Wednesday, April 30, 2008
No Poo Update
For those who want an update on my 2 month old science experiment with abstaining from using shampoo.... The recommendations from my reading off the web did not work for this momma. Here is what is working: I use 1 T. of baking soda in warm water to wash my hair. I wet my hair with warm water, turn off the shower and massage my soda mixture into my hair and scalp for a minute or so. Then I rinse thoroughly with warm water. Then I close out with cold water to close the cuticles. My hair looks beautiful today and is holding a curl nicely. It will likely look clean for at least 3 days and sometimes more. The Apple Cider Vinegar rinse used according to directions left my hair waxy feeling and dull looking and made me feel grimy and grumpy. For what it's worth....
Chapter 4/Day 4: A New Definition for Exhaustion
After the best night’s sleep of the whole ride, we awoke to Gary frying bacon and cooking eggs and biscuits in the kitchen. Sharon invited her dear, little mother Jonnie Weaver to join us for breakfast. Amongst all these goings on here came Pete Gonzalez to retrieve his errant dog, Hercules. I thought “Hercules” was aptly named. Seemed he made a habit of escaping the confines of his world and his owner was growing impatient with his escapades. Mr. Gonzalez loaded Hercules into the back of his old pickup. The dog was trembling and I was fairly certain he knew he was in trouble. Sharon and I said our goodbyes to Hercules. I tried to get a good picture of him but he was like a child in hyper mode. I really appreciated the part Hercules played in our meeting of our new friends the McMullen’s.
4’ 7” 78 year old Jonnie was this beaming and excited schoolgirl of an audience. She loved us and we her the moment we met her. As our story unfolded from the day before and we told her the story of God’s provision through a hyper dog, Jonnie said, “God knows where to send people.” As we bowed our head before our breakfast, Jonnie wept as she prayed for us. It was the most endearing moment of our trip and I will always remember her earnest prayer on our behalf. We talked of other opportunities to help strangers in the past and we talked of all our animal friends from dogs, roadrunners, skunks, raccoons and owls.
As much as we hated to, we needed to be on our way. It was Sunday morning and pushing 11:00 when we said our goodbyes. The McMullens contributed pecan halves and a jar of crystallized honey to our stash of food. And we were off to our adventures. Unfortunately the wind was kicking up from the south as we headed southeast. A mile or so up the road we realized we had left our battery recharger plugged in the electrical outlet in “our” bedroom. Rick gave Gary a call on his cell phone and here came our chivalrous host with our recharger and offers of a money loan for the rest of our journey. We declined on the money.
I am so glad we didn’t bike over the Caprock Canyon in the dark. For one thing it would have been dangerous. For another we would have missed the beauty and drama of the canyon in the dark. And furthermore, we would have missed our friends Gary, Sharon and Jonnie.
Quitaque (pronounced “kitty-quay”) was quiet as we approached that Sunday morning. The only activity in town was The Sportsman Bar, Grill and Lodge there on the main drag. Hot and thirsty we pulled in. My husband as usual was thinking “hot meal.” I was thinking “not a good idea” because the day was heating up fast, we just ate breakfast and we had a long way to go to against the wind to Matador. As we entered the crowded, dark, small room, our eyes adjusted to see a lot of friendly faces watching us as we entered in full dress. We quietly took a booth in the corner trying not to draw any more attention to ourselves. In the booth next to ours, Jim Messer sat with his daughter, Jessi, on his lap, his son Jake next to him and his wife Misti on the other side of the booth. Misti said, “Did I see ya’ll yesterday standing in front of The Texan Motel in Panhandle?” We had a fun visit. Jim sent Jake home to retrieve some cross stickers for our bike helmets with WWJD on them. We helped ourselves to the veggies on the all you could eat buffet. We enjoyed visiting with locals Donna Hamilton, Doug Bingham and his mother, Gail, Walter Arnold, Jim and Donna Taylor and others. Eager to get going, not wanting to get stuck in the dark again, we say our goodbyes. It was now pushing 1:00 and it was 40 miles to Matador. Not good. We biked to Turkey the home place of famed musician Bob Wills of the Texas Dough Boy fame. The streets were deserted as we rested on the main drag there in Turkey. Rick was dragging this day really lagging to the rear as he tried to digest his too large veggie meal. At Turkey we turned south and was unpleasantly shocked at the tenacity of the wind that we now took full force in the face. We settled in for a very difficult leg. Not only was it windy but it was 84 degrees by this time. The traffic was slim so that was one good thing. Once I looked back to check on Rick’s whereabouts after fighting tooth and nail with the wind. I could ascertain that Rick was in the ditch. Our cell phone was no help. We had no reception plus the wind was too great to talk. Begrudgingly, I turned back to check on Rick. What had taken me 10+ minutes to bike against the wind I now covered in 1 minute with the aid of the wind. It was 6 p.m and Rick was fixing a flat. He found 2 cactus spines penetrating his tube. I watched the jackrabbits in their flight across the fields as he kept trying to fix that flat. The wind blew dust in his efforts and our green slime kept obstructing his view. His judgment was a bit off as he wasted precious minutes trying to repair the flat. I finally suggested he change out the tubes and fix the flat in our hotel room. Actually the break from the dispiriting fight with the wind was much needed. As we got back on our bikes, I saw a green sign in the distance that I knew would have the mileage to Matador on it. I prayed that it would say 10 miles. I could handle that. As I approached the sign and squinted to make out the numbers, I read 20 miles. This was one of the lower points of our trip. 20 miles in this wind translated to 4 more hours of toil. The sun was fading just as fast as we were.
At 7:40 we stopped to put on our lights. We were at a little place called Whiteflat complete with historical marker, old school house and the haunting hoot of an owl. Miraculously the wind started to die down. Rick spat out the word “copasetic” as he described the reprieve from the wind. We discussed the origin of the word copasetic. We talked to our son, Lane, at this point. Lane was truly conscientious about checking in with us to keep up with our progress. His calls were a huge encouragement to us.
My diary entries for the day say “Downhill doesn’t count if you can’t coast! I feel buffeted and rebuffed by the wind. I feel scolded. I feel like Job.”
In the middle of the road, I found a large rubber hoop identical to the ones our dog Moose loved to play with so we had to add that to our stash. At 7:54 Brian Smith, deputy sheriff of Motley County stopped to check on us. “Someone called and said they had passed 2 bikers and that they looked beat. They just wanted us to check on you.” Brian offered us a ride as dusk settled in earnest. We declined. Brian verified that there was a room at Billie Dean’s in Matador. We pulled into Billie Dean’s at 9:40 exhausted, relieved and a little numb from another hard day. Billie Dean didn’t answer her front door but I was reassured as I saw the lit up vacancy sign. I went around back, knocked and she answered that door. She checked us in; we cleaned up, made some phone calls and went gratefully to sleep.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
What really happened.... Menu day 1 updated
Scrap the Alpine Chicken. Don't even waste your time. It was good but..here is a wonderful substitute that is easier, tastier, less time consuming and more kid friendly.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Get out your old, pitiful looking 9x13 pan from your great grandmother's. Put in a layer of thawed chicken tenders. Cover the chicken with a layer of the best deli ham you can buy with no nitrites/nitrates. (Yes, I said "ham.") Cover the ham with layer of swiss cheese slices. Cover the swiss cheese with lots of homemade bread crumbs. Dab on 6 tablespoons of butter here and there. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Deliciouso!
We settled for baked potatoes instead of twice baked because of a time factor. I served with diced onion tops from the garden, sour cream and cheddar cheese. Yum!
The Salad was wonderful but a bit too costly. My boys stated they would just rather have a plain ol salad rather than with the fruit. But keep the Spinach Salad Recipe. It is a crowd pleaser at church functions/pot lucks. Colorful, healthy and tasty. I could not find Caroline's Orange Poppy Seed dressing at Wal-Willy so improvised with fresh orange juice and balsalmic vinegar.
The Strawberry shortcakes were delicious! Very, very good. Dave made the biscuits very thin so I put one biscuit down, covered it with strawberries and whipped cream and then repeated with another thin biscuit, strawberries and whipped cream. Skip the kiwis;they did not add as much color as I thought and the strawberries were sufficient.
Sunday we had beans and rice, rice and beans at church. They were delicious.
Fool Proof Beans
Soak your beans in water for 12-24 hours. Pour off water and rinse. Cook for 3-10 hours, whatever your time factor is; the longer, the better. Add plenty of salt and garlic powder to taste. For the last 30 minutes of your cooking time, pour in a can or 2 of Rotel and as much Cilantro as you like.
Well I never measure but the recipe looks something like this:
3 cups of beans and cover with water and soak as above.
Rinse the beans after soaking, put in crock pot and cover with water and then some. Add 1 T. salt and 1 T. garlic powder and 1 T. onion powder or whatever to your liking.
Add 1 can of Rotel, cilantro to your liking and a cup of sour cream. You just can't go wrong with this recipe. Throw in some brown rice the last 2 hours of your cooking time for a complete protein. Just remember to add some more water for the rice. A cornbread recipe will be forth coming.
I thanked God for the beauty of the day yesterday and then apologized that I wasn't out in it. So that is where I am heading now: OUTSIDE!
So there you go.
More later
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Get out your old, pitiful looking 9x13 pan from your great grandmother's. Put in a layer of thawed chicken tenders. Cover the chicken with a layer of the best deli ham you can buy with no nitrites/nitrates. (Yes, I said "ham.") Cover the ham with layer of swiss cheese slices. Cover the swiss cheese with lots of homemade bread crumbs. Dab on 6 tablespoons of butter here and there. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Deliciouso!
We settled for baked potatoes instead of twice baked because of a time factor. I served with diced onion tops from the garden, sour cream and cheddar cheese. Yum!
The Salad was wonderful but a bit too costly. My boys stated they would just rather have a plain ol salad rather than with the fruit. But keep the Spinach Salad Recipe. It is a crowd pleaser at church functions/pot lucks. Colorful, healthy and tasty. I could not find Caroline's Orange Poppy Seed dressing at Wal-Willy so improvised with fresh orange juice and balsalmic vinegar.
The Strawberry shortcakes were delicious! Very, very good. Dave made the biscuits very thin so I put one biscuit down, covered it with strawberries and whipped cream and then repeated with another thin biscuit, strawberries and whipped cream. Skip the kiwis;they did not add as much color as I thought and the strawberries were sufficient.
Sunday we had beans and rice, rice and beans at church. They were delicious.
Fool Proof Beans
Soak your beans in water for 12-24 hours. Pour off water and rinse. Cook for 3-10 hours, whatever your time factor is; the longer, the better. Add plenty of salt and garlic powder to taste. For the last 30 minutes of your cooking time, pour in a can or 2 of Rotel and as much Cilantro as you like.
Well I never measure but the recipe looks something like this:
3 cups of beans and cover with water and soak as above.
Rinse the beans after soaking, put in crock pot and cover with water and then some. Add 1 T. salt and 1 T. garlic powder and 1 T. onion powder or whatever to your liking.
Add 1 can of Rotel, cilantro to your liking and a cup of sour cream. You just can't go wrong with this recipe. Throw in some brown rice the last 2 hours of your cooking time for a complete protein. Just remember to add some more water for the rice. A cornbread recipe will be forth coming.
I thanked God for the beauty of the day yesterday and then apologized that I wasn't out in it. So that is where I am heading now: OUTSIDE!
So there you go.
More later
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Oh, Wife of Noble Character...
You are worth more than rubies. You work eagerly with your hands. You provide food for your family. You get up while it is still dark. Your arms are strong for your tasks. Your lamp does not go out a night... From Proverbs 31.
Hello exemplary friends,
I have disciplined myself to sit at the dining table this a.m. to prepare menus for the next 28 days. It has been fun to review all those recipes from my childhood and early marriage. No, sit down;no standing ovation. Please withhold your praise. This is a rare effort indeed. I usually just float along. But as ol Ziggy Ziglar says so well, "If you aim at nothing you hit it every time!" So here is the contract I am making with you, women who love the Lord. I will tell you my menu in advance, share recipes and shopping lists. I will track how much each meal costs and, just as importantly, time expenditure! Then I will tell you what REALLY happened in real life. Is that a deal? Company is coming tonight so I am planning a yummy and colorful meal. Remember: Presentation is everything! We will eat outside on a card table clothed in an antique table cloth under the willow tree. I'll probably have a tiny bouquet of wine cups and perhaps a candle on the table. No other company is scheduled for the week, so this is a bit elaborate. But company is so worth it! Whoops! But isn't family more worth it!!
Tonights meal plans:
Alpine Chicken
Spinach salad
Twice baked Potatoes
Strawberry Shortcake
I better get busy!
Menu #1
Alpine Chicken
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken
2 cups celery
2 cups herb stuffing
1 cup mayonnaise (may substitute buttermilk or soured milk)
¾ cup milk
¼ chopped onion (add more if you want. You can never go wrong with onion)
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
Sliced Swiss cheese
Sliced almonds
Combine all ingredients except cheese and almonds. You may add 3/4 cup chicken broth to make moister. Pour half of chicken mixture in your prepared 9x12 inch pan. Cover with cheese. Pour in remaining chicken mixture. Bake covered 50 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes more. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and bake 30 minutes more.
Serves 12 and freezes well.
I can already tell you that I am cutting the cooking time in half. No way I will heat up my oven and house for that long. The chicken is already cooked so no concern there. Also, if you aren’t too fond of celery try it anyway. Learn to love celery! Or you can cut it in half and substitute diced carrots for some color.
Make your own herb stuffing. Squish 6 slices of bread (old bread, uneaten toast, stale crackers, etc.) a slice at a time and make into bread crumbs in your blender. Add Italian seasonings and salt. You don’t have to buy the expensive stuff.
This is the first time I have made this although I have eaten it once. Very good. I will let you know “the rest of the story.”
Twice Baked Potatoes
6 large baking potatoes
1 stick of butter
1 cup sour cream
½ to 1 cup of warm milk
1 t. salt
1 cup grated cheese
Additional grated cheese and paprika
Scrub potatoes and prick with fork. Bake potatoes for 1 hour at 425 degrees or until potato gives way under slight pressure. Half potatoes length wise and scoop out all potato pulp, leaving shells intact. Mash potato pulp with mixer to get out the large lumps.
Add sour cream, butter and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Mixture should not be too thin. Add salt and beat until fluffy. Mix in 1 cup of cheese. Mound into potato shells. Sprinkle with extra cheese and paprika.
Place on freezer tray to harden. Wrap individually and store in freezer bags. To serve unwrap and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees 45 minutes until top begins to brown.
Again, I have eaten these many times at my mother’s table but do not remember making them myself. I’ll let you know what happened!
Spinach Salad (if you don't try anything else on today's menu, try the spinach salad)
1 bag of spinach or mixed greens
1 small can of mandarin oranges
1 small container of fresh blueberries
Sliced almonds
Caroline’s orange poppy seed dressing to taste
Mix and serve. Delicious and beautiful!
Strawberry Short Cake
Make a batch of homemade biscuit dough.
Make a batch of homemade whipped cream.
Slice a batch of home grown strawberries.
Biscuits
1/3 cup olive oil
1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 ½ t. baking powder (aluminum free)
¾ t. salt
¾ cup milk
Form your biscuits and bake in 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
You can double your recipe and put half of the batch in your round cake pan and the other half in another round cake pan and then bake.
Whipped cream
Buy one pint of whipping cream. Add 1 t. vanilla and powdered sugar to taste—say ¼ cup at the most. Whip on high speed until the consistency you like. If you whip too long you will make butter.
Assembling your Strawberry Short Cake
Cut your cooked biscuits in half with a sharp, serrated knife. Ladle on the bottom of your biscuit sliced strawberries, then whipped cream. Cover with top portion of biscuit, ladle on strawberries and top with whipped cream. You can sprinkle on some diced kiwi for added color and yum.
Okay, I will let you know what happens with these lofty plans….
Don’t worry. Most of the other recipes I’ve chosen for the rest of the month are cheaper, more kid friendly and quicker.
Hello exemplary friends,
I have disciplined myself to sit at the dining table this a.m. to prepare menus for the next 28 days. It has been fun to review all those recipes from my childhood and early marriage. No, sit down;no standing ovation. Please withhold your praise. This is a rare effort indeed. I usually just float along. But as ol Ziggy Ziglar says so well, "If you aim at nothing you hit it every time!" So here is the contract I am making with you, women who love the Lord. I will tell you my menu in advance, share recipes and shopping lists. I will track how much each meal costs and, just as importantly, time expenditure! Then I will tell you what REALLY happened in real life. Is that a deal? Company is coming tonight so I am planning a yummy and colorful meal. Remember: Presentation is everything! We will eat outside on a card table clothed in an antique table cloth under the willow tree. I'll probably have a tiny bouquet of wine cups and perhaps a candle on the table. No other company is scheduled for the week, so this is a bit elaborate. But company is so worth it! Whoops! But isn't family more worth it!!
Tonights meal plans:
Alpine Chicken
Spinach salad
Twice baked Potatoes
Strawberry Shortcake
I better get busy!
Menu #1
Alpine Chicken
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken
2 cups celery
2 cups herb stuffing
1 cup mayonnaise (may substitute buttermilk or soured milk)
¾ cup milk
¼ chopped onion (add more if you want. You can never go wrong with onion)
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
Sliced Swiss cheese
Sliced almonds
Combine all ingredients except cheese and almonds. You may add 3/4 cup chicken broth to make moister. Pour half of chicken mixture in your prepared 9x12 inch pan. Cover with cheese. Pour in remaining chicken mixture. Bake covered 50 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes more. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and bake 30 minutes more.
Serves 12 and freezes well.
I can already tell you that I am cutting the cooking time in half. No way I will heat up my oven and house for that long. The chicken is already cooked so no concern there. Also, if you aren’t too fond of celery try it anyway. Learn to love celery! Or you can cut it in half and substitute diced carrots for some color.
Make your own herb stuffing. Squish 6 slices of bread (old bread, uneaten toast, stale crackers, etc.) a slice at a time and make into bread crumbs in your blender. Add Italian seasonings and salt. You don’t have to buy the expensive stuff.
This is the first time I have made this although I have eaten it once. Very good. I will let you know “the rest of the story.”
Twice Baked Potatoes
6 large baking potatoes
1 stick of butter
1 cup sour cream
½ to 1 cup of warm milk
1 t. salt
1 cup grated cheese
Additional grated cheese and paprika
Scrub potatoes and prick with fork. Bake potatoes for 1 hour at 425 degrees or until potato gives way under slight pressure. Half potatoes length wise and scoop out all potato pulp, leaving shells intact. Mash potato pulp with mixer to get out the large lumps.
Add sour cream, butter and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Mixture should not be too thin. Add salt and beat until fluffy. Mix in 1 cup of cheese. Mound into potato shells. Sprinkle with extra cheese and paprika.
Place on freezer tray to harden. Wrap individually and store in freezer bags. To serve unwrap and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees 45 minutes until top begins to brown.
Again, I have eaten these many times at my mother’s table but do not remember making them myself. I’ll let you know what happened!
Spinach Salad (if you don't try anything else on today's menu, try the spinach salad)
1 bag of spinach or mixed greens
1 small can of mandarin oranges
1 small container of fresh blueberries
Sliced almonds
Caroline’s orange poppy seed dressing to taste
Mix and serve. Delicious and beautiful!
Strawberry Short Cake
Make a batch of homemade biscuit dough.
Make a batch of homemade whipped cream.
Slice a batch of home grown strawberries.
Biscuits
1/3 cup olive oil
1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 ½ t. baking powder (aluminum free)
¾ t. salt
¾ cup milk
Form your biscuits and bake in 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
You can double your recipe and put half of the batch in your round cake pan and the other half in another round cake pan and then bake.
Whipped cream
Buy one pint of whipping cream. Add 1 t. vanilla and powdered sugar to taste—say ¼ cup at the most. Whip on high speed until the consistency you like. If you whip too long you will make butter.
Assembling your Strawberry Short Cake
Cut your cooked biscuits in half with a sharp, serrated knife. Ladle on the bottom of your biscuit sliced strawberries, then whipped cream. Cover with top portion of biscuit, ladle on strawberries and top with whipped cream. You can sprinkle on some diced kiwi for added color and yum.
Okay, I will let you know what happens with these lofty plans….
Don’t worry. Most of the other recipes I’ve chosen for the rest of the month are cheaper, more kid friendly and quicker.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Sonflower Camp and Beyond....
Dear friends,
Ya'll pray for me to get going with plans for Sonflower Camp for Kids With Disabilities. It will be June 9th, 10th, 11th with a swim or horseback riding event on Friday the 13th.
Pray for me, too, as I send out invitations to our respite cabin now officially named "Porter-Bradford Sabbath Cabin." The cabin was built last year largely by my husband, Rick, and son, Dave, with help from anyone who wanted to participate. Some of the materials that Rick incorporated on the inside of the cabin came from my great grandparents' (Porter) old home place which my grandparents and my Dad and siblings (Bradford)also lived in. Scripture and the Holy Spirit have been impressing on me for some time now the importance of a sabbath rest, a time of renewal, a time of evaluation and review, a time to focus on the Lord and our relationship with Him. Hence the name "Porter-Bradford Sabbath Cabin." The Sabbath cabin was primarily designed to be a place of respite for families with disabled children. Either the parents or caregivers can come for a quiet get away by themselves or bring the whole family. Other purposes for the cabin that we envision are for those in ministry needing some solitude, those Mom's and Dad's with large families who can't afford to get away or have difficulty finding the time to get away, returning missionaries on furlough, people who are just flat out needing a break,those who are grieving, etc. I think you are probably getting the vision by now, eh? Shhhhh; Quiet now: I've been slipping out there myself late at night in the dark in my white night gown with Cowboy, the pup, escorting me. I'm sure I might seem an apparition to the poor neighbors! But, yes, I too am in need of a serious break from routine. And so are you! Listen to me: Take a break every week. Plan it and do it! The payoff will be enormous. Lots of trickle down. Remember: God himself lay in his hammock on day 7, with the squirrels scolding him, a cat on his chest and a dog in his lap and He said "Hey, this is very good." So who are we that we won't heed instruction from the Almighty? From Jesus to You and Me: "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." In Mark 6:31 Jesus said to his overworked and over burdened disciples: "Come with me by yourselves, turn off your cell phones, computers and TVs, bring only your Bible to a quiet place and get some rest." The Lord is wanting to spend some time with you today and everyday. How's about pushing that reset button?
Ya'll pray for me to get going with plans for Sonflower Camp for Kids With Disabilities. It will be June 9th, 10th, 11th with a swim or horseback riding event on Friday the 13th.
Pray for me, too, as I send out invitations to our respite cabin now officially named "Porter-Bradford Sabbath Cabin." The cabin was built last year largely by my husband, Rick, and son, Dave, with help from anyone who wanted to participate. Some of the materials that Rick incorporated on the inside of the cabin came from my great grandparents' (Porter) old home place which my grandparents and my Dad and siblings (Bradford)also lived in. Scripture and the Holy Spirit have been impressing on me for some time now the importance of a sabbath rest, a time of renewal, a time of evaluation and review, a time to focus on the Lord and our relationship with Him. Hence the name "Porter-Bradford Sabbath Cabin." The Sabbath cabin was primarily designed to be a place of respite for families with disabled children. Either the parents or caregivers can come for a quiet get away by themselves or bring the whole family. Other purposes for the cabin that we envision are for those in ministry needing some solitude, those Mom's and Dad's with large families who can't afford to get away or have difficulty finding the time to get away, returning missionaries on furlough, people who are just flat out needing a break,those who are grieving, etc. I think you are probably getting the vision by now, eh? Shhhhh; Quiet now: I've been slipping out there myself late at night in the dark in my white night gown with Cowboy, the pup, escorting me. I'm sure I might seem an apparition to the poor neighbors! But, yes, I too am in need of a serious break from routine. And so are you! Listen to me: Take a break every week. Plan it and do it! The payoff will be enormous. Lots of trickle down. Remember: God himself lay in his hammock on day 7, with the squirrels scolding him, a cat on his chest and a dog in his lap and He said "Hey, this is very good." So who are we that we won't heed instruction from the Almighty? From Jesus to You and Me: "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." In Mark 6:31 Jesus said to his overworked and over burdened disciples: "Come with me by yourselves, turn off your cell phones, computers and TVs, bring only your Bible to a quiet place and get some rest." The Lord is wanting to spend some time with you today and everyday. How's about pushing that reset button?
God's Protection yet again
So on day 1 of bike ride revisited we spent the night in the Palo Duro canyon. It was muggy hot. We biked for an hour in the waning dusk sheltered from a tremendous wind along Sunflower trail there on the floor of the canyon. Returning to our rustic rock cabin hidden among the rocks and cacti, I bent down in the near dark to retrieve a trash can lid that had been blown off the trash can.... Lessons learned:
1. Do not get caught out after dark in the Palo Duro canyon when it is warm.
2. Do not feel compelled to pick up a trash can lid that will likely be blown off again before you turn your back.
3. Do not bend over in the dark to retrieve anything.
4. Be in your cabin or tent when it gets dark.
5. Remember to listen to and heed the Holy Spirit's prompting. Before I bent over to pick up the lid, the Holy Spirit said, "Not a good idea, Andi Kaye." But Andi Kaye didn't heed in time.
6. The only good screaming does is to alert one's husband for help. Try to keep it short and sweet because you can use your energy best in another direction...like levitating. We've all seen those cartoons: running in place 3 feet above the ground.
7. Have your camera handy so you can document just how "NOT SMART" (aka "dumb")one can be.
8. Praise the Lord for His Deliverance.
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