Wordless Wednesday

Home Remedies That Work #3

Tart Cherry Juice   

 Drinking tart cherry juice can help prevent gout attacks, relieve muscle soreness after exercise, and possibly help with arthritis pain because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties. Gout expertd say the juice seems to reduce the joint inflammation that gout causes.  People who took a tablespoon of tart cherry juice concentrate twice a day, for four months, cut the frequency of their gout attacks in half, and more than half of them remained gout-attack free.

Drinking tart cherry juice daily helps runners reduce muscle soreness and reduces inflammation in over-weight people. Unlike its sweeter cousins, the Big and black cherry, the tart cherry is bright red and higher in antioxidants.

Crispy Sweet Potato Hash Browns in the Waffle Iron

Heat the waffle iron to its medium setting. Meanwhile, peel the uncooked sweet potatoes (or yams) and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze the grated potatoes by the handful to release as much moisture as possible (I put it in a paper towel before I squeeze to eliminate a mess).

When the iron is hot, fill the bottom half with 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil. Brush it over the top and bottom irons. Squeeze the potatoes again to release any excess moisture. Season the sweet potatoes as desired by mixing spices into the grated potatoes.

Place about 1 cup of potato in the iron, spread it out, and close it. Cook until the hash browns are golden brown and crisp, about eight to ten minutes. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Variations: grate in an apple, throw an egg on top for a great breakfast, or serve as a side with lunch or dinner.

Choir Notes

Thanks and Giving

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell • Program 4288

True gratitude manifests itself in how we choose to give to others. When we truly feel grateful, we feel a compelling desire to help other people. Perhaps that’s why "thanks” and "giving” so often go together.

At least it did for two neighbors of over 50 years. Joy and Dixie lived across the street from each other ever since they were both first married. They developed a deep friendship over the decades. When they were young, they acted as second mothers to each other’s children. They helped each other through life’s ups and downs. When they grew older, they looked after each other. They were grateful for each other.

Perhaps the sweetest demonstration of gratitude came in the last months of Joy’s life. Joy was dying of cancer and could do little more than lift her head to look out the window. Dixie, who had health concerns of her own and a terminally ill husband to care for, determined that she would plant a beautiful flower garden in her front yard. That way, every time Joy looked out her window, she could enjoy the beauty of those flowers.

Not until Joy passed away did Joy’s adult children discover that Dixie had stopped planting flowers in her backyard. She only planted flowers in her front yard, so Joy could see them. Dixie wanted Joy to know how grateful she was for her, how much she loved her. And so even though it was difficult to tend a flower garden in her advanced age, she gave her friend something beautiful to look at during the last days of her life.

What a selfless gift of gratitude!

These dear friends lived the truth that real gratitude inspires us to think and do for others. Indeed, life is so much more meaningful when we choose to live in thanks—and giving—daily.

Braised Short Ribs in a Crock Pot

Shorts ribs are tender and delicious, and they don't cost much.

Ingredients:
6 lbs boneless shortribs
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4-5 strips of bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
1/8 cup of almond flour
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325º. If boneless ribs are in a long strip, cut them into 3 inch long chunks. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat and sear the ribs on all sides to brown. Remove from pot. Dice onion. Add bacon, onion, and garlic to the pot and cook until onion gets soft. Add in almond flour. Put in crock pot with spices, tomatoes, and water. Put foil over crock pot and then the lid. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

via paleomama

Stuffing

Now that you've stuffed the turkey and stuffed yourself,

it's time to think about stuffing those stockings...

Here are 100 stuffing ideas:

1. $5 gift cards 

2. a favorite candy 

3. CD of favorite music

4. a favorite magazine

5. nail polish

6. paperback book by favorite author

7. hand lotion

8. Tic Tacs or breath mints

9. pens/mechanical pencils

10. chapstick

11. pocket knife

12. (the dreaded) socks

13. mini flashlight

14. gloves

15. yoyo

16. small photo frame with picture

17. votive candle

18. personalized key ring

19. golf balls

20. golf tees

21. mini perfumes

22. Travel clock

23. letter opener

24. colored office/paper clips

25  white-out tape

26. card game

27. colored pencils

28. ruler

29. small measuring tape

30. rubber band ball

31. lipstick

32. eye shadow

33. makeup remover

34. nail polish removal

35. measuring spoons

36. wooden spoons

37. bendy straws

38. Tide-to-go

39. batteries

40. fingernail file

41. small coin purse

42. fishing lures

43. movie tickets

44. pocket calculator

45. Matchbox cars

46. TechDeck finger skateboard

47. bouncy ball

48. fashion color shoe lace

49. brainteaser mini wire puzzle

50. stopwatch

51. pedometer

52. vitamins

53. kitchen timer

54. cookie cutters

55. ice cream scoop

56. nice razor

57. stress ball

58. magnifying glass

59. USB flash drive

60. cuff links

61. iPod ear buds

62. iTunes gift card

63.toothbrush

64. Lifesavers

65. mini Kleenex packets

66. handkerchief

67. tire pressure gauge

68. eye glasses cleaner and cloth

69.  pre-inked address stamp

70. earrings

71. hair clip

72. comb/brush

73. eyelash curler

74. bobble head

75. reusable shopping bag

76. shopping list pad

77. gas card

78. travel electrical adaptors

79. sleep mask

80. mini book light

81. luggage tags

82. purse hanger (to keep off of floor)

83) luggage scale

84. compass

85. portable mini speakers

86. Zhu Zhu pet

87. Cool, Decorated Erasers

88. pencil sharpeners

89. personalized pencils

90. digital golf scorecard

9. Money Clip

92. mini bubble bath

93. scented soaps

94. BBQ tank gauge

95. fingernail clippers

96. back scratcher

97. recipe cards

98. chopsticks

99.  compact mirror

100. personalized Christmas ornament

The Power of Thank You

Religion has long embraced the concept of gratitude, and the happiness and health that flourish as a result. But now science has accepted and proven gratitude to be a positive force. So when it gets down to it, the repetitive, time-consuming task of writing thank-you letters is actually good for you! 

The Benefits of Expressing Gratitude

For example, people who are grateful have higher levels of positive emotions like love, optimism, joy, enthusiasm, and happiness. The practice of gratitude as a discipline protects a person from the destructive impulses of envy, resentment, greed, and bitterness. Those who are grateful are able to cope better with stress, sleep better, have more energy, and even have more resilience toward illness and have greater physical health.

Gratitude works because, as a way of perceiving and interpreting life, it recruits other positive emotions—like joy, contentment, and hope—that have direct physical benefits, most likely through the immune system or endocrine system. When people experience gratitude, they feel more loving, more forgiving, and closer to God.

On the flip side, ingratitude can have the opposite effect. Those who are ungrateful show signs of loneliness, increased depression, and lack of meaning in life. Like gratitude, it too has a direct effect on your body’s health.

If ingratitude is combined with hostility, resentment, or cynicism—as it often is—then the cardiovascular disease risk is increased. Ungrateful people may also be at greater risk from stress-related diseases because they handle stress more poorly than do the grateful people.

So how do you show gratitude? You can always “count your many blessings,” which has proven to be a great help. But, here’s where the thank-you letter comes into play. By sharing gratitude, all of the above benefits are amplified. So expressing thanks to someone else doubles your joy.

When people write a thank-you letter to someone they feel they have never properly thanked, deliver the letter and personally read it to the person, they were happier and more content, even over long periods of time. 

The power of a thank-you note is incredible. There are three main benefits:

1. Expressing emotions magnifies the feeling, so expressing thanks makes our gratitude stronger.
2. Expressing thanks builds and strengthens relationships. Gratitude is the relationship-building emotion, so not only do we benefit on an individual level, but we create better bonds with others.
3. It humbles us. The natural man has a self-serving bias and the tendency to take sole credit for everything positive. Acknowledging that something good is a result of someone else provides us with a humbling experience.

Thank-You Note Basics

So how does one write a proper thank-you letter, making sure to express sincere gratitude for another person? A lot of people don’t write thank-you notes because they either don’t know what to say, feel like they can only write generic, impersonal things, or they’ve forgotten and it’s too late to send one now. Don’t let these stop you. Remember, silent gratitude benefits no one.

The key is to focus on the giver. What does the gift mean to you? How does it make you feel that the giver acknowledged you. Try to concentrate more on the person than the gift, although mentioning the specific gift is a must.

Here’s an outline for a typical thank-you letter: 

1. Greeting: “Dear Johnny,” or more personal, “Hey Johnny!”
2. Thank them for the gift, and be specific: “Thank you so much for the lovely pearl bracelet.”
3. Mention something about the gift, like why you like the gift, and/or how you are planning to use it: “It is absolutely stunning, and I feel so beautiful when I wear it.”
4. Express gratitude for the time, effort, and thought the giver put into the gift: “It was so nice of you to think of me, and you knew exactly what I would love.”
5. Mention a brief personal comment about the giver, like the next time you plan to see them, mention their family, or express feelings about your relationship: “You are such an amazing person, and I feel so lucky to be your friend.”
6. Sign off with “Love,” “Sincerely,” “Thanks again,” etc., and sign your name.

It’s that simple! You can elaborate and, of course, add more than one sentence to any or all of these steps, making it as short or long as you feel appropriate. Writing an uncomplicated letter like this can mean the world to someone, and make a tremendous difference in your relationship with them.

An easy way to get your thank-you notes written quickly is to have envelopes already stamped and labeled with your return address, and to always have stationary on hand. Make it a goal to immediately sit down and write a quick note as soon as you receive a gift. Think of it as the quicker you write a thank-you, the more grateful you are.

Also, you should never feel indebted. There is a difference between indebtedness and gratitude, and the difference in crucial. If you feel like you have to repay the debt or have a sense of obligation to the person, no good will come of your thank-you. True gratitude is where we are glad to be indebted to the person, truly happy to give thanks.

Just remember in your thank-you writing endeavors, any letter is better than no letter, so despite tardiness or embarrassment of poor writing skills, or whatever is keeping you from the task. Just do it—your happiness depends on it!

Thank-you Note Etiquette

When writing a than-you note, make sure you don’t do one of the following:

1. Don’t talk about yourself—the point of the letter is the gift, not you.
2. When thanking someone for money, don’t mention the amount in the note.
3. Don’t print out a thank-you card. Take the time to write a hand-written letter. After all, they took the time (and money) to buy the gift.
4. Don’t include fewer than three sentences.
5. Don’t write a thank-you note for receiving a thank-you note. It gets too confusing and isn’t necessary.
6. Don’t wait more than two weeks to write a thank-you, and don’t wait a year to mail letters for wedding gifts.
7. Don’t get personal with a business letter. It’s best to just stick with thanking them.
8. Don’t email thank-you letters. Unless you know them really well and speak with them often, email is too impersonal.

Thank-you Writing for Kids

Getting your kids to be as enthusiastic about writing a thank-you letter as they were about receiving the gift can be a challenge. But it’s a good habit to develop early on and kids should know that gratitude is important. Here are some ways to get your kids excited about writing a thank-you note:

1. Make their own stationary: pull out the crafts and let them color, paint, sticker and design their own personal cards. They can even make a stockpile for the future.
2. Give them their own address book: help them fill out an address book of their own that they can take with them on vacations or to summer camp.
3. Take a picture thank-you card: if your child is too young to write a letter, take a picture of them with their gift and have them sign their name on it.
4. Create a drawing thank-you letter: again, if they’re too young to write, have your kids draw a picture of themselves with their gift. 

Via Ashley Evanson, The Power of "Thank You," LDS Living, Nov/Dec 2008

Wordy Wednesday

Home Remedies That Work #2

Liquid Dish Soap    

If you come into contact with poison ivy or poison oak, washing the affected area with liquid dish soap within two hours of contact may prevent you from getting an itching red rash. Liquid dish soap is formulated to remove oil, and is a cost-effective way to get rid of the plant oil on poison ivy leaves that causes a rash when it gets on your skin.

When volunteer students rubbed poison ivy leaves on their forearms and then washed with dish-washing soap for 25 seconds before rinsing, the soap prevented a reaction in almost half the volunteers and reduced the inflammation in the rest by 56 percent. The volunteers used Dial dish soap, but any brand will work.

Favorite Pies Coast to Coast

Cherry Pie

We can thank Michigan for this tangy dessert. The state grows 75% of the nation's tart cherries. Traverse City, which holds an annual National Cherry Festival, is billed as the cherry capital of the world. The average tree yeields 7.000 cherries per year, enough for 28 pies.

Pumpkin Pie

Since its debut in the mid-1600s, pumpkin has become the second most popular pie filling in America (after apple), owing to its place on the Thanksgiving table. Illinois is the largest pumpkin producer–and processor.

Pecan Pie

Though this pie is popular in such states as Alabama and Georgia, the Oklahoma Panhandles is so nuts about it that it's been named the dessert in the "official state meal" (topping off the chicken fried steak, grits, and corn bread).

Chocolate Hazelnut Pie

Farmers in the northwest found that the hearty hazelnut mised well with other ingredients, like chocolate or maple. Oregon grows 99% of commercial hazelnuts in the U.S.: it's the state nut.

Key Lime Pie

Key limes may no longer be the key to this treat, but condensed milk remains so. Because the Florida Keys had no refrigeration until the Overseas Highway opened in 1938, bakers had to use canned milk, which became an essential element of Florida's state pie.

Macadamia Nut Pie

This confection is "practically a religion" in Hawaii. Mac pies have been around for more than 100 years and have a slew of variations. (Layering shredded coconut in the pie crust is one twist.)

Mississippi Mud Pie

It's believed this pie came about after World War II because it was mad from the ingredients chocolate, butter, sugar, and other pantry staples available at most local groceries. The name comes from the chocolate crust that reminded some of the muddy banks of the might Mississippi.

Derby Pie

This chocolate and walnut treat is traditionally eaten around the time of the Kentucky Derby. It was concocted about 50 years ago by the manager of a Kentucky inn. It's name has since been trademarked.

Olallieberry Pie

The "olallieberry" (a young-berry/logan-berry cross) was developed at Oregon State University in 1949; not long after, it was put in a pie. This red, knobby fruit, grown on the California coast, delivers a not-too-tart, not-too sweet flavor.

Sweet Potato Pie

In 1936, George Washington Carver tried to trace the origin of the sweet potato, but failed to find an answer. But, he did list all known uses of the crop, including his own pie recipes. North Carolina is the largest U.S. sweet potato producer.

Apple Pie

Pre-Revolutionary versions of apple pie featured unsweetened fruit in an inedible crust. Now, America's favorite (and Vermont's state) pie is made from hundreds of apple varieties. The best  ones for bakers are the Mutsu, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, and (perhaps tops) A Spy.

Hoosier Pie

An early mention of this sugar cream pie dates from 1816, the year Indiana gained statehood. It's also known as "desperation pie" since it can be baked with ingredients found on any farm.

via Parade Magazin

Choir Notes

Keep Calm and Carry On

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell • Program 4287

On July 10, 1940, German bombers and fighter planes filled the skies above England, launching brutal air attacks that would last through October. The Netherlands, Belgium, and France had already fallen, and the German war machine now aimed at Britain, with the intent to cripple the country and break the spirit of the British people prior to German occupation. But while the Germans pummeled the land, destroying mercilessly, they never took control of the British Isles.

To allay fears of German invasion, the British government printed posters to serve as a rallying cry to bring out the best in its citizenry. One of them, written in white capital letters on a brilliant red background with King George’s crown at the top, read "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.” Since the invasion of England never occurred, the posters saw limited distribution.

But a few years ago one of the original posters was found in a Northumberland bookstore. Suddenly, the call to "keep calm and carry on” had new life. The message of resilience has since resounded in the hearts of British citizens and people everywhere. Whose life has not taken unexpected turns? Who hasn’t faced days of disappointment, discouragement, and loss? juggled a series of setbacks? or had to address seemingly insurmountable challenges?

Those five words are a quiet, calm, authoritative voice of reason, suggesting we downplay the drama, set hysteria aside, keep steady, exercise restraint, and rely on the strength within to keep going. "Never give in. Never, never, never, … never give in,” Winston Churchill admonished the British people.1

Though today’s wars may not be waged on our doorsteps, their effects are still real and often personal. And the sufferings and traumas of everyday life are real and never ending. We can be beaten or we can rise above with the resilience reflected in the stirring admonition to "keep calm and carry on.”

1 Churchill, ed. Richard Langworth (2008), 23.

Hospital Humor

Curry Coconut Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
1-2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 medium red onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (by seeding the jalapeno you lose most of the spice/heat but retain great flavor)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

DIRECTIONS:
Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place in medium bowl. Stir together curry, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and chili powder. Sprinkle over chicken, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.

In a large nonstick frying pan, stir onion, basil, garlic and peppers in hot oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add chicken and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until no longer pink.

Combine coconut milk and cornstarch and whisk well to combine. Carefully add to skillet, whisking vigorously. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in ginger. Cook and stir for another minute. Serve over hot cauliflower rice (see below). Serves 4.

CAULIFLOWER RICE
Trim and discard the leaves from the cauliflower, and wash the white part. Put a steamer pot on to boil.
Grate the cauliflower with a fine cheese grater or (preferably) shred it in a food processor (fine shredding disc). This can be messy, so work on an oilcloth or a baking sheet to contain the shreds.

Next, wrap the shredded cauliflower for steaming. The best way to do this is to place your cauliflower into a 1 gallon paint strainer bag (available for about $1 at a hardware store). Another, less optimal way is to bundle it up in fine cheesecloth or a cloth nutmilk bag.

Put the cauliflower bag into a steamer pot and steam for 10-15 mins or until soft. Remove from heat.
Rinse the bag under cold water to stop the cooking and cool the cauliflower. Wring the bag firmly 3-4 times to remove all liquid.

Inside the bag is a firm, fine, rice-like ball of cauliflower ready for serving. If you used a strainer bag, removing it is very easy and clean — just reach in and pull it out. If you used cloth, you might find find that more of the cauliflower rice sticks to the bag and requires some scraping.

Enjoy cauliflower rice as a side dish with clarified butter, or use it as a platform for saucy dishes like curries and stews, or saute it with veggies and meat for a biryani or fried rice style dish. Experiment with adding spices like cumin, garlic, curry or coriander during steaming for added flavor.

One-Minute Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp cocoa powder
3 Tbsp spelt flour or almond flour, etc.
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 stevia packet,or 1 more Tbsp sugar)
1 Tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil (some people sub applesauce or mashed banana.)
3 tablespoons nondairy milk of choice
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well. Add liquid, stir, then transfer to a little dish, ramekin, or even a coffee mug. Microwave 30-40 seconds. If you don’t want to eat it straight out of the dish, be sure to spray your dish first (and then wait for it to cool before trying to remove it).

If desired, top with Chocolate-Fudge Frosting or fresh berries, jam, or coconut milk ice cream or whipped cream.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1/2 a medium, very ripe banana (80g)
4T Artisana coconut butter or Homemade Coconut Butter
2 Tbsp (or more!) cocoa powder (10g)
scant 1/16 tsp salt
optional: feel free to sweeten, if needed

Blend everything together in your blender, food processor, or Magic Bullet. (Taste before eating, in case you wish to add sweetener.)


Homemade Coconut Butter
1 bag shredded, unsweetened coconut

Simply blended the coconut in a Vita-Mix for about 2-3 minutes. (Note: If you use a food processor, blend for 10-ish minutes.) That’s all there is to it!

via Chocolate-Covered Katie

Wordless Wednesday

Home Remedies That Work #1

Honey

Just one spoonful of honey can help quiet a nighttime cough, in children, better than over-the-counter cough syrups or suppressants. Honey can also help reduce coughs in older adults suffering from a cold.

Honey coats and soothes an irritated throat to help calm repeated coughing. It is generally safe and can be used repeatedly as needed; two teaspoons per dose. Older adults should make sure their cough is because of a cold and not a more serious condition that may not respond to honey. Also, honey does have a high sugar content, that may me inappropriate for older adults with diabetes.

My Go-To Cornbread and Honey Butter

1/2 cup cornmeal
1-1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/4 cups milk

In a large mixing bowl, blend together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the oil, melted butter, beaten eggs, and milk in the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny – don't be alarmed). Bake in an 8" square pan at 350º for 35 minutes. Can also be cooked as muffins for 25-30 minutes. This recipe also doubles perfectly for a 1x13 inch pan or 2 dozen muffins.

Honey Butter
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Whip all the ingredients together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperate (can be refrigerated and softened)

Choir Notes

Good Be with You

From Music and The Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell • Program 4286

A young soldier, with tears in his eyes, hugs his wife and child and boards a transport plane, bound for foreign conflict. It is a scene we have witnessed many times through the years, as men and women of the military leave loved ones behind and bravely go to play their part in the fight for freedom. For all who make this sacrifice, it seems the hardest part of all is saying good-bye.

Whether for only a few hours or much longer, we must, on occasion, say farewell and place our lives and the lives of those we love in the hands of divine providence. Mothers know the feelings of joy mixed with worry as they send their little ones off to the first day of school. Children grow up and leave home, friends move away, jobs end, family members pass on, and each time we have to say good-bye.

And yet there is something particularly poignant about bidding farewell to a soldier—to a man or woman who, though reluctant to leave behind loved ones, is nevertheless emboldened by a sense of sacred duty to the cause of freedom and country. And while we may not be able to fully appreciate the sacrifice made by the families of these heroes, we all share a measure of pride in their service and prayers for their safe return. 

Just as touching—and often just as tearful—as the soldier’s departure is the joy of his return and the rush to meet his embrace and welcome him home. Even if the reunion is postponed longer than we wish, we never need to let go of the assurance that someday it will come. 

Life demands that all of us endure separation, but the pain of this separation can be greatly softened when, with trust in heaven’s help, we include with our good-bye the hopeful plea "God be with you till we meet again.” 1

1 "God Be with You Till We Meet Again,” Hymns, no. 152.

Almond Butter Cookie Dough Cookies

1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp. raisins
Salt to taste (1/8 -1/4 tsp.)
2 Tbsp, roasted nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, etc.)
1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Throw everything into your food processor, and combine until very smooth. Roll in balls, cookies, bars, or simply shovel the dough into your mouth, straight from the machine.

Dough can be stored on the counter, in the fridge, in the freezer, or in your belly.

Note: if you you salted nuts, reduce the amount of addition salt.

Veterans Day

11-11-11

Shake It Off

Hormuzd J Dadinath's Photos

 

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for ...hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL :
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Wordy Wednesday

Guacamole Salsa

1 lb. tomatillos (or more if you want it thinner)

1 jalapeno pepper (or more if you like it spicy)

1/3 bunch cilantro

1 thick slice of onion

1 garlic clove

1 avocado

1 tsp. salt

Peel and wash the tomatillos - in the store, they are usually found over by the cilantro & peppers, and they have a husk on them. Cut them into quarters and put in the blender. Follow with the jalapeno, cilantro, onion, garlic, avocado & salt. Be sure to put the tomatillos in the bottom of the blender and not the avocado so it doesn't stick to the blade. You might have to help it start by shaking or using a mixer at first. But, once it gets going the juice from the tomatillos will help move the other ingredients around.

That's it! It should last about a week in the fridge. I did notice that it thickens up in the fridge, so if you want it thinner grab a couple more tomatillos to mix in again. Super easy and so good - especially over pulled pork!!

Goals

Choir Notes

Overcoming Obstacles

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell • Program 4285

A farmer’s son once watched with great compassion as a tiny chick stirred within its shell. Slowly the bird made a small crack in the egg, its tiny beak just poking through. And then, weary from its efforts, the bird paused to rest. 

Thinking he would help, the young boy pried open the shell with his thumbs, pulling away fragments of the shell until the bird was free. But in his eagerness to make life easier for the young bird, he sealed its fate: Without strength built from pecking open its own shell, the bird could not survive. 

Obstacles are a part of life, but most of us don’t realize what a vital part they are, building in us the traits we need to succeed in life. We often see difficulties and failures as doors that have slammed, opportunities we’ve lost, when in fact these trials can be gifts. 

Look at the everyday heroes around us who overcome setbacks—a child without sight who learns to swim, a single mother who puts herself through nursing school and later helps all her children through college, a man who takes on an extra job to support his family during tough economic times. These are people who refuse to be beaten; they persevere through the storms and use challenges as a catapult.

Every bird in flight is an example to us of this same perseverance. Each one had to break through its shell, one chip at a time, determined to live, determined to fly. The shell was an obstacle but also the very tool that built strength and tenacity. 

Those who understand this truth refuse to let bumps in the road define their entire journey. If we resolve never to give up, then our obstacles, instead of becoming final verdicts, can launch us to greater heights. Joni Hilton

Fall Back

5 Simple Rules to Be Happy

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

When something happens to you, good or bad, consider what it means. There's a purpose to life's events, to teach you how to laugh more or not to cry too hard.

You can't make someone love you. All you can do is to be someone who can be loved.

It's better to lose your pride to the one you love, than to lose the one you love because of pride.

We spend too much time looking for the right person to love or finding fault with those we already love, when instead we should be perfecting the love we give.

Never abandon an old friend. You will never find one who can take his or her place. Friendship is like wine; it gets better as it grows older.

Punny

Puns for Educated Minds:

1. The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian .

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

6. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

7. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

8. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

9. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

12. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

13. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

14. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

15. The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

16. The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

17. A backward poet writes inverse.

18. In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

19. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

20. If you jumped off the bridge in Paris , you'd be in Seine .

21. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'

22. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says 'Dam!'

23. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

24. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes, I'm positive.'

25. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

26. There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did

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