Weekend Fun

So this weekend didn't start out so fun because my sweet husband left on Friday for a weekend camping trip with some of his guy friends...it was fun for him....but a little sad for me. It was our first separation since we have been married and I missed him so much! But he had a great time and I actually was able to have some good quality time with my sister Charissa who kindly spent the night with me Friday night. It's funny because I realized how much my sweet husband does for me on a regular basis.. so many things that often go overlooked...so in missing him I was reminded how thankful I am for him, and how much sweeter life is with him by my side.

When Lew returned on Sunday we began his birthday week (an idea borrowed from my sis-in-law Rachel) The idea is basically to start the week before his birthday, which is next Sunday the 6th, and spend the whole week blessing him, encouraging him, and doing all the things he loves! So, yesterday originally the plan was to go to the zoo, but that didn't work out so we went to South Mountain Creamery in Middletown, Maryland and had so much fun. My personal favorite was the little calves, some were only a week old and they were really funny! They just wanted to keep licking our hands.....it was actually pretty gross, but they were too cute to resist ;) We also got homemade ice cream and fresh milk while we were there....yum!

They have the funniest tongues! You can see the corner of it in this picture. There really long and if you put your hand near their mouths they wrap their scratchy slimy tongues around your hand....pretty funny.....and gross at the same time!

This particular calf kept mooing really loud. It was funny because I think it wanted some attention.

Its funny if you enlarge this picture you can see this calf licking his nose...pretty cute.

To top off our Sunday we went to get fresh crabs...one of our favorites! For only getting one day together we really enjoyed it! I will keep you posted on the rest of Lew's Birthday week.

Baking Soda....who knew!

So Lew and I were cleaning tonight and I was complaining about this strange yucky odor coming from the garbage disposal....I knew there were natural items you could use as deodorizers so I decided to google it really quick just to see what popped up....and I came upon this article about baking soda and not only is it good for deodorizing the kitchen but it has like a million uses! I included my favorites below and the link for your reference ;) So break out that baking soda ladies!

http://www.wackyuses.com/arm_hammer.html

This website has all kinds of other "wacky uses" for other items around the house such as baby powder, bounce etc....

• Clean a microwave oven. Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, scrub, and rinse.

• Remove tarnish from silver. Mix a thick paste of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with water, apply the silver with a damp sponge, rub, rinse, and buff dry.

• Clean a stainless steel sink. Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, scrub the sink, and rinse clean.

• Boost the strength of liquid laundry detergent. Add one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with the usual amount of detergent in your regular wash cycle.

• Deodorize garbage disposals and sink drains. Instead of throwing out that old box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda that's been sitting in the refrigerator or freezer, gradually pour it down the drain and flush with water. Or better yet, pour two tablespoons Arm & Hammer Baking Soda down the garbage disposal every week.

• Deodorize food containers. Mix one-quarter cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with one quart water, swish food containers in solution, soak overnight, then rinse clean.

• Clean coffee and teapots. Wash in a solution of one-quarter cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and one quart warm water, then rinse clean.

• Deodorize kitchen garbage. Sprinkle a handful of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in the garbage pail each time you add garbage.

• Soothe poison ivy rash or insect bites. Make a paste of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and water, and apply to the affected area.

• Soothe sunburn, windburn, and prickly heat. Dissolve one-half cup baking soda in a tepid bath. Soak in the bath for fifteen minutes.

• Take a refreshing bath. Dissolve one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in a tub of warm water for soft, smooth-feeling skin and a relaxing bath.

• Brush your teeth. Plain baking soda is a gentle abrasive that cleans like the strongest toothpaste. Apply Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to a damp toothbrush, brush as usual, and rinse. Note: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda does not contain fluoride.

• Neutralize vomit odor. Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda generously to cover the stained area, let sit for an hour, then vacuum up.

• Soothe tired feet. Add three tablespoons to a basin of warm water and soak feet in the solution.

• Use as a deodorant. Dust baking soda under arms.

• Remove conditioner and styling gel build-up from hair. Wash hair once a week with a tablespoon of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda mixed with your regular shampoo; rinse thoroughly, then condition and style as usual.

• Make baby clothes smell even fresher. Add one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to baby's laundry.

• Boost bleach. Use one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with your normal liquid bleach to boost the bleaching action and freshen the wash.

What Laura's been up to...

It's so hard to believe that at this moment I have about 2 1/2 weeks left of this semester... and then only one more semester to go! This semester has been really busy along with being a new wife it has definitely been such a learning experience for me! I have had to really learn how to manage my time well....and let's just say I learned by trial and error ;) I am realizing more and more how very dependent I am on God for strength and perseverance. Lew has served me well during this time. He helps around the house: dishes, laundry, making the bed...you name it and if he knows it needs to be done he will do it....sometimes without even asking!

This is just a glimpse into my little world when I am in "school mode". This is pretty much what I have looked like 2-3 days per week.....surrounded by a number of different books.....keypad in my lap....typing away... different nursing diagnosis....medical histories....pathophysiologies... and not to mention all of the different information on all of the different medications we are learning about

I know I look kinda sad in this picture....but don't worry, I wasn't sad....just a little tired! There were moments that I was so weary and wondered how much longer I could take all the work of the semester, but God always supplied the strength I needed, and now the semester is almost at a close.

On another note I haven't had a lot of free time, but I did get to spend some time with my nephew Isaiah today while my sister went to have her 4 month prenatal visit (thats right she has another little one on the way Lord willing in October!!) It was so much fun to spend time with him and see how much he is turning into a little toddler ;) I couldn't take too many pictures because every time I whip out the camera he tries to take it away so the few pictures I could get were pretty funny. He got his hands on my sunglasses and decided he wanted to give them a try. It was so cute.

He insisted on me wearing them for a picture ;)

Well I don't have too much more to update on except for one more thing.....I lost about 8 inches....of HAIR that is ;) You can't see it too well in the picture above but after 6 years of growing my hair out I finally took the leap....it was just too much work! I now feel so free....5 minutes to wash it and 25 minutes to dry it...I am not quite sure how I ever survived with long hair before!

Grace notes

Most days when I get off the metro I don't usually take notice of the trumpet player who performs for spare change. As musicianship goes he's kind of average and definitely no Joshua Bell. Although this morning his music featured grace notes that made my heart sing. As I was coming up the escalator I was looking at the front page of the Express and saw the face of the killer from the Va. Tech shooting. As my eyes were confronted with this face, my ears were impacted with the sound of a trumpet proclaiming, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." This brought me back to the truth, this world isn't my home. One day I will be face to face with the One who has bought me with His blood and transforming me to His image. On that day there will be no more death, no more pain, no more sadness or sorrow, but everlasting rejoicing in the holy lamb who was slain so that all may know His all surpassing worth and glory.

Humility vs. sharpness

I had this funny exchange with my boss this morning. It was at 8:20 and he walks by and he asks me and my cubemate if we remember about 9:00. I thought about it, but nothing came to mind about 9:00, so I started to assume that maybe he was only talking to my cubemate. It didn’t take my cubemate long to think about it and reply, “they’re having breakfast for us in the conference room.” Being the type that gets excited about food I stated, “I totally forgot about that.” My boss being quick on his feet said, “Here is a lesson in sharpness, although at the cost of dishonesty. When I ask a question and one of you doesn’t know the answer, but the other one does, act as if you knew it all along. That way I am not standing here thinking, ‘Gosh, does this guy not read his e-mail?’”

Glory Revealed

Lew and I had the opportunity to go to a concert with some folks from the small group that we lead. It was called "Glory Revealed" and it was so great! The tour was originally started with David Nasser and Mac Powell (from Third Day) because David was writing a book called Glory Revealed and really felt like God put on his heart that he should have a CD to accompany it with music that is mostly just God's word. So Mac Powell started picking artists that he thought would participate and ended up with artists like: Shane and Shane, David Crowder, Micheal W. Smith, Brian Littrell....and more! The concert was so good and the music was great! It was so neat to see all this artists come together and make beautiful music with mostly just scripture as the lyrics.

You can check out samples of the songs here

One of my favorites (which was a really hard one to choose) was based on Psalm 51

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

It's good stuff, so check it out, and if you register on the website they will let you download one free song and give you a $5.00 coupon for the CD.

When the Lord Pays the Way...

Long time no blog....things have been busy! Lew's settling into his new job and things are going great. I have been really busy with school, we have a huge project once a semester called a "concept map" and seriously it's a 40 hour project....and we only get a week to do it. But I finished it and presented it Friday, did well, and then to top it off I had a test yesterday. So that's really all there is to update on ;)

Lew read me something very encouraging yesterday from The Minor Prophets by James Montgomery Boice. This is from the chapter on Jonah 1:1-3...it is such a good reminder of how our God provides for us when we simply seek his will and obey, something that has been quite a struggle for me lately! I want to have my own plan sometimes, I see an outcome that I desire and I think if I do this and this and that everything should go according to plan. Oh, but that usually is not the case, usually things don't turn out how I planned and it's then that I realize that God is the one who knows what is best for me, if only I would seek His will and obey. I am reminded every day that I am just a "work in progress"....just like Jonah...unfortunately he learned the hard way too....except his "hard way" was in the belly of a whale...I guess I should consider myself blessed!

At this point we find our first great lesson regarding God's sovereignty. Built into Jonah's first attempts to get away from God are two results that will follow anyone who tries to disobey him.

First Jonah's course was downhill. He would not have described it that way. He would have said that he was improving his life, just as we do when we choose our own course instead of God's. But it was downhill nevertheless. This is suggested in verse 3, where we are told that Jonah went "down" to Joppa. It is always that way when a person runs from the presence of the Lord. The way of the Lord is up! Consequently, any way that is away from him is down. The way may look beautiful when we start. The seas may look peaceful and the ship attractive, but the way is still down.

There was another result. In his excellent preaching on Jonah, Donal Grey Barnhouse often called attention to it by highlighting the phrase about Jonah "paying the fare." He noted that Jonah did not get to where he was going , since he was thrown overboard, and that he obviously didn't get a refund back on his ticket. So he paid the full fare and did not get to the end of his journey. Barnehouse said, "It is always that way. When you run away from the Lord you never get to where you are going, and you always pay your own fare. On the other hand, when you go the Lord's way you always get where you are going and he pays the fare."

Jonah illustrates one half of that statement. The story of Moses' mother, Jochebed, illustrates the other half. Jochebed conceived Moses during a time of great persecution by the Egyptions, a time in which Hebrew male infants were being thrown into the Nile River to die. When the child was born Jochebed and her husband, Amran, tried to hide him as long as possible, suspecting, I believe, that this was the one who had been promised by God to be the deliverer of the people. But at last the baby's cries grew too loud, and another plan was necessary. The mother made a little boat of bulrushes covering it with tar. She placed Moses in it and set it in the reeds by the riverbank. Then she stationed Miriam, Moses' sister, at a distance to see what would become of him. Though she wanted her baby more than anything else in the world, Jochebed entrusted the matter to God, allowing him to do as he wished with the child.

The daughter of Pharaoh came down to the river, saw the ark in the water, and sent her maids to fetch it. When it was opened, she saw the baby. He was crying. This so touched the woman's heart that she determined to save him and raise him in the palace. But what was she to do? The child needed a wet nurse. Where could she find one? At this point, Miriam, who had been watching from a distance, came forward and asked if she could be of assistance. "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?" Miriam asked.

"Yes" said the princess. Jochebed was brought.
Jochebed was about to receive back the child she most dearly wanted. She would have done anything to have kept him. She would have scrubbed the floors in the palace! In fact, if the daughter of Pharaoh had said "I am going to give you this child to raise, but I want you to know that I have seen through your stratagem. I know that this young girl was not up on that hill watching by accident. She must be the sister of this baby, and therefore, you must be the mother. You can have your child. But as a sign of your disobedience to the Pharaoh, I am going to cut off your right hand"--if she had said that, Moses' mother would probably have held out both hands, if only she could have had the child back. But that is not what happened. Instead Pharaoh's daughter gave the child back declaring, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you" (Exod.2:9).

"I will pay you." This is the point for which I tell you the story. Jonah went his own way, paid his own fare, and got nothing. Jochebed went God's way. Consequently, God paid the fare, and she got everything. I repeat it once more: When you run away from the Lord you never get to where you are going and you always pay your own fare. But when you go the Lord's way you always get where you are going, and he pays the fare."

Ropa Vieja!

This is one of our favorites....but I don't make it very often because its one of those dishes that tastes so good, but takes some effort and a little bit of time. It's a Cuban dish with flank steak, tomatoes, peppers...and some other goodies ;) You serve it on a tortilla or you can just eat it with a fork and knife. So, if your up for the challenge its definitely worth it!

Ropa Vieja

• 2 tbs. peanut oil
• 1 medium size onion chopped
• 1 small sweet red pepper chopped
  
• 1 small sweet green pepper chopped
• 5 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 teas. ground cumin
• 1/2 teas. dried oregano
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 pounds beef flank steak
• 1/2 teas. salt
• 1/2 teas. black pepper
• 2 cans (4oz) green mild chilies, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 package (10 0z) frozen corn
• 1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped
• Warmed flour or corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large flameproof dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, red and green pepper, and garlic; cook until onions translucent and peppers soft (about 8 min.)
2. Stir in cumin and oregano; cook about 1 min. Add tomatoes and broth.
3. Season steak with salt and pepper and add to pot. Cover and bring to simmer. Simmer about 2 hours until meat is tender, and turn meat occasionally.
   
4. Remove meat; let cool briefly. Cut across grain into 2 inch thick slices. Use 2 forks to pull slices apart into shreds.
   
5. Heat tomato sauce remaining in pot to rapid boiling. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally until thick (about 10-15 min.)
6. Add green chile's and corn. Heat to boiling; cook 5 min.
7. Add shredded beef, jalapeno, and cilantro. Heat to boiling. Serve with warmed tortillas.
   

Breakfast is Served

I found this great recipe for French Toast Sticks and decided to try it out this morning. They were sooo good. Its very simple, yet very delicious. Enjoy ;)

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup preserves(we used blueberry)
  
• 8 slices day-old white bread(I used sourdough, it actually gave it great flavor!)
  
• confectioners' sugar
  

Directions:
In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk and salt; set aside. Spread preserves on four slices of bread; top with the remaining bread. Trim crusts; cut each sandwich into three strips. Dip both sides in egg mixture. Cook on a lightly greased hot griddle for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

Bed and Breakfast...

This week was my spring break...hard to believe it's almost over! Thursday was also Lew's last day working at Covenant Life Church (he starts his new job at CSA as a Content Analyst on Monday....prayers appreciated!) Either way Friday was a day off for both of us so we left Thursday night for good old West Virginia to a bed and breakfast called the Carriage Inn by the recommendation of my brother Jeremy and his wife Rachel. It was so wonderful! The innkeepers are a very sweet husband and wife, and are truly the best hosts I have every encountered. The husband Donn was a pastor for many years and then they came upon this opportunity to run The Carriage Inn and him and his wife Marie have been doing so since 2004.

The Inn has a lot of history behind it. You can find out more about it on the website, but it's been around since 1836. We stayed in the Garden View room where apparently Ulysses S. Grant had stayed. It was a nice relaxing get away for a night, but unfortunately due to the yucky weather outside we decided not to stay during the day on Friday because most of what there is to do down there is outdoors. But we plan to return soon. For those who are interested we highly recommend it for a romantic get away! It was affordable and so worth it. The food was great and the room was very large (but still cozy) with a nice fireplace. There are lots of good restaurants nearby but we chose to go to Three Onions in Shepherdstown, we also recommend that...the food was great! So, the only pictures we really got to take were of our room...but here ya go!

Dont' Waste...

Lately Lew has been confronting me on an issue that is not a new one....not wasting food. Now I have to admit I do not waste food intentionally, but usually it goes a little something like this:

I go to the store I see grapefruits on sale..well i like grapefruit (Lew doesn't) but I still buy a good amount anyways b/c they are on sale....then I see some bread that I really like... I like bread (Lew really doesn't) but I still buy it anyways....then I see that its cheaper to buy a gallon of milk instead of 1/2 a gallon...so why not....you can see where I am going with this. With only 2 of us it's very hard to eat all of the groceries we buy per week especially the produce! This means I have to plan very well and keep track of what produce and other perishables we have on hand so that when I am planning meals I can incorporate them in someway...and therefore not waste them. My Mom can vouch for this struggle as I would often times do the same thing when I lived at home except I didn't have my own fridge, just my own drawer in the fridge. Many times my Mom would complain of a really bad smell in the fridge to soon discover there was once again some unidentifiable item rotting away in my drawer...yuck! So I have been trying to get creative and make things with my perishables when they are on the verge of going bad. It actually has been kinda fun.

So this week I made Caramel Bread Pudding thanks to Allrecipes.com
This is my second time using this recipe and it's so great. I have used french bread and that was very yummy, and this week I tried to be really innovative...I had 4 slices of stale oatmeal bread and two wholewheat bagels that were also on the verge of being stale...I also had some milk that was just about to expire....and yes, once again it turned out so yummy.

Ingredients:
6 slices stale (not moldy!) bread broken up into small (1/2") pieces.
1 C hot water
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 eggs lightly beaten
2 C warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teas. vanilla extract
1/2 teas. ground cinnamon
1/8 teas. salt

Directions: Place bread in a greased 2 qt. baking dish. Combine water and brown sugar, pour over bread. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over bread. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, mix bread around a little if you see any dry pieces on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 min or until knife in center comes out clean. You would never know your eating stale wholewheat bagels ;)

The weight of wings...

I just recently began reading Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot, and I can't get enough of it! Originally I was just going to read a chapter at night and maybe a chapter in the morning (the chapters are only about 2 pages) but it always ends up that I read a chapter or 2 at night and like 5 or 6 chapters in the morning. It's basically a bunch of letters that Elisabeth wrote to her daughter Valerie right before she got married. There are so many helpful truths in this book about womanhood, marriage, motherhood...and it's oh so easy to read ;) Here is my favorite chapter titled "The Weight of Wings"

Every creature of God is given something that could be called an inconvenience I suppose, depending on ones perspective. The elephant and the mouse might each complain about his size, the turtle about his shell, the bird about the weight of his wings. But elephants are not called upon to run behind wainscots, mice will not be found "pacing along as thought they have an appointment at the end of the world," turtles have no need to fly nor birds to creep. The special gift and ability of each creature defines its special limitations. And as the bird easily comes to terms with its necessity of bearing wings when it finds that it is in fact, the wings that bear the bird---up, away from the world into the sky, into freedom--so the woman who accepts the limitations of womanhood finds in those very limitations her gifts, her special calling--wings, in fact which bear her up into perfect freedom, into the will of God.

You have heard me tell of Gladys Aylward, the "Small Woman" of China, whom I heard speak many years ago at Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta. She told how when she was a child she had two great sorrows. One, that while all her friends had beautiful golden hair, hers was black. The other, that while here friends were still growing, she stopped. She was about four feet ten inches tall. But when at last she reached the country to which God had called her to be a missionary, she stood on the wharf in Shanghai and looked around at the people to whom He had called her. "Every single one of them," she said "had black hair. And every single one of them had stopped growing when I did. And I said 'Lord God, You know what you're doing!' "

It reminds me of Psalm 139...He knit us together in our Mother's womb, surely no mistakes were made in that process. He even intends our limitations for our good.

Dream Job

I mentioned in my last weekend read that in my last weekend read that in high school I wanted to grow up to be a journalist. I have had people ask me what my dream job is and I've given a myriad of answers, but I was thinking about it, and plain and simple, my dream job is to be a writer. Will that dream ever come to fruition? Yeah, I get to write all the time, the question of getting paid for my writing is another story. Even if I never actually get published or make a living off of my writing, I definitely plan on continuing to pursue it for the simple joy it gives me and the exercise of mastering rhetoric because I believe no one ever truly masters it.

Speaking of writing, below is a meditation that I wrote earlier this week during my quiet time on Hosea. Even if a publisher never publishes my work, blogger will always publish me ;)

My sympathy is stirred (Hosea 11:8)

If you are more aware of your sin then God’s love for you, then direct your attention to the cross. Kneel before the cross and realize that the death of His Son was for you. The only begotten Son of the most high king gave up His life for you to be adopted into the family of God. Nothing can break these family ties for you have been wrapped with His bands of love. At calvary, the most heinously conceivable sin was displayed for all to see that even when sin abounds to its highest level that grace is still triumphant. All of your sins were placed on the son at the cross so that there is no fear or dread of any punishment.

At the moment that you notice condemnation lurking around the corner, remember that our God is not like man. He is holy and cannot be in the presence of sin, because of His great love for you He has washed you clean of the sin that stains you. His grace has abounded greater then any past, present or future sin. Your coming before Him is not on the basis of your works, but what He’s done. Your holiness is not what you’ve earned, but what He’s given you. You are eternally His, He has bought you with the blood of His Son and will not give you up.

How can this be you ask? God’s heart for you is a heart that overflows with compassion. Instead of treating us as we deserve, He crushed His Son for us. The fierceness of His anger was the burden that Christ faced so that we can experience God’s love poured out into our hearts. Due to our sin, we should have been destroyed by God’s holy wrath, but the righteous One who knew no sin, took on our sin and died in our place so that we can be considered righteous. At the cross God’s sympathy is displayed and we find no greater display of love.

"All Aboard"

Baldwin Station : winner from 1998-2005 of best restaurant from Baltimore Magazine & date night destination of Lew and Laura on 03/03/07

One of the most disappointing things in life is when you get excited something for and it doesn’t live up to expectations. This past Saturday Laura and I went to a restaurant that I had found online and it definitely exceeded our expectations. The restaurant is called, “Baldwin Station,” and is located in Sykesville, MD. Sykesville, you ask. Yes, Sykesville and as the Washington Post states, “It is worth the trip.”

Baldwin Station is located on the Patapsco River and is actually an old train station that was converted into a restaurant. When the weather is nice they have been indoor and outdoor seating. It is a very family friendly restaurant to as along with being a hot spot for acoustic musical venues, there is also a children’s theatre at the restaurant.

Lastly, the food, it was exquisite. We had authentic Maryland lump crabcakes. I heard my mom speak of these authentic Maryland lump crabcakes where it is mostly crab and minimal cake. Not until Baldwin Station did I experience it for myself. Laura even claims that these are the best crabcakes she has ever had.

If you get a chance to make it out to the country to visit the winner of City Paper’s Best Romantic Restaurant in 2000.

My Answered Prayer

"She's Everything"

She's a yellow pair of running shoes
A holey pair of jeans
She looks great in cheap sunglasses
She looks great in anything
She's I want a piece of chocolate
Take me to a movie
She's I can't find a thing to wear
Now and then she's moody

She's a Saturn with a sunroof
With her brown hair a-blowing
She's a soft place to land
And a good feeling knowing
She's a warm conversation
That I wouldn't miss for nothing
She's a fighter when she's mad
And she's a lover when she's loving

[Chorus]
And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
I talk about her, I go on and on and on
'Cause she's everything to me

She's a Saturday out on the town
And a church girl on Sunday
She's a cross around her neck
And a cuss word 'cause its Monday
She's a bubble bath and candles
Baby come and kiss me
She's a one glass of wine
And she's feeling kinda tipsy

She's the giver I wish I could be
And the stealer of the covers
She's a picture in my wallet
Of my unborn children's mother
She's the hand that I'm holding
When I'm on my knees and praying
She's the answer to my prayer
And she's the song that I'm playing

[Repeat chorus]

She's the voice I love to hear
Someday when I'm ninety
She's that wooden rocking chair
I want rocking right beside me
Everyday that passes
I only love her more
Yeah, she's the one
That I'd lay down my own life for

And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me
Yeah she's everything to me

Everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me

The above is a song by Brad Paisley and it is probably one of my new favorite songs. One of my favorite things about Brad Paisley love songs is that he doesn't write about this perfect woman and a perfect marriage that they have. Instead, his songs can be very real and talk about the imperfections and the joy found in the imperfections. As he says in the song Little Moments, "I know she's not perfect, but she tries so hard for me, and thank God that she isn't because how boring would that be."

What's really neat about this song is how he loves his wife. The extent of his love is that he would lay down his life for his wife. Not only does he want to grow old with her, but if he had to, he would sacrifice his life for her because that is what love is. "There is no greater love then this, that a man would lay down his life for his friends," Jesus Christ.

That's how I love Laura. Not only do I love to talk about her and think about growing old with her, but just like Christ gave up His life for the church, so will I give up my life for my bride.

Snow Falling on Cedars

March is here, the temperature is in the 50’s and instead of snow in the forecast it’s rain. If you’re not like me and aching for the snow to stick around a little bit longer then might I suggest to you David Guterson’s first novel, “Snow Falling on Cedars.” I am not a fan of most contemporary authors, so the fact that I enjoy all of Guterson’s writings is saying a lot.

Before writing this review I decided to run a wikipedia search on the book and it turns out that Guterson was a teacher and from the 1960’s-1980’s and he would write the book little by little in the morning. Once the book was published and became a huge success he quit his teaching gig and started writing full time. Since he began writing fulltime in 1995 he has published three other novels. His latest two novels, “East of the Mountains” (highly recommended) and “Our Lady of The Forest” (good, but his weakest work in my opinon), I’ve read and will review in the future.

“Snow Falling on Cedars,” takes place in the pacific northwest and set in a post world war II time period. I read this book as a high school assignment and part of the reason why I enjoyed it so much is because it is told from the point of view of the town’s newspaper editor, which at the time is what I aspired to be when I grew up. The plot revolves around racism between the white-Americans that live in the community and the Japanese-American fishermen with the backdrop of a murder trial that is very Lee Harper-esque. As the narrator tells the story, you also get personal flashbacks to his youth and a forbidden romance. This is without a doubt a story that has it all, courtroom drama, love triangle, a morality tale, a historical novel and a story about racism told from the perspective of an excellent author.

Grade: A- 91% (missed the A ranking because it isn't exactly family friendly. There is some violence and other content that actually has this book placed on the banned book list).

The Love of God

“The pursuing love of God is the greatest wonder of the spiritual universe. We leave God in the heat of our own self-desire and run from His will because we want so much to have our own way. We get to a crossroads and look back in pride, thinking that we have outdistanced Him. Just as we are about to congratulate ourselves on our achievement of self-enthronement, we feel a touch on our own arm and turn in that direction to find Him there. ‘My child,’ He says in great tenderness, ‘I love you; and when I saw you running away from all that is good, I pursued you through a shortcut that love knows well, and awaited you here at the crossroads.’ We have torn ourselves free from His grasp and rushed off again, through deepest woods and farthest swamp, and as we look back again, we are sure, this time, that we have succeeded in escaping from Him. But, once more, the touch of love is on our other sleeve and when we run quickly we find that He is there, pleading with the eye of love, and showing Himself once more to be the tender and faithful One, loving to the end. He will always say, ‘My child, my name and nature are Love, to tell you that when you are tired of running and your wandering, I will be there to draw you myself once more.’

When we see this love at work through the heart of Hosea we may wonder if God is really like that. But everything in the Word and in experience shows us that He is. He will give man the trees of the forest and the iron in the ground. Then He will give to man the brains to make an axe from the iron to cut down a tree and fashion it into a cross. He will gave man the ability to make a hammer and nails, and when man has the cross and the hammer and the nails, the Lord will allow man to take hold of Him and bring Him to that cross; He will stretch out His hands upon it and allow man to nail Him to that cross, and in so doing will take the sins of man upon Himself and make it possible for those who have despised and rejected Him to come unto Him and know the joy of sins removed and forgiven, to know the assurance of pardon and eternal life, and to enter into the prospect of the hope of glory with Him forever. This is even our God, and there is none like unto Him.” Donald Barnhouse (The Minor Prophets)

How can we fully grasp the love of our God. When Lew read this to me last night I was so amazed to think, yes it is our God who would love us enough to send his Son to die for all of our sins, even though we had rebelled against Him in so many ways. And to see how our Creator made the very things that would be used to crucify His Son. It reminded me of the song by Caedmon's Call "You made the seed that made the tree, that made the cross that saved me!" It was all apart of God's divine plan...and even though I had turned by back on Him, he saved me in His love.

Lunch with the Ellis'

Yesterday we were able to have lunch with Sam, Priscila, and Gianna. It was so much fun to catch up with them and see how little Gianna is growing up ;) Here are a few pics of her in her little chair:


Doesn't she look so happy!

She has Priscila's eyes...and Sam's mouth ;)

In this picture I couldn't get her to look at the camera because she was gazing lovingly at Sam ;)

It was so cute to watch her bounce in this thing because she was on her tippy toes so she looked like a little ballerina, so cute!

I made this walnut apple pizza for lunch (compliments of BHG) and we all enjoyed it so I thought I'd pass it on... enjoy!

Walnut Apple Pizza
1/2 package of active dry yeast (1 1/4 tsp.)
3/4 C warm water (not too hot!)
1 C all purpose flour
2/3 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
3/4 cup blue cheese (3 oz.)
1 large tart apple (I used granny smith) cored and sliced thinly (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz.)
1 1/2 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

*I used my kitchen aid mixer to mix and knead the bread....but I am going to include the regular directions and you can adapt to a mixer if you'd like*

Directions: Stir yeast into warm water, let stand 5 min. to dissolve. In large mixing bowl add regular flour, whole what flour, sugar, salt. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add yeast mixture and oil. Stir until combined. Turn onto floured surface, knead gently 20 times. Place dough in greased bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (45 min.). Punch down. Preheat oven 450. Grease pizza pan. Roll out dough to about 13". Build up edges slightly, Bake crust 10 min or until begins to brown slightly. Remove from oven, sprinkle with blue cheese. Add apple slices and sprinkle with Monterey Jack, walnuts, and rosemary. Bake 10 more minutes more until edges are lightly browned.

*To use a pizza stone (this is what I used and the nice thing about it is it makes the crust crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside) preheat stone for 15 minutes in oven. Then put dough on stone and add ingredients. Then cook pizza in oven about 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted well and dough is slightly browned.*

Heaven

17"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth,and the
former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. 18But
be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create;for behold,
I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a
gladness. 19I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my
people;no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and
the cry of distress. (Isaiah 65:17-19)

I was reading this passage this morning in my quiet time and I was refreshed with a wonder of what Heaven will be like. Verse 17 in the passage above states that in the new heavens and new earth the things of this world will not be remembered or come into mind. It's like saying that our greatest times and happiest memories can not come close to competing to what God has in store for us in paradise. In paradise there will be no more weeping, but a never ending joy and gladness.

Laura and I have been reading "The Heart of the Cross," and one of the things that the author makes clear is that what makes paradise truly paradise is the fact that we will be with the risen lamb who has redeemed of us our sins. Paradise isn't paradise because of the new heavens and the new earth, but it's being in the radiating light of the source of our joy, basking in the glory of Him who sits on the throne forever and ever. Finally being united with the King who is worthy and whom the angels proclaim "holy, holy, holy," because He is to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing.

Weddings are a time of great joy and and only a minor reflection of how glorious our union will be when we are completely conformed to image of the one that knows us the most intimately. I remember getting ready for my own wedding and how God had created me for Laura and bound our hearts together. More importantly then that, God created me for Him. He has sealed taken my heart and sealed it by His Holy Spirit to give me the hope dwelling with Him eternally in His kingdom.

Totally unrelated: If you check out the sidebar, I've added some songs from revoLEWtion. A lot of times when people talk about my debut CD the songs that everyone love are "Oh Yeah Buddy," and "Two-Ply, Two-Ply." If it was up to me, the songs that would get more attention are some of my instrumental songs like my arrangement of "Refiners Fire," and "ballad in C"

Who can comfort?

Today's reading from Charlie (as my Mom likes to call him) Spurgeon's Morning & Evening

2 Corintians 7:6

“God, that comforteth those that are cast down.”

“...He is the God of all comfort.” There is no balm in Gilead, but there is balm in God. There is no physician among the creatures, but the Creator is Jehovah-rophi. It is marvellous how one sweet word of God will make whole songs for Christians. One word of God is like a piece of gold, and the Christian is the gold beater, and can hammer that promise out for whole weeks. So, then, poor Christian, thou needest not sit down in despair. Go to the Comforter, and ask him to give thee consolation. Thou art a poor dry well. You have heard it said, that when a pump is dry, you must pour water down it first of all, and then you will get water, and so, Christian, when thou art dry, go to God, ask him to shed abroad his joy in thy heart, and then thy joy shall be full. Do not go to earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job’s comforters after all; but go first and foremost to thy “God, that comforteth those that are cast down,” and you will soon say, “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”

When I read this it reminded me of a verse I was meditating on yesterday: James 4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." How comforting it is to know that as we seek to draw near to our God, especially when feeling down cast, that it is then we can also experience his nearness. He simply calls us to draw near...and drink of His everlasting well, it is there we will find the comfort our souls long for!

Also for those of you who don't know yet, Lew has a big job interview today at 2pm....we would love prayers!

Winter Stew...

Friday night I was able to have 2 of my really good friends Katherine and Rani over and we had some good girl time..we had a lot of catching up to do ;) it reminded me of the days of old when we would get together every other week at starbucks for accountability, these two ladies have cared for me spiritually for years...and I couldn't thank them enough for their friendship!

Anyways I am usually a little skeptical about trying a new recipe when I have people over for dinner, but I bit the bullet and tried this stew recipe I had been eying in my Southern Living "Light and Easy Comfort Food" cookbook....and it turned out great...Whew! So here it is:
Pork & Squash Stew:
Ingredients:

• 1 pound pork shoulder (I used pork butt instead....worked just as well...and I imagine you could also just substitute with beef as well)
• 3 tbs flour
• 4 teas. oil
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 2 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1/2 teas. dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (12oz) beer
• 2 cups (3/4'') peeled cubed butternut squash (about one pound)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (1 teaspoon dried was fine)

Trim fat from pork, cut into cubes. Set aside. Place flour in ziplock plastic bag. Add pork, shake to coat. Discard flour. Heat 2 teas. oil in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Brown pork on all sides (about 8 minutes), then remove and set aside. Add remaining 2 teas. oil to pan, add onion and carrot; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add pork, beer, rosemary, salt, and pepper to skillet. Bring to boil; cover, reduce and simmer 30 minutes. Add squash; cover simmer 25 more minutes until squash is tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

We served it over risotto.

Also for those who aren't familiar with preparing/storing butternut squash (this was my first time buying the whole squash...I usually buy it already cut and ready to cook) here is some helpful info I got from www.digsmagazine.com

choosing and storing butternut squash
Choose a squash that feels heavy for its size, with blemish-free skin, and no soft, moldy spots. Thanks to its thick skin, butternut squash keeps for a good long time (up to a month) when kept in a cool, dark place. Don’t store squash in the refrigerator, as the cold temperatures will actually cause the squash to go bad much more quickly.

prepping butternut squash
Unlike summer squash, the peel of winter squashes is too tough for eating, even when cooked. To peel a butternut squash, cut off the ends of the squash. (You’ll need a good heavy chef’s knife to cut a butternut squash). Quarter the squash – I find it easier to cut latitudinally first (the short way), then to cut each section in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fibrous innards from the bulbous bottom ends and discard. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel.

Here's my happy hubby enjoying his left over stew ;)

Enjoy!

Confessions by Augustine

I've decided to start a new series on this blog called "Weekend Read." My goal is to publish the weekend read near the end of the week. It's main purpose is for all the people who are contemplating a weekend trip to Border or Barnes and Nobles to pick up a book to start for that weekend.

Initially I thought about maybe the "Weekend Read" being something I posted monthly. My goal is to do it weekly, but honestly with my schedule I'm not going to be legalistic about if I miss a week or anything like that. I had thought before about doing it monthly, but I've read a lot and don't plan on slowing down.

Here are something to expect:

1)This will range the whole gamut from theology, classic literature, plays, sports books, etc.
2)Wide spectrum of quality of books will be covered, so all book will be graded. Just an fyi, only two books will receive a 100%
3)I can sometimes be turned off when I come go to Amazon.com and someone has written a review that is a novel in and of itself. None of these reviews will be ultra long, but don't expect one sentence earlier.

My first weekend read was inspired by Robin's review of Confessions in the CLC newsletter. If you read Robin's endorsement of Confessions and are still undecided about if it is for you, then hop off the fence and join the many who have read Confessions and realize why it isn't just theological, but a classic as well.

Confessions begins with the famous line: "You made us for yourself and our hearts find no rest in you." The plot of Confessions is simple (unlike Augustine's other famous work, "City of God), it tells the tale of Augustine's conversion. Essential to Augustine's conversion is the goodness of God (evidenced by the quote above) and the nature of sin. Augustine, like all of us, was a hedonist, but unlike the rest of us, Augustine does not make excuse for his sin but says that the reason why he sinned is because it was his desire.

The beauty of reading Augustine is that he was a great thinker and philosopher. In his Confessions we see how the philosophy of his day influenced him in his younger years, but as Augustine gets older we also see the care and love of Monica (his mother) which aids in his conversion as Augustine is confronted with the supremacy of God's Word over any philosophy. Confessions, unlike modern conversion stories (see: Blue Like Jazz) is theologically sound and presents a holy God that is the source of man's joy.

Grade: A 95%

Few things that I would change about this book. It doesn't reach the perfect standard, but few books do. This is one of those books that not only affected my theological understanding, but also application specifically related to my joy found in God.

Snowy Days!

We have had quite the snow filled week! It has been interesting having the first big snow with the Hendricks family being gone...we have had to fend for ourselves in this nasty weather. The snow started yesterday morning and lasted into the night then turned into sleet and it still was sleeting this morning. Then when we woke up we had no power. Apparently thats common out here in the "country". So we were able to get a fire started with the help of a neighbor which kept us warm most of the morning. Then we set up some of the generators for the refrigerators so we could keep the food from going bad. Finally around 11 the power went back on...Yay! So to celebrate we went sledding, so much fun ;)

This was Lew yesterday morning leaving for work when the snow was just beginning to stick.

Getting ready to go down the hill...

Weeeeeeee!

Lew's turn....

Good times ;)

We only lasted about an hour outside because it was so cold and my clothes were all wet...no fun. I don't know how I ever made it as a kid when I would play in the snow for hours, but it was fun to go sledding. I think its been like 8 or 9 years since I last did that. Now the plan is to do some cleaning...laundry...and then make dinner for my Valentine ;)

Happy Snowy Valentines Day!

Weekend Fun

This Saturday we had a lot of fun family time. We were able to have my sister Charissa, her roommate Libby, my sister Hannah, my Nephew Isaiah, my brother-in-law Enoch, and my Mom over for some ice skating fun. The Pond that is on the property next to our house had finally frozen over (apparently only happens every couple years) so we took advantage and braved the ice. We had such a good time!

Group picture! Unfortunately we couldn't get everyone in the picture b/c the ice started to crack from the weight of everyone!

My brother-in-law Enoch...he was the best ice skater out of all of us ;)

"Grandma" Ellis with Isaiah

Hannah and Isaiah all bundled up

Doesn't he make such a joyful ice skater ;)?

My Mom...pretending like she is...flying?

My sister Charissa (on the left) with her college roommate Libby

After all the ice skating fun we were able to have my brother Jeremy and his wife Rachel over for dinner. They have been such a blessing to us throughout our relationship and now in our marriage.

We had so much fun with you guys and we can't thank you enough for your faithful friendship!

You Alone

This morning I was reading Isaiah 60 about God being my glory and that has continually been one of those things that God has had to remind me of. It is so easy for me to glory in other things and look to other places for my hope and worth. When I come to the cross I realize that my success, attitude and any blessings I will receive is not about what I do, but it is all about what God did on the cross. That led me to write this meditation about God's desire to bless me with who He is and what He has done for me and how my heart should respond.

Creator of the heavens and earth,
Eternal One from everlasting to everlasting,
Of infinite value and majestic in holiness,
You alone are my hope and glory.

I was blind and you became my light.
I was lost and you found me.
I was weak and you became my strength.
I was lost and you gave me life.

At Your right hand are pleasures forever more.
My soul is filled with abundance in You.
Kneeling before Your cross
I find joy and peace that know no end.

Calling You Father brings more security then any worldly stronghold.
Gaining You as my reward has greater worth then any monetary value.
Being in Your army is more prestigious then any secular position.

Aside from You I have nothing,
My life is for Your glory,
My words are for Your praise,
You alone are my portion and resting place.

Debtor to grace

I was reading Isaiah 59 and when I got to verse 12 I realized how I contributed nothing to my salvation.

For our transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our sins testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And as for our iniquities, we know them: (Isaiah 59:12)

But thankfully, there is an Intercessor who has won my salvation for me by bearing my sin and shame. "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)." That led me to write this meditation on Isaiah 59 this morning.

Oh Lord, how amazing your unfailing love and unstoppable power!
Despite my wickedness and sin, You became my righteousness.
Although I was at war with You, You ended my striving;
Bringing me into the light by making peace
With sacrificing Your Son on the cross for me.

Best case scenario, I was blind to You.
Worst case scenario, I was dead and could do no good.
In each scenario I was helpless and had no hope.

You saw my transgressions rapidly multiplying;
You heard my sin railing against You;
You felt my iniquities attacking Your character;
You knew there was no salvation
That I could attain on my own,
Therefore You brought salvation to me
By making Your Son wear my imperfection,
Pouring out your holy and just wrath on Your perfect Son,
Allowing me to wear His righteousness
And be reconciled to you.

Even in this state of redemption
I still walk as if I don’t know You.
As my sin abounds,
Your grace abounds even more.
The power of Your love holds me.
There is nothing I can do to escape the grip of Your mercy.

Oh Yeah Buddy

All the fans of the revoLEWtion can keep their eyes peeled for a new recording of "Oh Yeah Buddy," that is soon to be released. It's crazy to think that the Oh Yeah Buddy song almost didn't get recorded onto my revoLEWtion CD. Both the original and writing of the song have quite a mythology behind them.

I wrote the music to Oh Yeah Buddy long before I wrote the words. The music was probably the first finger picking music that I had written that I knew I wanted to put words to. I liked the music so much that I didn't want to rush to write the lyrics. I wanted the lyrics to be something upbeat and happy to match the music. One night while working third shift at the oh so fond hour of 3 A.M. I was playing the music and began singing the words, "Oh Yeah Buddy." Before I knew it, the lyrics just came to me.

revoLEWtion was recorded shortly after my first live concert. I had close to two hours worth of material and had an idea of what material I wanted to record, but was torn about recording Oh Yeah Buddy. It almost didn't get recorded until I was close to the end of the session and shouted back to the guys recording and asked, "do y'all think I should record Oh Yeah Buddy," and they respond back, "Of course man, you go to."

The 2nd recording of Oh Yeah Buddy was quite different from the first recording. The first recording was done in one taking with the vocal and music together. I was in the sanctuary of Westminster Presbyterian Church and Chris Coy was in the back with his laptop plugged into the sound board. We recorded pretty much everything with one take and then he burned it from his computer onto a CD and the rest is as they say "history."

My newest recording was quite the different experience. It was explained to the producer that it should only take 10-15 minutes and it didn't have to be profesional quality. It actually took closer to an hour and I think the producer was aiming for profesional quality although I was biting my tounge trying not to say, "no matter how much mixing you do, my voice will still sound really bad." It was definitely an awkward recording for me because I am used to recording vocals and music all at once, but the producer wanted me to lay down the music and then do the lyrics. This was a slight problem because I don't think I've ever played the song same way twice in a row. It still came out good and didn't take long to record (editing was the long part).

There were several humorous moments in this recording. Without a doubt the funniest was near the end of the recording and the head of the studio came in and heard the song and asked, "So, who is buddy?" There was also a moment when the producer said to me, "there is a certain charm to being out of tune..." I sat there thinking he was going to say I had that certain charm, but instead he begans to do some editing to attempt to make my singing sound in tune.

Speaking of people who say, amen and hallelujah...

"That's not what's important. What's important is that Lovie Smith and I are friends, that we're both Christians, and that Jesus Christ gets the glory."
-Tony Dungy in response to what it feels like to be the first African
American coach to win a Super Bowl.

Thai style

I decided to surprise Lew tonight with a big dinner, originally I was supposed to have some of my good friends over to hang out but because of the snow we had to reschedule. So when Lew came home I had prepared a large dinner that he wasn't expecting! The menu was: Spicy Thai Chicken Skewers, Lemon Dill Rice, Spinach and Orange Salad, Thai Peanut Sauce, and Sweet and Sour Pineapple Sauce. The recipes are all pretty simple...and the nicest part...they can be prepared before hand, nice! They are also very colorful which makes for a nice display.
*Note some of them are spicy, but I think you could prepare them less spicy and they would still be tasty*

Thai Chicken Skewers:
1-2 lbs chicken breast
1/2 C sweetened condensed milk (I have used condensed milk or just skim milk, both turned out great!)
1-2 tbs peanut butter (optional)
3 tbs teryaki sauce
1 Tbs white vinegar
1 tbs. red curry paste (or curry powder with some cayenne pepper for same effect)
Skewers

Cut chicken into 2-3 inch long pieces. Mix all ingredients and add chicken. Marinate at least 1-2 hours (better overnight). Soak wood skewers in water at least 1 hour prior to cooking so they don't burn ( I was in a hurry and only did 30 minutes which wasn't enough and they did burn a little). Put chicken on Skewers (you can add extra stuff in between like pineapple, green peppers, onions etc...) Broil 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on your broiler) 4 inches from broiler until well cooked.

Spinach and Orange salad
This is so versatile you can pretty much use any ingredients for the salad part...I just like the dressing because it's simple and a little bit sweet and tangy...so you can make it however you want..
but here is what I did:
Baby Spinach
Blood orange cut into segments
Cashews
Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 Tsp. salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
(You can make this different ways...the original recipe calls for mandarin orange segments, red onion, and celery...that is also very good)

Lemon Dill Rice (in rice cooker)
1 cup jasmine rice (I actually used brown basmati which was very good)
2 cups water
Lemon rind and juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1 tbs dried parsley or 1 cup fresh
2 tbs. olive oil

Spray rice cooker pan with nonstick spray, add rice water and salt to taste. Stir in remaining ingredients. cover and cook 20 minutes. Allow to stand covered for 10 min. before serving. Serves about 4.

*Note about the sauces: These sauces are only good in the fridge for 5-7 days...we can usually never use them before then so they can be frozen and used for another meal*

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. sugar
hot pepper sauce to taste (I just add 1-2 tsp. of cayenne pepper which is usually good)
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup cold water

Mix all ingredients except water into a bowl. Gradually add cold water until smooth and creamy (dipping consistency)

Sweet and Sour sauce:
2 cup water
2/3 cut distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 (6oz.) can of tomato paste
1 (8oz) can of pineapple tidbits drained
3 tbs. cornstarch

In medium saucepan over medium heat mix water, vinegar, sugar, tomato paste, pineapple and cornstarch. Cook 15 minutes stirring occasionally until desired color and consistency.


That's all folks!