Seeing Her for the First Time Again

Blessed

A snowstorm in the South is about as rare as a glass of unsweetened tea at a church supper. Folks around Birmingham, Ala. weren’t all that worried though. The storm was only supposed to dust the city – not even enough powder for a Southern snowman.

So when the first snowflakes began to fall, no one paid all that much attention. But then, the flakes kept falling. Before too long folks in places like Hoover and Inverness realized it was much more than a dusting. By that point, it was too late for anyone to do anything.

Icy interstates and highways soon became clogged with cars and trucks. Thousands of motorists soon found themselves stranded with nowhere to go – including many stuck on Highway 280.

But a good number of those stranded motorists were able to find shelter in the storm thanks to the kindness and generosity of Chick-fil-A restaurant employees and the restaurant's owner, Mark Meadows.

Once the snow started accumulating, Meadows closed the restaurant and sent his staff home. But a few hours later, many of them returned – unable to get to their homes.

“Our store is about a mile and a half from the interstate and it took me two hours to get there,” manager Audrey Pitt told me. “It was a parking lot as far as I could see.”

So Audrey left her car on the side of the interstate and joined a flock of bundled up drivers trudging through the snow.

“At one point there were more people walking than driving,” she said.

Some of the drivers had been stuck in their cars for nearly seven hours without any food or water. So the staff of the Chick-fil-A decided to lend a helping hand.

“We cooked several hundred sandwiches and stood out on both sides of 280 and handed out the sandwiches to anyone we could get to – as long as we had food to give out.”

The staffers braved the falling snow and ice, slipping and sliding, as they offered hot juicy chicken breasts tucked between two buttered buns. And Chick-fil-A refused to take a single penny for their sandwiches.

The meal was a gift – no strings attached.

For the frozen drivers, it was manna from heaven.

“They were very excited and extremely thankful,” she said. “People were thankful to get something to put in their stomachs.”

Audrey said they were especially surprised that the sandwiches were free. Why not make some extra money during the storm? It’s not like anyone could go to another restaurant. Chick-fil-A had a captive crowd of hungry customers. So why did they give away their food?

“This company is based on taking care of people and loving people before you’re worried about money or profit,” Audrey told me. “We were just trying to follow the model that we’ve all worked under for so long and the model that we’ve come to love. There was really nothing else we could have done but try to help people any way we could.”

Lauren Dango was one of those stranded motorists. She’s known Meadows for years and she was stunned when she saw him walking from car to car with Chick-fil-A sandwiches.

“I looked up and I’m like, what is he doing,” Dango told me. “He had a catering order and it got canceled, so he pulled over and started giving away food.”

And if that wasn’t enough, Meadows helped a driver maneuver along the icy road by pushing a car up an incline.

Dango was so touched by Meadows’ kindness, she sent a letter to Chick-fil-A’s corporate headquarters.

“Kudos to Mark Meadows for not only preaching the "second mile" concept, but actually living by it,” she wrote.

It’s no secret that Chick-fil-A was founded by a Christian family. And it’s no secret that they run their business on biblical values. What happened in Birmingham is an example of how those biblical values are played out.

“We just wanted to be able to help,” Audrey said. “Yesterday was such a hopeless situation. We wanted to do something to make people feel a little bit better. We were here. We had food and there were people outside who needed food. So it just made sense to do something for them.”
But Chick-fil-A’s generosity didn’t stop there.

“We opened up our dining room to anyone who wanted to sleep on a bench or a booth,” Audrey told me.

And this morning, the weary staff members fired up their ovens and began preparing chicken biscuits. The only thing that is closed – is Chick-fil-A’s cash register.

“We’re not open for business,” she said. ‘We’re just feeding people who are hungry.”

I’d say the Chick-fil-A team blessed a lot of people in Birmingham – but that’s not how Audrey sees it.

“It’s a blessing to us to be able to help people,” she said. “It really is.”

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,” Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew. “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

It was a Sunday school lesson illustrated on a snowy winter day along Highway 280 in Alabama with a chicken sandwich and a side of waffle fries.

Blessed is the person who sees the need, 

recognizes the responsibility, 

and actively becomes the answer...

How To Remove Spinning Screws From a Door Hinge

If you want to remove a door, but some of the hinge screws just spin in place, follow these simple steps to successfully remove the screws and the door: 

First, remove any screw that will come out the usual way. Then gently pry or pull on the hinge leaf to pull out the stripped screws a bit. Now when you push the hinge back into place, the heads of those stripped screws will stand out just enough for you to grab them with a pair of pliers, as shown. Pull each one out with a firm tug.

If the screws are still in good condition, with intact threads, remove any debris with a wire brush and reuse them.

If you plan to remount the door, you'll need to fill the stripped screw holes first. Whittle some small pieces of wood, put a dab of yellow carpenter's glue in the hole, and pack it full with the wood pieces. After the glue dries, trim off the excess bits of wood and you'll have solid material for the screw threads to bite into.

From This Old House

Tuesday Tips & Tricks

Naturally Repair Wood

3/4 cup of oil

1/4 cup vinegar [white or apple cider)

Mix it in a jar, then rub it into the wood. 

You don’t need to wipe it off; the wood just soaks it in.

Music Monday

Choir Notes

Nelson! Nelson! Nelson!

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Heidi S. Swinton

When Nelson Mandela strode onto a Johannesburg field at the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup wearing the shirt of the largely white national team, the entire stadium was stunned. Here was the new president of South Africa—the first black man ever to hold that office—wearing the green shirt that for millions of blacks symbolized the indignities of white rule. But Mandela saw the national rugby team as an opportunity to unite and heal his fractured country, and he had called for blacks in townships across the nation to wear green shirts in support of the contest as well. 

As he congratulated his nation’s rugby players, the stadium of more than 60,000 erupted into a chant: “Nelson! Nelson! Nelson!” 
That day South Africa won much more than a rugby match.

History is marked by great leaders whose moral influence has steered the future of nations. In that list of luminaries stand people like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela. While they lived on different ends of the earth, each perceived an injustice and chose to do something about it. They championed the value of all people, seeking what Mandela described as a “democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities."1 It wasn’t easy—Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his efforts—but remarkably, those years produced a man who sought peace, compassion, and understanding, not retribution and revenge. 

This is not the work of a select few. Each of us can reset history, even if it’s only our own. Each of us can champion peace and harmony, even if it’s only in our family or workplace. Mandela’s leadership reminds us that true success comes from humility, love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and most of all, patience. He spoke for all of us when he said: “I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my walk is not yet ended."2

1 In “Nelson Mandela Quotes: A Collection of Memorable Words from Former South African President,” cbsnews.com/news/nelson-mandela-quotes-a-collection-of-memorable-words-from-former-south-african-president.
2 In “Nelson Mandela Quotes.”

Mobility: Elbow Mechanics in Push-ups

Now You See Me; Now You Don't

A man left work one Friday afternoon. Being payday, instead of going home, he stayed out the entire weekend hunting with the boys and spent his entire paycheck. When he finally appeared at home, Sunday night, he was confronted by a very angry wife and was barraged for nearly two hours with a tirade befitting his actions.

Finally, his wife stopped the nagging and simply said to him, "How would you like it if you didn't see me for two or three days?"

To which he replied, "That would be fine with me."

Monday went by and he didn't see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went with the same results.

Thursday, the swelling went down just enough where he could see her a little out of the corner of his left eye.

Oven Baked Fajita

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips
 
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.

Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are done.

Never Too Old For CrossFit

Tuesday Tips & Tricks

To increase concentration, have your child sit on a stability ball while doing homework. (This works for big people, too.)

Maxine Monday

Choir Notes

Love, Loyalty, and Belonging

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

Every parent knows that being a good mom or dad is the most difficult job in the world. No challenge is greater than giving your all to raise a child to become a responsible and honorable adult. And while it can seem exhausting and never-ending at times, the day soon comes when that son or daughter leaves home. It can be as challenging to see your children go as it was to raise them. In some ways, perhaps it’s even more difficult.

But giving them wings to fly and find their independence is the task of parenthood. And that’s the great irony of parenting—if we do it well, our children grow to need us less and less. As we truly, without guilt or overprotectiveness, “set [them] free to find [their] calling” in life,1  they leave with a sense of confidence and an assurance that, whatever happens, they are loved. And then, in moments and decisions large and small, thoughts and hearts return to the home that’s filled with goodness and love.

Of course, no home, no parent, no son or daughter is perfect or without some problems. But that’s the process of life. We give our hearts, we do our best, we learn and grow, and we become better and wiser. Life changes, children grow up and leave, and it seems that things will be forever different. And yet, though circumstances change, in a way they remain the same: We may not live together anymore, but we will always love each other. We may not see each other every day, but we are loyal and true to the timeless values taught and happy memories experienced in the home. We may move far away for a season, but always we are linked together—we forever belong to one another.

That sense of love and loyalty and belonging between parents and children can remain with us always. No matter where we travel, in our hearts we can ever be homeward bound.

1 Marta Keen, “Homeward Bound.”

Mobility ~ Finding Torque to Create a Stabile Low Back

Pocket Taser

A guy who purchased his lovely wife a pocket taser for their anniversary submitted this:

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser.

The effects of the taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety...??

WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home... I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button and pressed it against a metal surface at the same time, I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs.

AWESOME!!! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two AAA batteries, right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target.

I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and then thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised.

Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and taser in another.

The directions said that:

a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant;

a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; and

a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water.

Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.

All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference (loaded with two itsy-bitsy AAA batteries); pretty cute really, and thinking to myself, 'no possible way!'

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best.

I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side so as to say, 'Don't do it stupid,' reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad.. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it.

I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and...

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. WHAT THE... !!!

I'm pretty sure Hulk Hogan ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs! The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.

Note:
If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a taser, one note of caution:

There is NO such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor!
A three second burst would be considered conservative!

A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape.

My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace.
· The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally was.
· My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching..
· My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs.
· I had no control over the drooling.
· Apparently I had crapped in my shorts, but was too numb to know for sure, and my sense of smell was gone.
· I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head, which I believe came from my hair.
I'm still looking for my testicles and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return!

PS: My wife can't stop laughing about my experience, loved the gift and now regularly threatens me with it!

If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!!!

Neutrality

Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel... He has been a journalist for 49 years. He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN:
 
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.. (The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.)

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House?( John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. ) If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to. [The House has passed a budget but the Senate has not approved a budget in over three years. The President's proposed budgets have gotten almost unanimous rejections in the Senate in that time. ]

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ..

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.

Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses. Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees... We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess

Tuesday Tips & Tricks

Music Monday

Choir Notes

Faith Points to the Future

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell 

  

Whenever we start something new—whether it’s a new year, a new day, a new project, or a new goal—it typically means putting an end to something old. Even when it’s a positive change, it can be hard to let go of the familiar past and step into an uncertain future. But while we certainly can’t live in the past, we can always learn from it. Jeffrey R. Holland expressed this truth in these words: “We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. . . . Then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future."1

Faith is believing and hoping that no matter how things have gone in the past, they can get better. Faith is forward-looking; it empowers and inspires us to action; it moves us to do more and to become better.

This kind of faith is robust and realistic; it is not fairy-tale or make-believe. Consider the great challenges throughout history that have been overcome by courageous people—including yourself! Yes, you’ve made it through tough times and done hard things before. With that ringing endorsement from the past, you can face the future with faith. An overwhelmed new mother knows she can become a good mom because, if nothing else, she has learned how to love. A first-semester college student knows she can tackle a busy term because she has worked hard and managed her time before. A man bravely battles a crippling illness because he knows this is hardly the first challenge he has faced.

Even if the new year, new day, or new challenge seems more difficult than anything you’ve faced before, the fact that you’ve come this far reveals that you have it in you to succeed. Draw strength from the past, but don’t get stuck there. Look to the future with faith, and remember that the seemingly small victories you collect now are laying the foundation of great success in the future.

1 “The Best Is Yet to Be,” Ensign, Jan. 2010, 24.

Banana Bread

NO OIL ~ NO SUGAR

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 mashed overripe bananas

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

CrossFit - Box Jumps

New Morning School

Sweet Potato Bisque

 

2 Tbsp. clarified butter or coconut oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 small celery stalks, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

5 cups sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 cups chicken stock

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup coconut milk

Melt butter in large, heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add chopped celery and saute for 5 min. Add garlic and saute 2 min.

Add all remaining ingredients, except for cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 20 min or until potatoes are tender.

Remove cinnamon stick. Puree soup in blender, food processor or immersion blender until smooth 

Put back in pot and add coconut milk.

In Shock

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.

Bob, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.

'And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber - give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He said,
'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you.'

JUDGE NOT!!

Remember...Just going to church doesn't make you a
Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.

Every saint has a PAST...
Every sinner has a FUTURE!

Tuesday Tips & Tricks

Cut a hole through the tip of a pacifier and stick a dropper through it to administer medication. You child will be less likely to fight you.

Maxine Monday

Choir Notes

A Note of Hope

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

As its name suggests, Charles Dickens’s classic tale A Christmas Carol was written primarily for the Christmas season. However, its timeless message is fitting for any season of the year.

In the story, miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge, through a series of ghostly visitations, comes to realize how selfish he has been, and miraculously, his heart begins to soften and change. He is transformed into a generous, cheerful soul. The heartwarming story of Scrooge resonates so powerfully because it reminds us of the truth that anyone can change for the better.

But when we hear the word scrooge, what do we think of? We probably think of a “miserly person”—that’s even the way the dictionary defines it. We probably don’t think of “a person who was once miserly but who, when given a second chance, chose to reform his life and share his wealth with those less fortunate.” Everyone knows how wonderfully Scrooge’s story ends, but his name has forever entered our consciousness (and our dictionary) as the embodiment of what he once was—not what he ultimately became.

It’s a question worth considering: Do we sometimes define people in terms of who they have been rather than who they are or who they can become? Do we let people begin again and change over time, or do we lock people into their past? The past must never be allowed to hold the future hostage. Just as Scrooge changed, we too must celebrate every effort—including our own—to start anew and change for the better.

In the musical that bears his name, Scrooge sings of the opportunity for a second chance:
I will start anew,
I will make amends,
And I will make quite certain
That the story ends
On a note of hope. 

Let us always remember that everyone’s life story—no matter how it began or how it’s going right now—has the potential to end on a note of hope.

The Joy of Serving a Mission - LeGrand Richards - October 1978 General C...

Fitness Friday

Blessed

 For the 5k at the Venetian Festival in Charlevoix, LCpl Kerr opted to run the event wearing boots and utes (utility uniform) and carrying a ruck sack. 

Several minutes after the other Marines he was with had finished, LCpl Kerr still had not crossed the line. They feared his extreme level of motivation may have caused him injury and/or fatigue resulting in him dropping out of the race.

Moments before they ran back through the course to recover their fellow Marine, LCpl Kerr came around the last turn along with this small boy. The boy had become separated from those who he had started the race with. He asked LCpl Kerr, “Sir, will you please run with me?" 

Throughout the course, LCpl Kerr urged him on when the boy wanted to give up and ensured that the boy saw the course to completion where he was reunited with his party. 

By his unwavering commitment to help those in need through his ability to inspire others by his unequivocal level of motivation, LCpl Kerr reflected great credit upon himself and was keeping in the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps.

Blessed is the person who sees the need, 
recognizes the responsibility,
and actively becomes the answer...

Cauliflower Soup

• 1 head cauliflower (2 lbs.)
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 leek (white and light green parts only) halved lengthwise, sliced thin and washed thoroughly
• 1 small onion halved and sliced thin
• salt
• pepper

• 4 ½ - 5 cups water

• ½ tsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar

• 3 Tbsp minced fresh chives

Cut cauliflower int ½ inch slices. (Be sure to cook half of the cauliflower for 15 min. and then add the other half and cook all for 15 more minutes.)

In a large saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp butter on medium-low heat. Add the leek and onion. Cook and stir until vegetables are soft but not brown (about 7 minutes). 

Increase heat to medium-high and add 4 ½ cups water and half of the sliced cauliflower. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 min. Add last half cauliflower and cook until tender (about 15-20 minutes).

Melt remaining butter in 8-inch skillet. Add reserved flowerettes (core) and cook until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Toss with vinegar and season. Reserve butter in a bowl.

Process the cauliflower mixtures in a blender until smooth (about 45 seconds). Rinse pan and return to pan. Simmer on medium heat. Adjust consistency, as needed, with water. 

Serve with flowerettes, butter, chives, and fresh ground peppers.

Wednesday Wisdom

The Paradox for Our Age

The Paradox of Our Age

We have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints; we spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less; we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgement; more experts, yet more problems; we have more gadgets but less satisfaction; more medicine, yet less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We drink too much; smoke too much; spend too recklessly; laugh too little; drive too fast; get too angry quickly; stay up too late; get up too tired; read too seldom; watch TV too much and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values; we fly in faster planes to arrive there quicker, to do less and return sooner; we sign more contracts only to realize fewer profits; we talk too much; love too seldom and lie too often. We've learned how to make a
living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've done larger things, but not better things; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice; we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less; we make faster planes, but longer lines; we learned to rush, but not to wait; we have more weapons, but less peace; higher incomes, but lower morals; more parties, but less fun; more food, but less appeasement; more acquaintances, but fewer friends; more effort, but less success. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; drive smaller cars that have bigger problems; build larger factories that produce less. We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, but short character; steep in profits, but shallow relationships. These are times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure and less fun; higher postage, but slower mail; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorces; these are times of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, cartridge living, thow-away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer, to prevent, quiet or kill. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stock room. Indeed, these are the times!
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp#oXxDqM4sltb43CKA.99

The Paradox of Our Age

We have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints; we spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less; we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgement; more experts, yet more problems; we have more gadgets but less satisfaction; more medicine, yet less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We drink too much; smoke too much; spend too recklessly; laugh too little; drive too fast; get too angry quickly; stay up too late; get up too tired; read too seldom; watch TV too much and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values; we fly in faster planes to arrive there quicker, to do less and return sooner; we sign more contracts only to realize fewer profits; we talk too much; love too seldom and lie too often. We've learned how to make a
living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've done larger things, but not better things; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice; we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less; we make faster planes, but longer lines; we learned to rush, but not to wait; we have more weapons, but less peace; higher incomes, but lower morals; more parties, but less fun; more food, but less appeasement; more acquaintances, but fewer friends; more effort, but less success. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; drive smaller cars that have bigger problems; build larger factories that produce less. We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, but short character; steep in profits, but shallow relationships. These are times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure and less fun; higher postage, but slower mail; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorces; these are times of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, cartridge living, thow-away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer, to prevent, quiet or kill. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stock room. Indeed, these are the times!
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp#oXxDqM4sltb43CKA.99

“The paradox of our age in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember, to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person might not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.”

― Bob Moorehead