It appears that everybody around me is getting or has gotten a new car in the last 2 weeks. Randy and I have been looking for a month, but have just not made up our minds on the type, style and color we really want. If we find the style and make, we cannot find the right color, and if we find the right color, it is the wrong model. So we continue to search car lots, computer and basically anyting that has the word “new car” attached to it. Our daughter and her husband came by on Saturday with a new car. They have entered the world of “minivans” since they seem to have several children always at their house, besides their own. They were so excited to show us all the bells, whistles and how the doors opened and closed with the touch of a button, how you can lay down the seats to create more floor space and all 17 drink holders which will be used for trash, I’m sure, as I have had these same kids in our car and am always having to dig bent straws, chewing gum, old M&M’s, show tickets, price tags off toys that they couldn’t wait to open. Well, you get the idea. So now they will just have more spaces to hid “kid trash”. But they are so excited, rubbing their hands over the new clean smooth seats and vowing never to let the kids eat in the car. We have bets on how long this rule will actually last, one week, one weekend? Will keep you updated on that. Anyway, as they were showing us the “upholstery” we quickly remembered when we lived in California and Jodi was in the market for a car. She was gainfully employed and asked Randy if he would go with her to look at cars. She had her budget and knew pretty much what kind of car she wanted. So one Saturday, off they went. I kept Jaden with me at home, just knowing that they would come home with a new car for her and Jaden.

When they walked in the door, I could see that their mission had been accomplished. But……..there was a story to be told. As they had gone for a test drive in one of the cars, Jodi commented how well she liked that car to Randy and begain to ask about the resale value and questions in general. When they were sitting in the car, waiting for the salesman to go ask his manager about the “best deal” he could give them, Randy begain to show Jodi some of the details of the car, one that she hadn’t noticed. “Randy, this is really nice gray color upholstery in this car, isn’t it?” “Yes, it is, in fact, Jodi, this is actually the upscale mouse fur that is shaved very close and the reason this car costs a little more is how many mice they had to use to create all the interior of this car. See the nice smooth texture and the color is all the same.” Jodi then proceeds to ask him, “how many mice do you think it took to cover all the seats and door sides?” Well, we can ask the salesman when he comes back, maybe he will know. So when the salesman came back to the car, she proceeded to ask him if he knew how many mice it took to cover the inside of the car? You can imagine the look on his face. Randy just could not hold it any longer. He begain to laugh until he cried.

So from that point on, we always ask, when buying a car, “I wonder how many mice it took to cover all the seats and doors?” before we buy. After all, we want to be sure to get the “royal mouse fur”, nut just any common mouse fur for us! No siree! Will keep you posted if we join the ranks of the new car owners.  Until then, every day, something else breaks on my car, today, the sun roof wouldn’t close, the other day, the back door will not open at all. So I guess the positive is, when you are on the right side of the car and wanting in, since the door won’t work, just climb in through the sun roof. At least, that will be Randy’s thought.

Good morning to each of you! I just received a call from my daughter, Jodi. When I asked her what she was up to this morning, she told me, “chasing Caleb (her one year old, who began walking at 10 months) around” She told me that she was just waiting for his next nap so she could get something done. She said, “in fact mom, some people live from pay check to pay check, I live from Caleb’s  nap to Caleb nap.” Then she yelled, “gotta go, he just broke a glass lid”j. I am loving this, she is getting paid back every single thing she ever did to us. And…….Caleb is only one, next month. God is Good……..

Now, I need to tell you about last night. We did have chicken fried steak and I think it was the best we have ever had (not to toot my own horn) but I made the Paula Dean recipe and it was just amazing. Will post it this afternoon, but gotta go celebrate a friends birthday. Have a wonderful Friday!

During my Bible study this morning, I read a portion of Isaiah which talked about all of our “if only’s”. I began to give God excuses of why I had not completed a task which I know He has asked me to do and that is to finish the cookbook. I have used every excuse known to man (or woman), “if only I had a quiet place to work”, “if only, I knew what I was doing”, “if only I had more days  not committed to this or to that”, “if only I was more organized”, “if only I didn’t have people in and out of the house all the time”, “if only I could have more time to concentrate” or had more energy” . Well, you get the idea. We have all felt and known that we were called upon to do something, then gives God excuses why we cannot do what He has asked. Gideon’s story of how God called Him to tell Israel of their future reminded me once again, that God doesn’t call the “equipped”, He calls us, then “equips” us. Will you please pray that I will finish what God has asked of me. It is certainly a challenge for me to sit and write this cookbook. I want this book to be a story of what God has not only done in my life, but show that during each season of my life, God has given me different challenges, different assignments and different desires. That combined with the idea that one of the best places to share our stories of what God is doing, is around the  dinner table, where we tend to be ourselves more than anywhere else. We are relaxed, we are breaking bread together and enjoying the company of family and friends. Save God a place at your table tonight and invite Him into your conversation. It will bless everyone seated there.