Food Fellowships

This was taken a week and a half ago outside a "superstore".  On that Saturday, my husband was in Knoxville at the VOLS football game against Florida.  I was on my way to an extended family reunion with my younger daughter's in-laws.  We had a great day with delicious food and fellowship!

Bill's birthday was two days later on Monday - - but on Sunday, we went with our older daughter to Outback for a lunch celebration.  (Notice Bill still looks a bit tired from getting home after midnight the night before.  However he still got up early and did his volunteer job at the church library with me!)  We did not coordinate our outfits ahead of time.   He is still asleep (for about 20 more minutes) when I leave to open the library on Sunday morning.   Neither of us knew what the other had chosen until he walked in the door of the library at 9:30 a.m.
 

Outback has recently been offering BOGO coupons in the paper.  I don't know if that's a sign of needing to boost business - - - or it's a reward for their good sales.  We aren't complaining.  Their food is always delicious!

This Saturday found us at Covenant Presbyterian for the wedding of a friend.  Don't you love the ceiling over the pulpit/choir area?

The reception food was abundant, beautiful, and delicious.  One thing many liked was the mini wienies wrapped in bacon, then rolled in brown sugar AND chili powder. (Not pictured.)

Of course the bride was beautiful but we mostly had eyes for our precious grandson who is now two months old.  He looked quite handsome in his sweater vest thanks to his mom's wardrobe coordination.  She has many pictures of him on her blog.  She will probably have pictures this week, too, of Bill's joint birthday celebration with Joshua at Josh's Mamaw's.

As you know by now, our church does many food ministry events.  These are not limited to church members but groups from the community can have our staff cater their functions at our facility.  When our church was built, it was with the vision of being versatile.

Don't you love the simplicity and elegance of these settings?

Groups are served on these beautiful plates that have Scripture on them.  It is a subtle way of sharing God's Word with those in attendance.  I don't know how many different verses we have but here are a few.

By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall be continually of You.  Psalm 71:6

Library Learning & Celebration

Today six of our library staff attended our Tennessee Baptist Convention's Regional Library Conference.  It was also a celebration of their fifty years of library ministry in our state.

For the past four weeks, our FBC Library's Wednesday workers made party favor bags for the TBC attendees to take home.  Inside each were these treats attached to some slogans that could be duplicated for their home church library's promotion.

These are about postcard size.

Our favorite class was internet promotional tools.

I now am understanding why people fall in love with Pinterest!

When I got home, I made a recipe new to us (but had found it last week before discovering Pinterest today).  It is  

Baked Chicken with Apples. 

We really liked it.  However I will do two things differently the next time I cook it.  The juice or water should increase by 1/4 cup.  Cooking time needs to be longer.  Next time, I will cook it covered at 400 degrees for thirty minutes; then reduce the heat to 350 degrees; and uncover it 10 minutes later to cook until the rice and chicken are done - - - probably about 20 more minutes to give a total cooking time of one hour.

 Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.  Proverbs 7:2

Food Fun

These pics were taken different weeks last month.  Above you can see The Commons area of our church set up for a cooking demonstration.   The event is called Tasty Blessings and meets once a month during the school year.  Generally about 100 people attend.  Not only do they get some new recipes but their entry fee entitles them to sample every dish - which fills you up nicely by the evening's end.

 

The theme was Mexican food.  Our Food Ministry Coordinator decorated a theme display table.  This woman has a great "eye" for design elements that look beautiful and festive together.  The candles (can be seen well in the first pic) and this cactus were all surrounded by different kinds of dried beans.  The plates were hand-painted.  Each set of flatware was tied together with a ribbon that drew a color from the tablecloth.  Great fun is always had by the attendees.  I have not gone to one in a while - - - just because I don't stay out that late much on work nights.

However, I did attend this one shown below.  It was a birthday party for three friends who celebrated birthdays within a month of each other.

 Our hostess also has a great eye for decorating tastefully.   She hung just the couple of things you see in these pictures.

 She had flowers in her beautiful kitchen on the island with the food - - which was Mexican.  Nacho salads - - - yum!!!

The table had a cream-colored tablecloth with these festive place mats.

Cute little hats were at each setting, too.

The food was delicious and the fellowship fantastic.  We all have known each other about fifteen years now.  It is fun to be together but walking in the door and seeing the decorations enhances the time from the start!  It makes it extra special and memorable.

But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.  Proverbs 15:15b

8,000 Steps!

I am discovering new apps for my phone - - either through recommendations or in magazines.  One was a free pedometer so I downloaded it.  It was easy enough to figure out - - or so I thought.  It showed a map and took my location.  I thought it would show how far I traveled across the United States because it showed that map first.  What a great incentive to see how long it would take to go to the west coast!

The phone was in my pocket as I was getting ready for work.  Before I got in the car, it showed I had taken 500 steps.  That seemed a decent start for the day.  Work is 5.9 miles away.  Walking from the parking lot to the inside of the building is a short distance.  When I got to my desk, I decided to look at the pedometer again and it said I had walked over eight thousand steps!!!

My first thought was the pedometer was broken but then I discovered it was measuring my steps by the distance I traveled - - - using the GPS!  Naturally I had to tell everyone what had happened.  We laughed about it.

After turning the GPS off, I discovered the device only counted steps when my phone was unlocked which meant the screen was always lit - - - and running down the battery quicker.  End result - - that app has been deleted!

However Life*IQ by Reader's Digest is a fun game that has some very helpful information and it's free!

And totally unrelated to anything else, have you tried this?

It's really good.  We will probably use it frequently.

Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Mark 9:50a

A Couple of Links

I follow the blogs of two very creative people who are also great assets to their communities.  They just happen to be mother and daughter.  Both just bought new cameras.

 I love the pictures of light the daughter took.  Here is the link:

http://dahlenje.blogspot.com/2012/08/painting-with-light.html 

On her mom's link, the pictures of the flowers on the fence are stunning.  I have never seen sidewalk landscaping like that before.

http://farsideoffifty.blogspot.com/2012/08/flowers-on-main.html  

In other news, I am trying to play catch-up with your blogs - - - will not get comments on all but will read them.  It has been a busy month!

Presently, my knee is doing fairly okay!  I don't have pain.  Swelling has gone down.  Now the trick will be for me not to overdo because I feel better.  It could be a definite set-back.  But it feels so good to feel good!

In old age, your body no longer serves you so well. Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen.  Ecclesiastes 12:3a  The Message

(Yes, I know it's not the cheeriest of verses - - but it's the truth, isn't it?)

 

Saturday!

Last Saturday we went to our public library to learn how to check-out books electronically to our phones.  We can get audio or books with text.  We are more interested in the audio books because we like to listen to them in the car during our commutes about town.

 

Afterwards we went to one of our favorite places to eat - - Ocoee Dam Deli - - - located near TVA Dam #1 in the Ocoee Region.  If you haven't been there, definitely try a wrap.  They are delicious.  Their plate meals are great, too and their hamburgers are the best we have ever eaten.

Many of you know we didn't head down to that restaurant just to eat - - - or to go Whitewater Rafting.  Rather - - - we were on our way to see Benjamin Thomas!!!

He and Pop Pop both enjoyed their time together!

"Pop Pop - - the sun is in my eyes!"

 

Of course, Grammy had to have her time with him, too.  This is the better picture of him while I was holding him.

 This is one of the better pics of me.   This boy is so precious - - - just seems contented most of the time.  He is very strong already - - can lift that head up and hold it there a few seconds.

My friends predicted it - - - that I would become a bragging grandmother more than the rest of them!  Keep in mind, the boy is only one month old so he is still new to us but we are so in love that I almost cry thinking about him.  God is so good to us!!!!!

And I know you have probably seen enough pictures, but just one more time, hop over to my daughter's blog and see the photos she took of him on his bearskin rug. 

Your servant has killed both lion and bear  I Samuel 17:36a

Life can be tiring.

Here is a big "pat-on-the-back" to the Quilters with a Purpose at First Baptist!

They met this week for a three day marathon.

They told the members of the congregation they would make a quilt for them out of their T-shirts - - for a quoted price.

They were overwhelmed with orders to fulfill.

All of the women quilters are volunteers.  No one receives any money for what they do.  It is their ministry for missions.   This month's project was for the Build a City Project.  If you get a minute, go to their site and read about the houses being built for persons who live in a dump.   Each house will cost $1,000 to build.  In three days, the quilters raised enough to build two houses and are closing in on the third!

And here is a gift to me from a friend at church.  Her husband pickles beets from his garden.  His recipe is one of the best.  A couple of weeks ago, it came up in conversation how much I enjoyed the jar he gave us a summer or two ago - - - - and the next day - - - she bought me some!   YUM!!!  We ate half the jar the other night and will savor the rest at another meal.

And I do not have a picture of the place Amanda and I went yesterday but it was a consignment sale run by our friend, Cheri.   Bows to Toes is open to the public this week.  For more information, go to this link.   We purchased quite a few outfits yesterday and some toys.  I found a wonderful stroller and also a changing table - - so baby furniture for our home now seems complete.

Benjamin is still doing great!  Sorry I don't have pictures to post right now - - I didn't take any on the last visit.

And on the tiring side of life, we are dealing with a leak in our "new roof".  Some days it seems like life is uphill and when you think you are close to the top of getting some projects done, then you slide back below the bottom again.  At my age, time and energy are definitely less than my ambition and I don't need another obstacle - - - especially when my problem knee is giving me lots of grief again, too. 

Oh well - - - on the flip side, we have a house that is in better shape than many - - and we have a house - - - which is in contrast to many in the midwest who have lost them to fire.   And our roofer will be back to try and solve the problem again.

And Praise God for those who supported Chick-fil-A businesses across our nation.  This is a great company who not only provides quality products but also contributes in other ways to our communities - - from scholarships for college students to Winshape homes for foster children.  The jobs at our local CFA are coveted by applicants.  Our manager and his wife are phenomenal people. 

If you saw the news, there are obviously many of us who support the Biblical view of marriage.  That doesn't mean we haven't done business with those of you who don't have the same view - - but we haven't tried to boycott you - -- - so quit the intolerant attitude.  I am not going to preach a sermon to anyone so won't say more - - - except in prayer to God.

And I'm tired of politics - - seems non-stop at times.  But on the flip side, aren't the Olympic athletes amazing?!!!  Talk about people working hard to reach a goal - - - that's them!

And this was longer than usual and if you didn't stick with it to the end, that's fine, too.  This is more of a journal for me to keep track of life.  Sorry if Pollyanna and her silver lining may have gotten lost in a couple of areas.

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you  I Thessalonians 5:18