A TRUE SAYING -YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS AROUND THE CORNER"

Life is fleeting - and we never know what is around the next corner.  We feel we dodged another bullet because Mom is back home - still weak but doing good for what she went through and for 94.  We are thankful for each day we have her!

I am finally beginning to catch up on my loss of sleep - someone my age should not try going to  bed at 4 am, getting up at 6 am, and going to work at 8 am.  But all is well that ends well.  The customer that I dozed off while he was talking was very understanding when I explained it wasn't him, it was being at the hospital until after 3 am!! 

Last week I cooked some good food.  One of the things was quick and delicious was the following:

OVEN BAKED HONEY MUSTARD DRUMMIES

8 to 12 (I did 12) chicken drumsticks
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup stoneground mustard (or as I did a combo of stone ground and honey mustard)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional -- I added this)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, thyme, paprika, garlic and cayenne if using.  Mix well.

Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in a baking dish.  Pour or brush half of the sauce over the chicken.  Bake 30 minutes.  Turn chicken over and brush with the remaining sauce.  Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer raw and juices run clear.  It took my chicken another 30 minutes.     Really good!!!

  Serve with a really good spinach salad - topped with sliced strawberries, cranberries, toasted walnuts and Feta cheese.  Mix a little olive oil and lightly flavored balsamic vinegar and drizzle over salad!!.

I made this the night my Mom got sick and had taken one bite when I was called.  Was going to eat some the next day -- and they were all gone!  Must have been good!!

Monday night I was going to stop at Brookshires on Rice Road after work and buy turkey for turkey sausage balls for marinara sauce -- and the store was so crowded I would have had to park out by 69  - last row -- no thank you - so I came home and Travis asked if I had anything for stew!  My first response was NO!  But I begin to create - took some really thin pork chops out of freezer, thawed out, cut into small bite size.  Then I sauted' the pork, liberally covered with salt and Penzey's black pepper and minced garlic.  Added 1 chopped onion and 1 cup chopped celery.  Then I had one sweet potato, washed, peeled and cut into small chunks and added that.  Then I poured in 1 box chicken broth and added 2 bay leaves.  When pork and vegetables were tender, I added a bag of  frozen vegetables for gumbo and one bag of mixed vegetables.  IT cooked for about 15 more minutes.  Added a little more salt and about 1/2 tsp. sugar.     Served with cornbread -- it was very good!  Loved the sweet potato in it.  See what you can create -- use what you have!!!

You know I read something the other night I want to share with you!  The thought that stuck in my head was: "Everyday - offer your day to God.!  If everything you do or say -is offered to God - it will certainly change some old habits!  I want you to read this and see if it impacts your life.  I want it to mine! 

God never lies!

A king who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in
all circumstances, said: My king, do not be discouraged, because
everything God does is perfect, no mistakes!

One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the
king. His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his
majesty losing a
finger.

Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved, the nobleman
said "Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and
lost my finger."

The slave replied only "My king, despite all these things, I can only
tell you that God is good,
and he knows the "why" of all these things.What God does is perfect. He
is never wrong!"

Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made
human sacrifices.

In the altar, ready to sacrifice the noble savage had found that the
victim had not one of his fingers, was released. According to them: it
was not so complete to be offered to the gods.

Upon his return to the palace, he authorized the release of his slave
that he received very affectionately.

- My dear, God was really good for me! I was almost killed by the wild
men, but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a
question: If God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?

- My King, if I had gone with you in this hunt, I 'would have been
sacrificed for you, because I have no missing finger.

Therefore, remember: everything God does is perfect. IT is never wrong

Often we complain about life and things that happen to us apparently
negative,

forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose.

Every morning, offer your day to God.

Ask God to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, to ease your
feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong!

You know why this message is for you? I do not know, but God knows,
because he never makes mistakes.......

The path of God and his word is perfect, without impurities. IT is the
way of all those who trust in him, as he says in 2 Samuel 22: 31

Surely the message arrived at the right moment. May God put in your
heart the desire to send it to someone. Do not be ashamed to send it to
the right person God knows, He knows why.

God is never wrong!

Think this will make a difference in how we perceive things?  I do -- and I want to offer my day to God - and allow Him to guide me in how to respond to disappointment, criticism, and hurt. 

I hope you will too.  Have a great evening and even better tomorrow!  May God Bless you!!!

itevomcid