In His Grip

She Just Might Be a Rock Star!

Really! Two articles in one week.  I am not sure, but I think this might just be moving toward "rock star" status in my book.  Once again, my sister Janet has published another article.  This time it is about Enrolling Your Children in the Jesus Mission.   As you might imagine she really does have a lot to say about this as her family has just experienced this for the last several years.  I am so excited for Janet and her accomplishments as a writer.  Since we were kids we have dreamed of what we wanted to be when we grew up, funny thing I wanted to be a seamstress, and Janet an author.  Wow, who knew that would really be our lives?

My Sister Rocks in Leadership!

My sister, Janet, continues to rock my world in ways that I am not sure I want it rocked.  She challenges me in areas of my life that I am not sure I want challenged in.  But you know there are some things that only a sister can say and I have always been the "bring it on" type. I know a challenge is coming when her sentence starts out with "Judy, can I give you some feedback?"  I know this all comes from her heart to want those in her life to be the best that they can be.  I have never been disappointed with the feedback that she has given me.  To be on the sidelines of her life, has been a lesson in how to be a leader of people who has grace and compassion.   The leadership model that she follows has proven itself successful not only in the ministries that she personally has led but how Restore Community Church is leading in the northland of Kansas City.  This month she wrote an article that was published in the Christian Standard about leadership coaching.  I have allowed her to coach me in many areas of my life, but when it comes to leadership I really have to stop and listen to what she is talking about, because I believe that she really does know the subject.

Giant Snow Flakes!

Okay, So I am not such a great photographer, because in this picture the snowflakes are the size of large cotton balls.  To see these kind of snowflakes just makes me laugh.  There are so many people who hate snow, but I am admitting here that I am not one of them.  Having grown up on the West Coast, we did not get much snow let alone seasons.  So being here in the Midwest, I love the change of seasons and never get tired of the beauty of snow.  Since taking this picture, it is now totally white out with no signs of stopping, yeah!  Bring on the snowy white.

Three Word Thrusday

Whiter than snow!

 

Inspiration!

If you have never been to Urban Arts & Crafts, you do not know what you are missing out on.  Yesterday, Lindsey and I headed up north to our favorite craft store to pick up some supplies for a project I needed to complete, and darn if the only place I know that carries that supply is Urban & Arts Crafts.  Normally, I do not need an excuse to go there, but when it is in the middle of a work day, there definitely needs to be good reason. I have been known to just wander around in this small store for over an hour.  This store is just so inspiring.  It makes me feel like I can make anything that requires any kind of textile, paper, or beads.  I was able to pick up the glass squares that I needed and just could not resist this whole package of millinery flowers.  Now, I have no idea what to do with them, but I am sure with the inspiration that I received yesterday, I will come up a with "springy" project that will have lots of little flowers on it.  Just wait and see, I will post it here when the project is complete.

Roast Chicken~Sage Bisque

This has got to be one of our family's all time favorite soup recipes.  I have made it a ton and every time there never seems to be enough.  Today I even made biscuits shaped like hearts just for Valentines Day.  I go ahead and make some changes to recipe just to make it that much better.  When it calls for 4 slices of bacon, you and I both know that the entire pound of bacon is really what they mean.  Here is the recipe, if you make this without your family around they will never know that there is cauliflower in it.  I was able to fake out my family for along time, until they were actually paying attention once when I made it, and it still continues to be a favorite around our house.  Another tid-bit, it is low-carb if you are into that sort of thing.

Roast Chicken~Sage Bisque

4 slices of bacon

1 cup leeks, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups heavy cream

1 sprig sage

1 16 oz. bag frozen cauliflower

2 cups diced roasted chicken

Ground pepper to taste

Slice bacon crosswise into 1/4 inch strips. Place in a stock pot and cook over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain, saving the drippings.

Add leeks to the bacon drippings and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, add chicken broth, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour in heavy cream, add sprig of sage and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. (The longer it simmers, the stronger the sage flavor will be.)

Discard sage sprig and bay leaf. Stir in cauliflower and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Using a blender or food processor, coarsely puree the soup (leaving some texture) in batches. Return to medium heat. Add chicken, bacon and pepper. Heat until chicken is warm about 5 minutes.

Words in a Bottle

Hitting the "publish" button after writing a blog entry is kind of like floating a message in a bottle out into the ocean.  I don't really know where my words are going, all  I know is that I have captured them here and have set them free for others to find.  This is an experience that not only terrifies me at times but also gives me a little thrill as well. Getting back into the rhythm of life after the death of my father seems to be just beyond my reach.  To admit this is a little bit of that terrifying part, but is also freeing at the same time.  Because I do not know who will find this message, I am not sure just how real one can be on a blog.  This blog has helped me be more clear with who I am and even brave at times when in any other venue I may not have been.  I have never experienced the loss of someone so dear to me and had no idea the depth of feeling that comes with that.  Now comes the part where I find out what my life journey will look like for now and into the future without my father a phone call away.  Stepping through this new and unexpected doorway is different and I am now in a place where I am expected to "show up" whether I want to or not.  I will step through boldly and with courage just as I have always been taught by one who helped raise me up.  So far, the right people have found my messages sent out to sea in those little bottles and I will continue living a life "in His grip."