Wednesday’s Word: Hallelujah!

Amazing talents, the expressions on people’s faces and the giving spirit of those singing will make this a wonderful gift to give yourself this Christmas.   It is time for you to get into the Christmas spirit! This year the Hallelujah Chorus (from The Messiah) has been popping up in the most unusual places.  (They are called Flash Mobs and Acts of Culture) In case you have not seen one of the You Tube videos, take a moment and watch this one – over five million people have watched it as of this morning.  

Hallelujah Chorus/Food Court in a Shopping Mall

This is not the first time this has occurred in the last several weeks. Could ”flash mobs” be a new way to go Christmas caroling? How would you feel if you were shopping at the mall and this suddenly occurred? What do you think you would do?

For some odd reason, I am moved to tears almost every time I watch the video.   This new trend stirs something within me and it brings me great joy this Christmas season.  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Tis the Season and Hallelujah!

Oven Pancake (Super easy and very impressive!)

Oven Pancake is a three-generation, family favorite, breakfast recipe for the holidays and other special occasions. It can be made the night before and warmed up in the microwave. (It even freezes well!)

If God had intended us to follow recipes,
He wouldn’t have given us grandmothers.
(Linda Henley)

Oven Pancake

1 ½ cup Bisquick
2 eggs
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon of sugar
12 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
¾ cup milk
1 ½ cup grated cheese (I usually use a little more)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray Baking Spray in 13 x 9 pan. (Use the Spray with Flour in it or you can grease and flour your pan.)

Mix Bisquick, eggs, syrup and milk together until well blended. Sir in ½ cup grated cheese.

Bake 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top followed by the crumbled bacon. Return the oven pancake to the oven for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with additional maple syrup.

Special note:  Don’t let anyone see you prepare this recipe and by all means hide the Bisquick box and everyone will be very, very impressed.

Wednesday’s Word: Giving

There is a great motivation among people to give during the holiday season, which is wonderful, yet it makes me wonder what if giving was a lifestyle as oppose to a season?

Our family lives on a budget, therefore it is important that we have confidence in organizations we give to. A few of our favorites include Compassion International, Bethesda Center for the Homeless , Clemmons Food Pantry, Plowpoint Ministry, our local church – Hillsdale UMC and Operation Christmas Child.

Why do people give to begin with – really? Do people give because of the need, do they give because there is a joy in giving or do they give for other reasons? What is the joy of giving? If you have never experienced the “joy of giving,” let me suggest that you give more and keep giving until a joy begins to rise up within you. If you give a small token, it unlikely that you will experience that deep joy I am referring to. It seems to me that joy occurs when you give up something so that you can give. Does that make sense?

Why do you give? What organizations do you have confidence in and are you willing to recommend?

One would give generous alms
if one had the eyes to see the beauty
of a cupped receiving hand.
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

Wednesday’s Word: Thankfulness

Thankfulness is the noun that relates to being thankful, so could thankfulness mean being “full of thanks” and could that occur before you recognize that you are the recipient of something, someone or some condition that causes you to be thankful? Webster’s says that to be thankful is to be “conscious of a benefit received.”

What do you want to be full of? Yes, yes we all know people who are full of . . . well you know . . . . and we also know people who are full of anger, whining, complaining, negativity, bitterness and other traits that suck the life out of everyone they come in contact with.

It seems like people who are full of thanks are like magnets that draw good things, people and circumstances toward them. When people are full of thanks they seem to handle adverse circumstances better — it is as if the good overcomes the bad. Finally, I think those who are full of thanks have an unusual gift of healing, hope and encouragement that spills over on all they meet.

How could you be more full of thanks this season or better yet could this become a lifestyle as oppose to a season? What difference would it make if you and your friends and family, intentionally choose to live a life – full of thanks?

Take a minute; reflect . . . how can you become a person full of thanks?  How are you impacted by people who are full of thanks?

Wednesday’s Word: Politics

Who wants to join me in a hearty. . . . “Thank goodness mid-term elections are over!”  As annoyed as I am with the state of politics, I still exercise my right to vote and I am grateful for the opportunity to live in the land of the free.

Does anyone join me in believing there are still public servants who want to serve the people and truly represent them? Is this possible in today’s political environment? While I recognize that many are corrupted by money and power, I still believe in what can be. Call me naïve, but I still believe in the possibility of honor, integrity, working together, courage, hard work and so much more . . .

Is it possible to win an election without stretching the truth, sneaking around trying to catch someone saying something, that you can use out of context? Is it possible to run against an opponent and win without assassinating their character?  I want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and I believe most Americans want the same as well.

Before I get off my soapbox, let me say one final word. Women please stop assaulting other women with words – calling one another the “b” word and making snarky comments. We can hold different opinions and still respect one another – right?

All my ranting and raving was written before I knew the results of the elections and regardless of the results – I am grateful to be an American and grateful for the right to vote. How about you – are you grateful to live in the land of the free? 

Wednesday’s Word: Proverbs (Facebook)

Is it wise  to write whatever you think on Facebook?  Are there some things that simply should not be said, “liked” or joined on Facebook?

1. Happy are the Facebook people who guard what they say on their status and happy are those who read it.
2. Wise is the person who keeps political comments to a minimum and maintains humility in all they write.
3. Very wise is the person who refrains from logging onto Facebook when angry or depressed. Wiser still, is that person when they call a wise, trusted and truthful friend.
4. Happy and joyful are all readers, friends and stalkers when Facebook is a place of encouragement and thankful hearts.
5. Honorable is the person who carefully selects their “likes” on Facebook, while another dishonors many by clicking “likes” that offend many.

Perhaps you can design a few Facebook proverbs of your own!

Wednesday’s Word: Marriage

To whom do you need to say thanks?  Be specific.  Today, my husband Tim and I celebrate 31 years of marriage and life is sweet.  Life is not perfect, life is not always easy, we disagree, we make mistakes but – life is sweet.  Today, I want to pause and say “thank you” to Tim: 

1. Thank you for being the person you are.  You are a godly man and a man worthy of your daughters’ respect, as well as mine.
2. Thank you for being honorable and wise – I have such great respect for your personal integrity.
3. Thank you for being a man of great strength – especially when I felt weak.
4. Thank you for being able to say, “I’m sorry,” and “thank-you.”
5. Thank you for working hard and providing for our family.
6. Thank you for the little things you do, like stopping at Lowes Food and picking up fresh flowers for me regularly.
7. Thank you for praying for our family and me over the years.
8. Thank you for staying with me – even when I have acted like a hideous, hormonal crazy woman in my younger years and a menopausal maniac in the later years.
9. Thank you for still telling me I am beautiful.  (But you really do need to have your eyes checked!)
10. Thank you for going with me to marriage enrichment events over the years, reading books on marriage, and actually applying the principles you learn.  (Love Dare and the Five Love Languages)
11. Thank you for supporting and encouraging me in adventures.
12. Thank you for making me feel treasured and cherished over the years.  You are a blessing to me and I am so grateful that our daughters have chosen men like their dad.

There is so much more I could write about my husband, but I will spare you all the details. Today, let me encourage you to say thank-you to someone and be specific.  Take it one step further, and publically comment on this blog!

 Chains do not hold a marriage together.
It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads
which sew people together through the years.
(Simone Signoret)

Wednesday’s Word: Horror!

Have you experienced horror on the highway? Yesterday I experienced total and complete horror underneath a mountain in West Virginia. I get a little claustrophobic driving through mountain tunnels, but yesterday I was horrified out of my mind as I looked into my rear-view mirror and saw a large red truck driving at a rapid speed.  It seemed logical to me, that a person might slow down as they entered a tight, dark tunnel but this trucker thought it was time to gain speed!

The trucker did maintain a “safe distance” of twelve inches behind my vehicle the entire length of the tunnel. What was the matter with him didn’t he know that I was someone’s mother?  Below are a few thoughts I had as I tried to calm myself down:

  • No, that is not like the big red truck you see in horror movies . . .
  • No, this isn’t like the tunnel that Lady Diana died in . . .
  • No, this tunnel isn’t swaying . . .
  • No, the walls aren’t caving in . . .
  • Remember breathe . . .
  • Is that a bright light I’m going towards? (Daylight-Yeah!)

I did survive and watched the red truck swing around me at an evening higher speed and I thought, “I would like to” . . . . Well, let us just say I would like to grab that trucker and put him into “Nightmare on My Street!”

How do you define H O R R O R on the Highways?  Do you have any effective stress reducing techniques that you use on long trips? I might mention the three cows running in the emergency lane along side I-77 did not bother me at all!

Warning:  If a child appears at my door, dressed as a big red truck this Halloween, I cannot be held responsible for my actions, but definitely -  NO CANDY FOR THEM!

Wednesday’s Word: Blessing

Last Friday morning I received a Facebook Message, “Good morning, Mrs. Goodman! Will you and Mr. Goodman be home today around the noon hour? I’d like to give you a call if I could. ”

This message was from a young man who has been dating our daughter for a little more than a year – hmmmm, wonder what he wanted? Unfortunately I had to message back that “Mr. Goodman” would not be available until around 6 pm. So he messaged back that he would call around 7:00 pm. (Poor guy, it was going to be a long day for him.)

The phone rang promptly at 7:00 p.m. The young man began with a little small talk and then moved quickly to the point of his call. He told us that he loved our daughter very much and was calling to ask our blessing on their future marriage.

When did this honorable tradition return? The tradition of asking for parents blessing before proposing is such an honorable tradition and we were delighted to give our blessing to this young man.

What do you think about this returning tradition? It’s one thing to give permission for a young man to marry our daughter and it’s another thing to “bless it.” What does it mean for parents to bless their child’s marriage?  If you have children how could or how do you bless them?

Previous Wednesday’s Words

Hope       God     Encouragement    Arrogance      Desidarata 

      Priorities       Gratitude         Devotion     Neighbor      Service      

Peace         Rest        Veggies (Twisted Salsa Recipe)      B R E A T H E

Wednesday’s Word: Hope

Today around noon, a young man, goes into surgery for a brain tumor. My heart is breaking for this young man, his wife, their unborn child and their entire family. The young man is the son of one of our Wednesday’s Word blog readers. One moment this young man was going to work (a firefighter like his Dad), celebrating the news of his first child – due in the spring and living life to its fullest and suddenly this big challenge stands before him.

One day after receiving the news, this young man’s wife posted the following on her Facebook wall.

“In all things it is better to hope than to despair.”
(Johann Wolfgang)

This young woman’s word has affected me in a way I will never forget. From this day forward the word hope is imprinted in my soul in a brand new way.  Merriam-Webster’s definition of hope: to cherish a desire with anticipation. For me as a Christian, I define hope as confident expectation or a firm assurance. How do you define hope?

Join me today in hope for this family and families everywhere who are dealing with serious health issues. Will you join me in praying for this family with confident expectation and/or cherished anticipation?

Previous Wednesday’s Words

God     Encouragement    Arrogance      Desidarata 

      Priorities       Gratitude         Devotion     Neighbor      Service      

Peace         Rest        Veggies (Twisted Salsa Recipe)      B R E A T H E