Are you a sweet pea or a blackeyed pea?

Just pondering this morning out among all the plants and seeds planted yesterday. You know sweet pea and snow pea season is long gone. Jan, Feb and maybe March but not this year, is their season. They just cant take the heat at all.
Sweet peas and snow peas are wonderfully fresh tasting. They grow when the weather is cool... almost cold. The vines will literally melt on you if its hot. So this past winter, I think we had a winter??, starting in late November I had sweet peas in the green house. I learned next year PLANT MORE!! I didn't plant near enough!
 But to cook them, that is if you don't eat them raw, you just saute them or steam them for a short time and they are done. Just as they are.. nothing needed they are very tasty.

Black eyed peas are the opposite. They like HOT almost dry weather to grow. And refuse to sprout unless the ground is about 70 degrees. Once sprouted they will not tolerate a frost. Their little leaves just turn black and curl up. They just flourish in the hot sun.
To cook them you cant be gentle about it. They have to be cooked for a while to be tender and usually need onions and a little bacon to make them taste really good. They love the heat not on growing but in cooking.

I was pondering these two peas this morning wondering which one I would fall into. And I'm thinking I'm more of a Black eyed pea. I don't like cold.. and there is nothing gentle about me. And I usually need a bit of seasoning before I can be of use..LOL....!

Anywho... y'all have a great day.

What is your constant

Ever had a thought in your head.. and cant seem to get it out? This word is rambling around in my head this morning.
The dictionary describes constant as:

con·stant
adj.

1. Continually occurring; persistent.

2. Regularly recurring: plagued by constant interruptions.

3. Unchanging in nature, value, or extent; invariable. 

4. Steadfast in purpose, loyalty, or affection; faithful. 

 

1) Continually occurring persistent.

Gods love to me is continually occurring. Why? Not sure yet. Can't explain this constant other than He loves me.

 

2) Regularly recurring: plagued by constant interruptions.

This would be when I get my eyes off of Him and busy doing other stuff... He will constantly interrupt my will... every time!

 

3) Unchanging in nature, value, or extent.

I think this is why the Word is called "The Living Word". We deal with issues much differently than people 100 years ago. But Gods word is the same. Years ago, while some may argue it was a simpler time, people dealt with much different issues than you and I deal with today. He did not love the man that tilled the fields for 12 hours a day any more than He love the man that now sits behind a desk for 12 hours a day. The constant is the same, the issues different. The farmer dealt with bugs and weather. The business man deals with people and situations. Neither of which either "man" can control or change.  The constant is Gods ability to give that person peace. Me personally.. I'd rather deal with the bugs and the weather... just saying.

 

4) Steadfast in purpose, loyalty, and or affection. Faithful.

Wow... does this not sum God up in a few words? It may not appear to the outside world, for I am much too outspoken(working on it), I speak then think, act then think(working on it.. I really am), usually Ive noticed in response to defending an "underdog" or someone less fortunate, or a family member.I'm working on it... learning I cant control people or situations. But I am forever thankful He is my constant. He is steadfast in His purpose for me( not sure what that is yet), He is loyal to me, all I have to do is call. And He is faithful to answer.

 

I am His beautifully confused mess. Somewhere in all this mess there is a constant. The constant is Him and His love for me. I think I'm starting to get a picture of the way God sees us. Many of you know I love to paint. LOVE doing faux finishes. When I look at a blank wall or a damaged wall, I don't see the blankness or the damage, visually I see what that wall could be.

Example:

We, Mark and I, did a room make over.. one of my favorites of all Ive ever done. It was a white room with one window, closet door and entrance door. No trim on anything except a standard 2 inch baseboard. The walls did not have texture, the ceiling was that <cringe> blown stuff from the 70s. The lady only had one request. She wanted a guest room that was different, warm and inviting, but mostly different. All she had to go in the room was a black chest and a black wrought iron head and foot board. OOOOOh the possibilities.

I didn't see the white walls.. the blank canvas. In my mind I could see the end result. I didn't see the hours of scrapping that crap off the ceiling, or dirty words said while putting crown molding at the ceiling. All I could see was the layers of warm orange textured color wash against white crown molding. A new black light fixture against a new textured ceiling. A white spread with brightly colored throw pillows of orange and yellow against the black wrought iron bed. Pictures of landscapes on the wall that brought all the colors together. It truly was one of the most beautiful rooms Ive ever done. The lady when she came home from work stood in amazement, where two days before she thought .. oh my what have I done while she stared at scraped ceilings and funky looking texture streaks on the wall.. drywall dust and trim scraps. The constant in the room?? Me the creator... I could see the end result, even if no one else could.

I think my life is in the drywall dust and trim scrap stage. Bear with me... I'll get to the amazing stage.. one of these days.. LOL

Judging vs Teaching

Ive been pondering something for about 3 weeks.
A while back I expressed my opinion on an issue and had the age old "don't judge" thing flung at me. So I started researching a little. First, an opinion is not judging. If I said that fence is white I'm not judging the fence I'm merely stating a fact about the fence. My not saying the fence is white doesn't change the fact that its white.
When something is wrong... its wrong and simply because no one says anything does not make it right. Nor does it make it somehow another persons fault because its wrong and they say something. We as a society just keep blurring that line between right and wrong so much to the point its no longer a line its more of a shadowy area.
For instance or example (which every floats your boat), When raising a child and the child does something wrong you are faced with an opportunity to either teach the child or stunt. If you yell scream and belittle the child you have done damage. If you ignore it you have done damage. But pointing out to the child they have done wrong is not doing that child wrong (judging). There are times when said child isn't mature enough to understand why its wrong and to explain would be useless, because if the child was mature enough to understand the reason something is wrong.. you wouldn't have to explain it.

How can a person learn and grow if there is no "right and wrong". If its a free for all how do children grow into responsible adults? If you take a child around the age of 18 months, just toddling good and never correct him, never teach the child the meaning of no, just allow the child to do whatever by the time that child is 4 you have a little monster on your hands. He has never learned to respect what isn't his and yes this is something needs to be taught. So are you doing the child an injustice by never saying, look you cant play with this... no explanation needed.. you just cannot play with this. Knowing full well when the child gets older he will understand i couldn't play with the electrical plugs. Not because the plugs were bad, but because I could get hurt by not knowing how to handle them.

Are we doing the same thing in spiritual issues? Are we teaching "babes in Christ" there are rights and wrongs? Without belittling, condemnation, gossip..etc. Are we teaching young Christians the right path to walk? While i don't agree with holding a persons feet over hell for every move they make, similar to yelling at child, do we not have some sort of responsibility to teach them or show them a better path so to speak?
If we know about "potholes" in this walk do we not have the responsibility as fellow Christians to show, in love, that person how to avoid them?
In our Ladies Bible study Weds night, btw if you aren't attending you are missing a blessing, We explored the question "Are you fearful of offending someone by offering to help?"  The answer is yes, sometimes you will offend someone by offering help. The example was giving of someone opening a door for someone physically challenged. And the man was offended. Does this mean you should stop offering to help? The answer i cam up with is NO NO NO. The offended part is on the man that was offended. Something in his past he is hanging on to... some hurt or condemnation. Does his offense mean the person opening the door did anything wrong? NO it does not. There are people in this life that have a huge sign on their shoulder "Here is my chip .. i dare you to knock it off". and all to often we allow those folks to dictate how we should treat others. Now had this been another person they would have gladly accepted the gesture of kindness.

I said all that to say this. If we are walking in this life not saying anything or do anything for fear we will offend someone.... that in itself is offending someone. A child does not like being corrected or taught, does that mean we do not? Heavens no. I will bring this closer to home. 90% of the time I am not meaning to be offensive in the things i say.. but i will own the other 10% of the time, but if I was allowed to just keep on with no one telling me different, have you shown me love? Think about it. I'm just using me as an example, but is Love ignoring it until i leave the room and then talking about it? Are we not to help each other in Love grow to be better people. Should we all not be like fine sandpaper to one another... not 80grit.. but maybe 320grit. A true friend is one that is honest.. for without that you have nothing.

Anywho... that's my thoughts on the matter... and NO my thoughts do not mean I'm judging anyone.... for if you look up the word that would give me power... and Lord knows we do NOT want Deb to have that kind of power.

Sometimes we dont realize how we are truely blessed

Sitting here this morning sipping my tea in my living room thinking. The news just reported there are 1 in 45 children homeless in the United States. Thats almost 2 million children that are living on the streets, in shelters or in cars. Those precious children dont have a bed to curl up and sleep, warm covers to make them feel safe during the night. A home. They dont have a home. Startling realization.

We think of homeless as poorly dressed "bums" begging on the corner. Folks addicted to drugs begging for money in parking lots or street corners. But rarely do we put the face of a child on homeless. Just in the state of Florida alone they estimate almost 1/2 million children live in a car, dressing  in the restroom of a McDonalds or gas station, then attend school without their peers knowing they dont have a home.

These children dont wish for Sega systems, WI systems, cell phones or whatever todays latest gadget, they wish for a home. These are not children of parents that are drug addicts or criminals. One family they interviewed moved from Michigan to Florida 4 years ago to work in the contruction industry because the car industry played out. When the bottom fell out they lost their home, their security, and their savings. They lived in their van for a year until they found a program that helped them get back on their feet and into a home. These are not bums or ignorant people.

Makes me wonder and be very thankful as i sit in my living room that while i keep the heat on 68 is warm, dry and a place i can call home. Its not always what I want, but we have food in the pantry. We have lived on beans and rice for a week, Ive made biscuits and gravy for dinner.. I know what it is to do without.. but do I?

These families are the face of doing without. Need is food, shelter and clothing. In the words of Mary Poppins "Enough is as good as a Feast". I sit and feel guilt, after watching these families, for grumbling because of missing trim in my living room, someone driving on my grass and feel condemned for being so petty. Christmas will be thin at my home again, but i do have a tree with twinkle lights that make prince Williams face light up when he sees them, these homeless babies dont have a tree with twinkle lights to enjoy.

I guess what I'm left with this morning is a feeling of being blessed, but for the grace of God... there i would be. In this season.. lets remember how truely blessed we are in our lives. Even though the tree with twinkle lights is all some have... there are those that do without even a tree.. or worse Hope.

Make em eat it... act 2

Well folks its another on of those "make em eat it" kinda dinners. LOL

Sorry should have washed them first..LOL But this is my harvest for today. Guess i could have gotten a smaller bowl for the peas and carrots.. made it look like there was more. LOL And I harvested lettuce again. That stuff grows like crazy!!! The more I cut the more it grows.



Anyway... I washed the carrots, well scrubbed is a better term, washed the peas. They are sugar snap so the shell is tender as well. What to do with them???

Well lets just see. Got 1 quart of very rich turkey broth in the fridge, put that in the pot with onions, salt, pepper, garlic and couple of spices. Now what... need a filler. Here we go this will work very well. Small bag of navy beans. Got them simmering.

So.. soup it is. Im gonna wait for a couple of hours before adding the carrots and peas they are pretty tender. Serve it over rice  with a salad of lettuce and tomato... poof.. dinner.  

Homemade dish soap

This is dish soap.. not dishwasher soap
2 cups of Castille soap.
This is a pure soap. I couldnt find it local. Had to order it.
5 drops of pure lemon essense oil. Not scent. this is a very conscentrated oil
1/2 cup of water
1 tbls of fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup of vinegar.
Makes 3 cups of dish soap
You can make your own castille soap. Its basically a lye soap. But its a long drawn out process.

Home made shampoo and conditioner

This one i had to try.. it was just too good sounding to be true.. But it works great!!!

8 oz water in a bottle add 1 tbls of baking soda.
Pour over your damp hair and work it in for 5 minutes scratch your scalp well.
8 oz of cool water 1 tlbs of apple cider vinegar.
Pour over hair and rinse well.

I tried this and love it. My hair just smells clean. It doesnt have a scent at all. My hair is very soft and not oily or dry.