I said this last year on two different occasions about the same thing.

Can you see “it” coming?

I was referring to someone’s young, single daughter getting pregnant.

Last month our baby, Emma, told us she was pregnant.  Emma’s  actually not a baby. She’ll be 24 this year.

Emma’s not married. Now, when I said the silly thing about this not being my issue, Emma was engaged to a young man who had been in our family for 5 years. The Husband and I loved him like he was our own kid. So if Emma had gotten pregnant before they got married…well, moral issues aside, we would have very quickly been thrilled. Why? Because her life was on a certain course and a baby would have been in their future anyway.

But Emma ended her engagement and started dating someone on and off that we didn’t know very well. (Actually, not at all)

And at the time she got pregnant they were “broken up”. So this news  like I’d imagine getting hit by a tractor trailer would feel.  I’m not trying to be negative but the truth is, her life from all the information we had, was on one course when actually …  she was going in a very different direction.

I won’t go into any more details but after many tears,  lots of talking and many sleepless nights, we’re so very thankful that we’ll have another grandchild in October~

I’m sharing this for two reasons…

First, When I write from my heart I find it difficult not to be honest.  I’m drawn to and inspired by flawed people living with purpose in the middle of their not-so-perfect lives. My prayer every single day is that someone may come here and find a bit of inspiration or even hope  from my not-so-perfect life.

Second, so many of my precious online friends have reached out to me over the past few weeks, knowing something was wrong in my world but not knowing exactly what.  I’m so humbled by the love and encouraging words and prayers.

But I share this with fear and trembling…

Some of you reading this have strong beliefs about sex before marriage. Some of you have tiny tots running around and you are raising them with a strong set of morals. One of them being: no sex before marriage.

I understand completely. Because that’s what we did.

Please, not for my sake, but for yours…don’t judge. Take it from me…judging someone never ends well.

Others of you don’t have these convictions and may be thinking I need to just get over myself. (You’re probably right about that by the way) It’s Emma’s life. It’s Emma’s choice. Just support her.

I understand this too. And after a few rocky weeks, that’s just what I’m doing.

No matter where you’re coming from, can I just say thank you for your sweet support these past several weeks. I want to find a way to tell you how I’m encouraged and given hope by your words…but I keep coming up short.

Love from the bottom of my tiny heart. And hugs. I’m a hugger…so hugs.

Going forward there are many, many decisions that Emma has to make so a prayer here and there for her (and our new baby) would be so tenderly appreciated.

xoxo

I’m going to leave you with a song that my most precious blog-friend Sara (Gitzen Girl) sent me when I sent out an SOS asking her and a few others to pray. I’ve listened to this song every day since. It’s become a bit of a lifeline.

Chocolate Pie

First mix

~3 egg yolks

~1/2 stick butter

~1 cup sugar

~3 very rounded tablespoons plus 1 level tablespoon flour

~2 cups milk (whole works best but you can use low or no fat)

~Cook on low slowly until thickened whisking the whole time(otherwise you’ll have scrambled eggs in your pie!)

~ Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

Here’s where you decide what KIND of cream pie you want!

~For Coconut~add 1 cup coconut

~ For chocolate~add 4 tablespoons cocoa

~ For Banana ~ add 4 or 5 sliced bananas…

Put into cooked shell and chill

Use 4 to 6 egg whites and a bit of sugar to make Mile-High Meringue

Spread meringue over top …

Bake at 325 until the tippy tops of the peeks turn light brown!

Creamy dreamy…

ps…All my recipes are under All Things Yumalicious in the pull-down menu on the left!

Here’s a Chub-Free Chocolate Pie recipe if you don’t want the … well, you know. Chub!

Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam ~ Tempt my Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed with Grace ~ and lastly Tuesday at the Table at All The Small Stuff~ You’ll find links to a hundred recipes or more with these delightful blogs!

~Live yummy~

I found this Shabby Chic banner at Target for 60% off!I thought it would look great at Ellie’s party with some cupcakes on it!

This would be super easy to make but since it was so cheap…no need to make one!

Trace the pattern outline onto your fabric…

I made a super easy pattern for cupcakes.  Then used Wonder Under to adhere the pattern to the flag. (When you buy Wonder Under you should get a sheet of instructions. Don’t worry, it’s easy.)

If you can use a sewing machine, this is pretty easy. But even if you don’t have a sewing machine you can sew an applique stitch by hand all around the cupcake!

Now the fun part! Decorate these little babies!

Super easy and it’ll be a cute decoration for Ellie’s birthday party~

I’m linking to some fun blog parties, in case you need some inspiration…

The Persimmon Perch Made It Monday

Between Naps on the Porch Met Monday

Prairie Girl’s breakfast was granola and yogurt. Simple. But her picture was gorgeous. And I couldn’t stop thinking about homemade granola.(I’m so impressionable)

I poured over  recipes and basically found out…making granola is easy.

So on our Georgia snow day this week I made my first batch of granola.

I didn’t want to simply make a sugary fatty granola. (well, honestly I did want to but I behaved. I’m trying to “Live Well”!)

To keep it healthy, I didn’t use oil and sweetened it with molasses and honey. But many recipes call for a bit of brown sugar or Splenda for sweetening. It’s up to you!

Here are the basic proportions for the healthier version. Start here and the sky’s the limit! (I’ll give you my recipe, adapted from bunches of other recipes, in a moment!)

* 1 part oil

* 2 parts honey

*3 -4 parts seeds and nuts

* 4 parts grains

* 3-4 parts dried fruit

Here’s what I put together…

Healthy Granola

* 6 Cups Old fashioned oats

* 3 Cups Steele Cut oats

* 1/2 Cup flax seed

*1  1/2 Cups slivered almonds

* 1  1/2 Cups chopped walnuts

* 1  1/2 Cups water (splash more in when mixing if needed)

* 3/4-   1  Cup honey

* 3/4-  1  Cup molasses (could use maple syrup or sorghum)

* 2 teaspooons cinnamon

* 1 Tablespoon vanilla

*2 Cups dried fruit (I used cranberries, but blueberries would be yummy too!)

~Heat oven to 300*

~Combine oats, flax seed and nuts. Mix well.

~In large saucepan, combine water, honey sorghum, cinnamon and vanilla

~Pour syrup over dry ingredients and stir until coated well.

~Spread onto parchment covered cookie sheets.

***To create clusters: Squeeze the granola with your hands to form small clumps. If you need to add a bit of water to your hands to get it to stick together. (1/2 cup Wheat Germ will help the water form a “mortar”.  Next time I’m adding wheat germ!)***

~Bake 20-30 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

~Store in air-tight container. Add to yogurt or just snack on it! The Husband ate it with skim milk and loved it!!!

Thank you to the moon and back Sweet Friends for all your support this past week. I’m going to share very soon all that’s been going on around here. I just need a bit more time. Thank you a million times over for the prayers and sweet encouragements you’ve sent my way.

Those things matter.

xoxo

(Linking to Michael West’s Foodie Friday today.)

I was going to miss today.

But here I am.

This morning I thought: You can tell a lot about the state of a person’s heart by what they’re listening to and reading on any given day…

Ipod:

Hold my Heart (Tenth Avenue North)

What Faith Can Do (Kutless)

Unredeemed (Selah)

Reading:

Crazy Love~Frances Chan

(2nd time in a row to read this…)

That’s the best I can do today…Be back tomorrow Friends…

(What’s playing playing in your ear and waiting for you to read on your nightstand?)

Waiting to speak

The other day I told my dad about a little storm going on in my life.

He was very quiet and then he said:

“I’m going to wait before I say anything. I need to process. And to pray.

I think he is so wise.  At a hundred-and -two (or how ever old I am) I still haven’t learned the discipline of  waiting before I speak.

My thoughts are chaotic and if not controlled, shoot fast and furious right out of my mouth spewing that chaos everywhere.

I need to practice the discipline of waiting.

But for me that’s not the end of the discipline, if I’m only waiting,  my mind is usually in over-drive firing worrisome thoughts at a furious pace.

So I also need to practice processing while I’m waiting.

Again though, for me, processing a situation, turning it over and examining it from every angle, can breed more worry. More fear. More chaos.

So while I’m waiting to speak…

While I’m processing…

I must pray.

Bringing the chaos to the One who is Peace.

*******

I love my dad.

After all these years, I learn so much from him.

*******

How do you guys process life changes? I love hearing what works for you…

xoxo

I had a sneaky suspicion this  was going to be a good creative exercise  but I’m not kidding when I tell you, doing this project has been one happy surprise after another!

First, I’m getting to know so many friends on Flickr. These people are uber creative and I’m inspired every single day as I see  the world through their eyes.  Another happy surprise about the Flickr community is that it is every bit as supportive and caring as the great big beautiful blog world!

Also, the project itself has surprised me. It’s become more of a visual journal reflecting the condition and focus of my heart and mind.

And after only two months I’ve noticed that I’m looking at everything in a different way. There’s a quote I saw on Flickr:

“The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” (Dorothea Lange)

This is exactly what’s happening with me.  There are loads of books and online classes to help draw out your creative self and get you operating in “right-brain” mode. If you’re looking for something like that, this simple and free exercise may be a great place to start.

(If a photo every day overwhelms you, there are groups on Flickr that do a photo a week. I’m in one called Project 52 (Self), it’s one self portrait a week.)

Here are my favorites from February…

(funny, when looking at my photos for February it looks like winter and spring were fighting it out for first place in my heart)

And the last happy surprise from this project (so far) is that I’m learning more about my camera and processing the photos. I’ve barely scratched the surface but I’m doing more today than I was 2 months ago!

~Do you do things that nurture your creative self?  I’d love to hear your ideas~

~Happy Tuesday Sweet Friends~

I know it’s too early to full-on decorate for Spring. But I’ve been sneaking a bit of Spring freshness here and there. Pulling out some pastel pretties and tucking away the winter decorations.

I have Spring fever big time! Normally winters in Georgia are mild and wimpy. But this year…well,  it’s been freezing and we’re predicted to have way below the normal temps all through March. I can never remember longing for spring-time like I do this year.

The British poet Anne Bradstreet said: “If we had no winter, spring would not be so pleasant…”Hummm, there’s a lesson in there somewhere…

I suppose if we had no winters of the heart we wouldn’t be so open and receptive to spring-times of the soul.

And surely the harsher the winter the more resplendent the spring. So this spring ought to be a joy!

Are you longing for spring-time? If so…do something kind for yourself today… buy some tulips, throw back the curtains, pull out a little something that reminds you of warmer days.

Sending you sunshine and smiles today!

I’m linking to:

Metamorphosis Monday

The Persimmon Perch Made It Monday

Twice Remembered Make Your Monday

Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

Toot Your Horn Tuesday

I needed to bake today. I’ve been in a bit of crisis mode and for some odd reason baking returns order to my world. Before the first batch of cookies came out of the oven I felt peace.  I’m still on restriction from baking my buns on last year though, so I made this relatively healthy recipe.  And for the love of Pete people…these are GOOD!

Granola Walnut and Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 cup Flax Seed (Milled)*(you can leave this out and not change anything else)

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Stick Butter (softened, I used salted )

1/3 Cup packed Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1 Large Egg

3/4 Cup chopped-roasted walnuts

1  1/3 Cup Granola~ I used light Bare Naked Granola~Break up any clumps …

3/4 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven 375*

Roast walnuts for 4 – 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. (Don’t skip this step it adds a scrumptious depth of flavor)

Whisk flour,  Flax Seed, baking soda.

Beat together butter, sugars and vanilla on high until fluffy. (May take a few minutes)

Beat in egg until combined well. Add flour mixture. Stir in granola, chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop about 18 rounds, 2 Tablespoons each onto parchment cover cookie sheet. Pat down each mound into a 2  1/2 inch round.

Bake cookies for about 12- 13 minutes

Cool on racks…

******

I wish I could somehow give each one of you who hung with me this week a little bundle of cookies. The two posts on death were pretty heavy and I so appreciated your comments. You touched my heart more than I can ever tell you…

I’m linking to Michael Lee West’s Foodie Friday where there will be a bazillion yummy recipes for you to try!

And remember, all my recipes are located in the pull-down menu on the left under: All Things Yumalicious!

~TTFN my Friends, have a scrumptious weekend~

This is part 2 …if you want, check out yesterday’s post for part 1…HERE

*********************************************************************

Just 5 years after David left, Mom would join him. She was only 65. She went into Saint Joes for a routine procedure and never left. We would keep a 4 day vigil there.  She slipped away from us just before the last days of 2005 dissolved into a memory.  Mom’s leaving,  was the final blow…the things I thought I knew for sure about death were once and for all shattered.

The  night she left us, the same doubts Mom had when we lost David haunted me… Where was she? Was there really a heaven? I can’t picture where she is.I need to know where she is…

It took months of hanging onto a weak thread of faith for me to settle in my heart that my mom was indeed where she always wanted to be…with Jesus. And with my brother David.  I’d like to tell you it made all the difference in my view on death, but it didn’t. While comforted to a degree, four years later, I can be taken back to that hospital waiting room without a moments notice. The horror, the uncertainty and the vulnerability of her quick decline paralyze me all over again. I still ache to tell her things. I still hurt so deeply on some days that it shuts me down completely. Life without my mom in it … will never be the same. But that’s okay.

My view on death and dying will also never be the same. I’ve revisited those verses in 1 Corinthians 15 many times since then. These days, I see a little more than the confidence of “death’s sting”being gone.  Now I see in verse 54: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable…then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

I believe the victory over death isn’t all about the here and now,  it’s about the other side of this life.  Eternity.

Coming to grips with this has been life changing on so many levels…

~Now, I can quietly hold someones hand  instead of allowing  “Christianese” to roll off my tongue in the face of loss. I have stopped trying to help someone move through the pain . These days, I just allow my own heart to feel some of that pain and cry along with them.

~Since my mom left this world, I’ve become more focused on living my legacy.  I realized that whether we acknowledge it or not, the way we live today matters. It’s the way we’ll be remembered tomorrow.

~Also, people often marvel at our family being so demonstrative with affection for one another. We hug. We say I love you.  A  lot. We’re not stingy with affirmation. And when someone royally messes up…we support them. But we’ve experienced a bit of loss and without verbalizing it, we all seem less likely to take each other for granted. I honestly don’t know if we’d be this way without the loss.

And this is where I find myself on just another thing I thought I knew for sure…

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Yesterday the comments were straight from the heart. So much encouragement from those who have experienced so much loss. Thank you for sharing with me.

Love to each one who came back today for a not-so-cheerful subject…xoxo