Spring!!

 

Oh my!  What a beautiful day it is outside!!   Wind blowing, sun shining, and a spring like warmth fills the air.  I was like a little school girl, giddy and giggly!  I sat outside for a few minutes breathing in the fresh air and praising God for a night of fright-less storms.  I could hardly wait for the washing machine to stop.  I’m gonna hang out the laundry today for the first time this  year!!

I know it sounds crazy but I just love hanging out the laundry.  I enjoy listening to the morning birds and watching my dogs dash across the yard.  I love the warm sunshine beaming down on my face.  The fresh air blowing my clothes and hearing them whip in the wind.  Absolutely my favorite times of the day.. I know I am weird.

It is so hard to believe that tomorrow is March.  Seems like 2011 just began yesterday.   And well… March is here.  Soon it will be time for Easter.  Hard to imagine how fast time really flies.  I remember with each of my children, I wished time would stand still as I rocked them to sleep.  I hoped that they would stay little forever.  Ahhhh, now, yet at times I miss the babies stage, I really enjoy their company now.  Funny isn’t it???  I am still wishing time could stand still again.

With the flowers beginning to poke their heads out of the ground and the buds are forming on the trees, spring is about to appear.  Everything will be renewed and a new start will begin.  Isn’t it amazing how God blesses us with spring!!  A new beginning..a fresh start…  Isn’t that His plan for us?  Renewal in Christ?  He wants us to grow and blossom.

A beautiful thought on this last day of February.

God bless..

Pulled "It" Out Again

 

Okay, I went to the grocery store yesterday.  As many of you know, I am a vegetarian.  I have been trying to eat fresh/frozen foods instead of canned.  The canned veggies are full of salt and well… I don’t want to go there.  I wheeled my cart to the fresh veggies.  My taste buds danced at the thought of fresh fruits and veggies.

Ahem..

When I saw the prices, I froze.  $1 for a single cucumber, $1.28 for one small bell pepper, $.54 for one orange!  Those are just the basics.  Lettuce is nearly $1.50 for the softball size head.  Green leaf lettuce is nearly $3 a bundle.

Before I knew it..

I pulled out the soapbox right there in the middle of the produce.

“Experts tell us we are obese and we should eat fresh foods.  Can the average American afford this kind of diet at these prices?”

An elderly lady said, “I know what you mean.  Try living on Social Security and trying to eat fresh.”

A mother spoke up, “My kids love apples and grapes.  I hate having to feed them processed foods because I can’t afford the fresh.”

Right there, surrounded by fresh foods of every color, a group of us discussed the problem.  I was glad to know I wasn’t alone in my thinking.  Sadly, we moved away from the fresh foods with very little in our buggies.  While gasping at the frozen food prices (everything went up 10 cents just like the gas prices), I thought, “All that fresh food will go to waste because no one can afford to purchase it.”  I wondered where on Earth the fresh food goes to when the shelf life expires.  Soup kitchens?  Food banks??  Lord, I hope so!  The mere thought of it all going to the dumpster made me shudder.

By the time I got home, I had composed a letter in my head to the First Lady.

Dear Michelle,   (I think I needed to be less formal.. you know girlfriend to girlfriend type of letter.Hope she has two L’s in her name… would hate to offend.)

I am one of those “obese” that all the news reports discuss.  I am trying to change my eating habits to vegetarian and eating fresh.  My doctor applauded me on this effort.  It felt good to hear some praise instead of the normal gotta-lose-weight lecture.  I have been succeeding and my tastes have slowly embraced the fresh cooking.

(Here comes the girlfriend part)

Michelle, love those arms!  Love your idea of a garden!  Love your campaign with Wal-Mart to make their canned food better!  But Sista girlfriend, have you been in a grocery store recently?  The prices are outrageous!  Yes, I understand the economy is bad and the gas prices are to blame, but come on, you know the President personally and well we I need your help providing fresh veggies to my kids.  Can I borrow your gardeners for a summer?  Can we move in the White House with ya?  Could you just call the peeps where ever they are to stop jacking up the prices?

Then all of a sudden…

The voices of those in my circle of family and friends who understand economics better than I do began to ring out as to how silly this letter idea was…  But I just get frustrated.  And I found out that I am not alone.  At least my children are fed, right?  I am thinking about gardening again.  I have tried for several years and never had success.  But maybe with a little luck and a whole lot of hard work, we can have fresh veggies that way.

My mind kept going back to those sweet sisters in the produce section.  Maybe it is time we bond together and try to set things right.  But for now, I will just put up the soapbox and pray for the best.

Enjoy your Friday!  God bless…

Promised Land

 

I am hooked on the television show, Who Do You Think You Are.  It is basically a cool genealogical adventure celebrities go on to find their ancestral roots.  I watched the Tim McGraw episode and at one point he had learned that his 6th generational grandfather was a land pioneer in the Virginia area.  This grandfather was originally from Germany and traveled to America to find his promised land of milk and honey.

Tim McGraw stood on a mountain’s edge and overlooked the land his ancestor owned and distributed to other families moving westward.  He had indeed found his promise land.  His hard work and determination raised him from poverty to being a prominent man that created our country.

Wow.

How awesome.

Can you imagine the accomplishment the man felt as he looked over his land?

It makes me think of the Israelites that were in the wilderness walking towards their promise land.  They walked day in and out on the promise of a better future.  They had left slavery behind and in spite of all they endured (of their own making, I might add)…hmmmm sounds familiar to me… Of course they were ready to pitch in the towel many times.  Don’t you think McGraw’s grandfather felt the same way?  Especially when he discovered the false advertisement of free land was a lie.  Upon arriving to America, he was sent into a work camp to pay off the debt to the Queen.

But eventually…

They all overlooked their promised land.

Personal journeys, loss, and promises have carried me to this point in my life.  I’m still in my wilderness in so many ways.  Seems like I have a thousand wildernesses to cross but I know from the bottom of my heart, Christ paved the road to my promise land.  One day, I will look back at my life and feel fortunate to step onward.

Happy Thursday…God bless..

Cake, Carpool, and John 3:16

Okay, first of all.. as soon as I posted yesterday, a dear friend of mine texted me and asked. “Could you please make a cake for tomorrow?”

At first, I jumped up and down!!  My first order and I was excited!!  Then WHAM!!  Insecurity jumped right in on my little celebration.  I have always made cakes for my family.  I’ve never been actually paid for it.  I was worried about it being good enough to be bought.  I was ready to run home and take back the blog post.

But the reason behind the cakes is too important to me than these little insecurities.  So I sucked it up and pulled up my big girl pants.  I could do it without a hitch.. then my dear friend said, “My son loves ducks and lab dogs.”  Plus he is turning 16 so the baby shower ducky pattern just flew out the window.  Again, insecurity settled into my thoughts.

So, I toughened up again and this is how it turned out..

I asked if a duck only would do and she agreed.  I think it turned out okay.

You gotta hear what happened yesterday!!  I had the scare of a lifetime!  I picked up the kids after school.  My daughter and her friend told me my license plate was gone.  I freaked out!  I imagined the worst of course!  I just knew someone stole it, put it on a stolen car, and robbed a bank!  I jumped when my cell phone rang.  I thought it was the cops calling to arrest me!!  I’m serious!!  I quickly texted Mark and started a plan of action with the DMV.  As I was making my plan, I remembered that I had gotten a car wash at the gas station.

I flew over to the gas station.  All the kids cheered me on as I stepped into the automatic car wash.  There it was!  My poor license plate looked so sad.  Then I thought, “What if the car wash starts while I’m in there?”  I slipped into my super mom cape, leapt into the car wash, swooped up the plate and dashed out.  All was cool until I saw a group of teenagers watching my heroic feat.  What super hero turns every shade of red???

My mini-van has been making a strange noise and running too well.  So, I grabbed the license plate and drove to a mechanics shop.  Dreading the extra expense, I told the man all about the sound, the vibrations, and of course the plate that the car wash ripped out beyond repair.  Like every mechanic, he seemed nice enough but you just never know.. there’s horror stories about mechanics and their tactics to rob us gals!  I walked out of the office and looked at their sign.  Would you believe it??  John 3:16 was there as big as day!  I think I found some assurance!

Enjoy  your Wednesday!!  God bless..

Relay For Life

As most of you know, my mother passed away due to cancer.  In the past, I participated in the Race for the cure here in Little Rock.  I did it for many years and enjoyed every time I crossed the finish line.  This year, I am participating in the Relay for Life along with my daughter and her youth group.  I am excited and well a little anxious because it has been a awhile since I walked any distance.

As I dust off the old sneakers and squeeze into my “yeah, right” jogging suit, I need to raise money for the cause.  Ugh.. I hate to ask people for money.  It just isn’t fun,  ya know!!  And times are hard on all of us!  Especially with the gas prices going up and all.

So I came up with a neat idea.  For $25, I will bake you a fancy cake.  I will deliver said cake (if you live in the Little Rock area) to your birthday party, shower, or any just because occasion.  The cake will be decorated with fondant and how you want (I’m not a miracle worker, please keep that in mind.)  It will be a 9 inch round cake and it will be your choice of a chocolate, white or yellow cake.

Here’s just a few I have done for my own children:

Made this one just last night.. the zebra print awed my daughter!

Who wouldn’t want a hog cake????

This one was done for my son… he loved the balloons and presents!!

Peace out, man!!!

If you are interested in ordering a 9 inch round fondant decorated cake for $25, please email me at regina@reginadettra.com.  Your order will help those who are battling cancer.

Enjoy your Tuesday.. God bless…

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