel like obligations, words with no real connection. It hurts and leaves me feeling empty. Are those the memories they will have of me? If so, I fear I have failed at what is most important to me.

We’ll Meet Again Up Yonder

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Fran and Rick @ Ashcroft

This week one of my special friends went home to be with the Lord.

I met Fran Cohler about 10½ years ago at my future husband’s home. She came into the room with laughter and an open heart. A friendship was born that day which has brought me much joy and happiness over the years. She and her husband, Rick are some of our closest friends. They were people we could share good times with, create memories with, pray about family members and talk about the deeper matters of life, one’s spiritual life.

As a woman, Fran shared God’s love openly. Her fingers made beautiful music as her hands danced across the keys and she shared this love of music with many. She had a tender heart and brought encouragement, support and laughter where she went. She and my husband shared this zany Irish humor, which I enjoyed listening to and being part of.

She left her touch on my life, as I’m sure she has on many others throughout her life. She will be honored and missed by many; but her memory will linger in the hearts of those lives she touched.

 

Fran and Rick @ Pine Creek CookhouseFran and Rick in Green Bay

Goals Review, Welcome 2015

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I’ve just finished reviewing my Writing Goals for 2014. In many ways this has been a great year for my writing and I’ve learned much. When setting my goals, I learned I had too many things on my Goals List and did not allow enough room for flexibility. When talking about flexibility, I’m thinking about two things in particular. I didn’t realize I would be ask to help out with some ghost writing which was a great experience for me. I hope to do more in the future. I’m also thinking about something I started and wanted finished by Year End. I thought it was going to be a short story. The more I wrote, working on it, the more I realized it was not going to be a short story but instead a novella. I tweaked my goal to be: have the first draft of The Madeleine completed by year-end. For those of you who write you have probably already experienced this, but this was my first big project and holding the printed copy of The Madeleine so I could start editing was a pretty amazing feeling. I’ve started the editing process and suspect it will take me awhile. I’m starting 2015 so excited about this accomplishment; I’ve not yet set my writing goals for the year. I’m sure that will happen soon.

Expect to hear more about The Madeleine as my work progresses.
Best wishes for your goals and plans for 2015.

Happy New Year!

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Just a short greeting this evening–to all my family, friends and the new friends I’ve gained over the last couple of years. Thanks for sharing and making memories with me in 2014. It is my hope each of you will reflect on the events of 2014 and as you ponder the good memories, to also think about the lessons learned. Then while looking to 2015, think about how those lessons will be applied to the goals and directions you plan to take.

Blessings to each of you!

Motorcycles and Memories…

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Recently we visited the Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado. What an eclectic collection of old motorcycles we found. Many of them were old Harley’s. There were old photographs and articles of motorcycle events.

I don’t have many positive memories of my father, so I was surprised at all the memories of him, this place evoked within me. I had the last ride on his Harley before he sold it when I was 3 or 4. I had forgotten about all the motorcycle hill climb events he took me to as a child. I seem to recall those events were either early in the spring or late in the fall. I remember being chilled at most of these events, and wondering why anyone would want to ride in such mud. I was a girl after all. But I also remember how excited my dad was at these events. When I think about that now, I realize he was sharing one of his passions with me. It was nice to have a memory about him, which invoked smiles and happy emotions.

My “Green Fix”…..

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Green Fix
Green Fix

Yesterday we were motorcycling in Alabama. Thanks to the generosity of a fellow biker, we were able to ride a Triumph through some of the hills and back roads. Few of the leaves have changed colors, so we were met with lush green most places we went. I kept thinking how much I always enjoyed the verdancy of the mid-west and southern states and realized I had been given my “green fix” on this weekend ride. It was a great day!

 

FORGIVENESS…

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Sequel to ‘Unresolved!!!’ blog post.

Optimal health from an unhealthy relationship can only be achieved through forgiveness and God’s grace. I’m grateful for God grace and forgiveness towards me and can only offer forgiveness to those who offend and hurt me. Some days my ability to forgive is only possible by allowing God to forgive through me! It is only by accepting personal forgiveness and offering forgiveness to the other that I can find peace. For that I’m grateful!

Over the years I’ve learned that offering forgiveness means I won’t hold the offender hostage to the acts of their past. It also means I don’t harbor bad feelings or thoughts about them. It does not mean I have to subject myself to their bad behavior or abuses in the future. The last sentence may be really important for some of you to realize, so let me say it again.

It does not mean I have to subject myself to their bad behavior or abuses in the future.

When I was younger, I thought forgiving someone meant letting go of the past and just getting back on with life, acting like nothing happened. This might work if the offending party is repentant of their behavior and really wants to change. If not, I found I was only setting myself up to be hurt or abused again. This is not what God wants for any of us!

If any of you are struggling with an unresolved relationship, I encourage you to FORGIVE – both yourself and the other party; accept the peace and grace God offers through forgiveness; move on in life, trusting His guidance. For each relationship crisis, the moving on may look different. Follow His lead.