A day of emotional ups and downs. This day began knowing that I was waking up to go to the dentist for the second time this week. On Monday, my regular dentist had given me some very unwelcome news. I am one of those who would rather go through childbirth than sit in a dentist chair. Back in 2012, in California, I had to have a tooth pulled and it was not a good experience. In fact, from that point on, it seems that the word “valium” comes to mind when I know I am going in to have dental work. But when Dr. Sandridge told me Monday that he didn’t have good news for me, I began to dread today, knowing that I might have another tooth pulled or a root canal redone. Sorry for all the details, but bare with me……when I walked into this new office this morning, I could tell by my blood pressure being sky high due to the fear that ran through me. When the girl took me back and checked my BP, she looked at me and said, “oh my, are you on BP meds” I quickly responded that no I was not because the only time it is high is when I go to the dentist. It was 167 over something. I have no idea what. When I saw the 167, I quickly looked away. Didn’t want to see the bottom number. Well, the news I got today was that I have to have 2 teeth removed. The good news is they are sending me to an oral surgeon so I will put put under and won’t feel anything. Thank you Lord. Now for the blessings. As I drove away thanking the Lord for this news that I get to be asleep to have the work done, I headed to church to pick up my book I had ordered for Fall Bible Study. Due to the Covid-19, the church bookstore has had curbside pick up for orders. All you have to do is drive up, call and they will bring your order out to you. But as I was just so grateful to have had the news of being asleep for the tooth pulling, I thought, “no, instead of calling and making Leslie bring out the book order, I think I will go in and get it.” So I parked and went in. As I was in line behind another lady picking up an order, there it was……..
the pillow I had been trying to find for 1 1/2 years. If anyone remembers reading a post I wrote last Aug called Sweet Tea & Jesus, this is a pillow I had seen at Bucky’s last year while traveling. I just had to have it. But when I went back to get it, (after traveling for 7 months), it was not to be found anywhere. So I gave up. Two precious friends felt sorry for me and sent me a tea towel that had the same saying on it. But I still wanted the pillow. Well….today, standing in line waiting to check out at Prestonwood Book Store, I looked to my right and there it was. All I could think of was how precious the Lord was to just give me a sweet blessing today. He knows when we need just to know He is there and that He cares about the days that are filled with emotions and fears that cause our BP to go through the roof. It just blessed my heart to know that after this day of hearing what I dreaded, The song, “He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs” came quickly to my mind. He does meet us at our points of needs in ways that surprise us. We do serve a mighty loving Father who loves us so very personally.
Is having some teeth pulled a big deal? not in the scheme of things that are going on in so many peoples lives, but today it was to me and He knows that. But….He also sees the tears that fall from our eyes and is so gracious to shower us with blessings that just show us He is here, ALWAYS! Lord, thank you for prompting me to get out of the car and go inside instead of being lazy and letting someone else wait on me. 
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
Ezekiel 34:26b “… and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.”
There shall be showers of blessings, This is the promise of love. There shall be seasons refreshing, sent from the Savior above…showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need; mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead”
Written by James McGranahan (1840-1907)
What a joy it was to visit my daughter and her family last week in Phoenix, AZ. Yes, it was very hot. But the times of laughter and just being with them after 5 months of not seeing them was such a delight. As we drove around with the younger boys (ages 8 & 11) in the back seat, they ask their mom, Jodi (my daughter) if we could listen to a couple of comedians who we have always enjoyed listening to. One is Brian Regan. He is one of those who just makes me laugh by looking at him when he is delivering his comedy routine. The boys also love listening to him. So as we drove around trying to find a restaurant that didn’t have an hour and a half wait, we listened and laughed. In fact, we were laughing so hard, we were almost crying. Our stomachs hurt, not from hunger, but from laughing. At dinner on Tues night with the whole family, we began to reminisce about when Caleb was born. We were there celebrating Calebs’ 11th birthday that night and as we began to think back about how we thought the first baby the nurse brought out was Caleb and we were all oohing and crying at how precious he was, only to find out that wasn’t Caleb at all, but someone else’s baby, we began to laugh, thinking back about that day. In fact, when the waiter came over several times, he told us, “every time I come back to your table, ya’ll are laughing hysterically” And we were. It was just one of those special times when everyone was in a joyful mood and everything seemed funny. Laughter is truly good for the soul. My last night there, I told Jodi, if laughter keeps a person from getting sick, I probably won’t be sick for the rest of my life, I had laughed so much. But this story is not complete until I tell about the river trip we made on Friday. It just was a reminder of what God wants from us….our trust.
We got home from church and since Randy is needing to work overtime on the weekend, I decided that I would bake, while he worked. When I ask him what he was in the mood for, he said anything but chocolate since sometimes eating chocolate in the evenings keeps him from sleeping well. We had talked today about him needing a phone because the hand me down he got from me last year (for me to get a new phone with more memory) is acting up, so between me looking at recipes and new phones on the internet, I also was looking at puppies, since we do want to get another doggie when we end up moving to a new place. I was on a web site that had teacup yorkies when Randy walked in to ask what I had decided to bake. Before answering him, I showed him the cutest little yorkie with a pink bow in her hair and looked at him with puppy dog eyes that immediately told him I found an adorable yorkie. He looked at it and said, “how much does that cute little thing cost?” When I responded that she cost about $3000, he looked at me and said, “$3000? I wouldn’t even pay that for you.” I think this sheltering in place is beginning to show its ugly face. And please don’t write and tell me I’m awful for spending that much money on a dog when they have so many in shelters. We would NEVER pay that much for a dog or anything close to that. I just have fun looking at pictures of cute puppies. So now back to the cake. Going to the pantry to see what I had, I discovered I had the necessary ingredients to make a coconut cake. It ended up so moist and yummy and will have it to snack on for a couple of days. I use a small bundt pan that allows me to make two so I can put one in the freezer for another time. Picture is of the two small cake pans I used
Saw this on Facebook one night and remembered that to take a picture of the recipe. Well, last night I made it. Oh my,where has this been all my life? It was simply delicious and so easy to make. Before leaving for the grocery store yesterday, I actually remembered to look at the recipe to see what i would need to buy to make it. That is unusual for me. Usually I get to the store and think, “what was I needing to get to make such and such?” Then I get home and see the recipe and then think, “ok, next time I will look at the recipe BEFORE going to the store so I won’t have to jump back in the car (well, actually it has been years since I was able to “jump” in anything) and run back to the store, or in most cases, plan on making the new recipe after the next trip to the store. And the cycle goes on and on. But this time, I did actually remember to look and see what I needed BEFORE going. I like to think it is the new Vitamins I am using called Smarty Pants. But, since I got home with the newly bought ingredients to make this simple recipe that made us feel so sophisticated knowing we were eating a French dessert, it just immediately became a favorite. Seriously, it is so good. A cross between a pudding and a cake or a thicker Dutch Baby. Don’t get me started on how much we love Dutch Babies for breakfast. After you have one in Chicago, well, let’s just say that we remember Chicago more than just it’s hot dogs now. So go to the store, buy some raspberries, blueberries or blackberries and make it this weekend. You can thank me later.
This one worked like a charm. Was easy and was very yummy (if Leaanne Morgan can say yummy on her videos, I can use it on the food blog)
Today I was going to post the Spanish Rice I made for dinner night before last, but first I wanted to post this really easy and yummy pasta salad. Isn’t it hard to think of new lunch items to make after 4 months of trying to stay home and thus, the 21 meals a week are getting a little more creative of, “what foods left over in the fridge can we put together that will keep us from having to go out into the virus laden world?” Well, ladies and gentlemen, is a really good lunch treat that took me all of 10 minutes to put together (why am I in a hurry when I have no where to go right now) and tastes so good.
Chocolate Castles 