TIPS FROM THE PAST

This has been a very good day -- tonight was really a blessing. I was so tired and only because of Maura and the blessing last week did I pull myself to class. We gathered together in a classroom and made "blessing bags" for the ladies there to have in our cars - so that if we are face to face with a homeless person - we don't have to look away - but give them the bag. It is filled with food and a scripture to bless them! We made 32 bags and will do more in the future. The blessing of a class in James led the leaders of the class to show our faith by our works as described in James. The class next door was working on sorting out supplies ladies of both classes had brought, and was packing the in one of our ladies' car heading to Tuscaloosa tomorrow with the supplies for the victims of the tornadoes. THE SHILOH WOMEN ARE WORKING!!! I know Facebook can either be a curse or a blessing. If used the wrong way by people with bad intentions - it can be a curse -- but in other ways it has been a blessing. I've been in touch with several people from my past and it was wonderful to hear from them. Some were teenagers when we were younger and worked with the youth in Tyler and Marshall. Some have been friends almost forgotten and some that I've often wondered how their life turned out. One was special lady that I had worked with - but after her divorce - she moved away and I had often wondered what happened to her. She found me on FB and is happily married and fun to share with!

I promised to post the Starter to the Sour Dough Bread recipe I posted last night. Here it is:

POTATO SOURDOUGH STARTER

3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoons Instant Potato Flakes
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup Warm Water (120 degrees to 130 degrees)

STARTER FOOD

3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoons Instant Potato Flakes
1 Cup Warm Water (120 degrees to 130 degrees)

To make starter - combine the first 3 ingredients in small mixing bowl Stir in warm water. Cover with plastic wrap; pierce wrap 4 or 5 times with point of knife. Refrigerate 3 to 5 days. Remove from refrigerator; let stand 1 hour. Stir well. Remove 1 cup starter; use in a recipe or give to a friend.

FOR THE STARTER FOOD:

Mix together sugar, potato flakes, and water. Stir the starter food into remaining starter; let stand, uncovered, 8 to 12 hours. Cover with plastic wrap; pierce wrap 4 or five times with a sharp knife. Refrigerate 3 to 5 days. Repeat 3 times. Use or discard after four feedings. Makes 3-1/2 cups.

Sounds complicated?? No - anything worth doing is worth a little time! Make it one time, wait the 3 to 5 days, make your bread and you will be hooked and so will the friends and family you share with -- loaves of bread that is!!!

My first blog said: "Cooking doesn't have to be a chore - let's see if we can make it an adventure. Ever use cayenne pepper?? Not to make whatever you are cooking 'Hot', but to give it zip. Here is your tip tonight: Know what a dash is? A dash is to take a little between your thumb and first finger and sprinkle it into whatever you are cooking. Put a 'dash' of cayenne into eggs when you are scrambling them-- also, before scrambling, beat a little (oh - a little is about 2 tablespoons) of half and half into the eggs, salt, black pepper and don't forget the "dash" of caynne. (And please don't "scramble them to death and into little piece"s) - let them start to set and turn them gently until not runny!"

My second post on December 31, 2009, told you there are six (6) special ingredients that I absolutely could not be without -- unless I wanted to serve really bland food. They are very good black pepper (the best I have found is Penzey's Fresh Ground (Penzey's is in Dallas), fresh garlic, cayenne pepper, great cinnamon (and there is definitely a difference -- either cinnamon from Penzey's or Central Market's bulk is so good), Mexican vanilla, and a sense of adventure!

I will tell you about each one again -- but remember one of the tips I have for you - Think of your cooking as a ministry - not as something you think about as how much "you don't like to cook" or "let's see what I can put on the table tonight?", but "What can I do for my husband or family tonight, how can I please them most, what can I do special for my family tonight?"

Here is something my cousin had written today and sent to me with his blessing to publish on my blog.


Never Overlook the Potential of the Ordinary
Zechariah 4:10

“Despise not the day of small beginnings.”

God always does extraordinary things with ordinary stuff. Just look at what He made with dirt –YOU! How amazing is that? The Bible tells us that He made everything out of nothing. He is the CAN DO God. With Him nothing is Impossible.

One day a young boy showed up at a crowded event to hear a traveling preacher talk about wonderful things. He never dreamed for an instant that he would become the central character in an epic moment of history. The preacher was Jesus. The young boy was the lad with a small sack lunch containing two fish and five loaves of bread. Just enough for his lunch.

It was just a sack lunch on any other day, but on this day it became the stuff of miracles. It is amazing what can happen when you place something in the hands of Jesus. What do you think
Could happen if you placed your life in His hands?

You may be just an ordinary person, with ordinary looks, and ordinary thoughts, ordinary talents and ordinary dreams—but Jesus can do something amazing with that sack lunch of yours. If you let Him have it.

Most people never reach their full potential in life simply because they overlook the potential of the ordinary. If you simply start where you ARE, instead of waiting to start until you get to where you hope to go---you will become all you ever dreamed of being!

Little by little. Step by step. Day by day.

Bob

Let's not forget God made each of us and what we do with that life depends on HIS GRACE and us! God Bless - have a wonderful day tomorrow!! Be sure and look for that person that needs the bag we made tonight!!!