Mountain Musings

Gonna Meet A Friend Today

Mondays are not normally get-out-of-the-house days around here. We are usually settling down from the weekend and getting the house straight and the laundry done. But today I meet my friend Nancie for lunch. She's driving from Richmond to JMU in Harrisonburg to see her son and wanted to get together. I'm available.

Nancie is an old friend from before marriage days; in fact, we got married one week apart, and we've kept in touch through the years. She's stayed mostly in one place--Richmond--while we've moved around the state. But wherever we go, we find each other and arrange a visit.

It's been a fun friendship. Nancie taught me how to cross-stitch and how to scrapbook. Where would my craft life be without her? And our kids have grown up while we've been talking. Where did the time go? 

"In my opinion, a friend is something akin to a soft pillow. It's there when you need it. It's not demanding. It is receptive to your need of comfort, of being listened to, and of sharing. It doesn't force its presence upon you; neither does it run away when you need it most.

Real friends are bound by an invisible cord of respect, love, and Christian concern. When they ask, "How are you?" you know they really mean it and are ready to listen. What is companionship, if it isn't knowing you can call upon someone in an emergency?"

(Taken from "A Friend is a Soft Pillow" by Linda Anderson)

Well...I'm off to have fun...on a Monday!

~Deb

What's Your Spiritual Gift?

"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."  ~ I Peter 4:10

"As the last couple arrives for the potluck dinner, their hot casserole dish slides off its tray and crashes to the floor in the entryway. The sound of a crash and the accompanying groans bring the rest of the guests running to see what happened. And they instinctively take different courses of action...

A person with the gift of mercy wades through the stroganoff to hug the tearful wife who dropped the dish.

A person with the gift of leadership starts assigning various clean-up tasks.

A person with the gift of teaching bites his tongue just before saying that a plastic dish with a sealed lid might have prevented the disaster.

A person with the gift of giving volunteers to drive to a nearby deli and pick up more food.

And a person with the gift of prophecy starts explaining the spiritual lesson inherent in the mess--but then stops when he gets "the look" from his wife!

God has so gifted the members of the body of Christ that each has a unique perspective and contribution to make. Whatever your spiritual gift is from God, the body suffers to the degree you don't use it. A gift given but unused is the same as a gift never given."

Daily Devotional above taken from Turning Point Online by Dr. David Jeremiah.

In the scenario above, what would you do? I have the gift of mercy, and I would feel so badly for the person who dropped the casserole dish. I'm not sure I would go over and hug her, but somehow I'd get the point across that I know what it's like to be in her place. And I'd start praying for her that she wouldn't feel so badly about the mishap. I'd probably even write a note to cheer her up and drop it in the mail the next day!

Recently Courtney started a series of posts on Knowing Our Spiritual Gifts here and here. Check her blog in the coming days as she continues writing her thoughts on spiritual gifts.

Do you know what your spiritual gift is? How do you use it on a day-to-day basis?

~Deb 

Saturday Quiz

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Whenever I take these types of quizzes, I think they're interesting but not always accurate. This one, however, is about as close as it gets.

Most folks will tell you they are not morning people. My whole family fits that category! I tease Tom that I'm an all-day person. I'm wide awake at sunrise, energizer bunny in the afternoon, and still kicking at night. I hope I don't drive him too crazy! :)

What time of day are you?

Hat Tip to Carol for the link.

~Deb

Spring Workday

Yesterday was a beautiful day to work outside...and work outside we did! The aches and pains this morning are letting me know that maybe I tried to cram a little too much into one day!

Everyone was busy doing something different. Hannah and Sarah worked in the garden putting up stakes and wire for the peas to climb on. Hannah continued pulling weeds in the flower beds, and Sarah drove the lawn tractor, filled the wagon with mulch, and made the beds look nice, surrounding the shrubbery with the big piles of fragrant wood chips.

I worked in front of the house for about six hours planting red begonias in five hanging baskets and in various other flowerpots. Our front porch gets the hot afternoon sun, and I have a hard time finding plants that will survive in a hanging basket. I've never killed a begonia, so I'm giving them a try this year although they're not "hanging" plants meant for baskets. We'll see how they do. My garden cart worked wonderfully well.

The johnny-jump-ups are still doing well I planted last fall in the four flowerpots that sit on each of the steps, so I left them alone for now. I planted red and white geraniums in two huge pots by the front door, salvia around the Bed & Breakfast birdhouse at the end of the sidewalk, lantana in another clay pot that sits on the sidewalk, and re-potted many houseplants while I was at it. I used two of my Wolfe clay pots I bought at Country Boys in Greenville when I was there last month.

Everything was back in its place by the time Tom arrived home from work, except we all still needed to shower and scare up something for supper. Today rain is arriving...whew! A bit of a reprieve from outside work, but lots to do inside for company coming for dinner tonight! I'd better get off the computer and get busy!

~Deb

Girl Talk on Modesty

Thanks to Crystal over at Biblical Womanhood for directing us to the blog, Girl Talk, written by a mother (pastor's wife and author) and her three daughters. I just visited their blog this morning, and I have a lot of reading to catch up on!  I skimmed and found out they're in the middle of a series on Modesty.

Click over and read their latest entry about a pastor's plea for modesty when you're choosing wedding gowns. I totally agree with him! It's so refreshing to hear someone talk about this subject.

~Deb

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Foods I Really Like

1. Mexican: chicken burritos, taco salad, refried beans, Spanish rice, tacos, chips and salsa...anything hot and spicy!
2. Pizza, any and all toppings, except mushroom. And not just plain cheese.
3. Baked potatoes with chili, cheese, and broccoli; butter on the side, and no sour cream.
4. Grilled Southwestern Chicken on a bed of salad with Vidalia Onion dressing.
5. Sugar snap peas from our garden, the way Hannah seasons them.
6. Black bean chowder with cornbread.
7. Corn on the cob with lots of pepper.
8. Green bananas.
9. Fried sweet potato pies.
10. Chinese food - that spicy chicken and peanut dish over brown rice.
11. Footlong hotdogs with chili, cole slaw, and plenty of mustard.
12. Peter-Paul Mounds Chocolate Cake (my birthday choice for decades).
13. Fruit Smoothies. :)

~Deb

San Francisco Chicken

Since I mentioned that we served this recipe for our Easter meal, Courtney asked, "What's San Fran Chicken like?" I'm posting the recipe even though I don't have a picture to go with it this time since I didn't plan ahead and snap a picture on Sunday.

San Francisco Chicken

• 3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 (or less) cup dry Italian style bread crumbs
• 3/4 (or less) cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tablespoons parsley (I use fresh but dried is okay)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 clove garlic (powder is fine)
• juice of 2 lemons (ReaLemon is fine)
• paprika

Cut chicken breasts in half or into medium-sized strips. Blend the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Finely chop the garlic into butter and melt.

Dip chicken into the butter and roll in the crumb mixture. Place in buttered baking dish. Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice, remaining butter, and dash of paprika. Bake for approximately 1 hr at 350 degrees.

I have always baked this recipe in a 9x13 glass pan. This past Sunday I tried it for the first time in the crockpot, doing everything exactly the same except layering the chicken pieces. I cooked it on Low for almost 5 hours, and it was very tender and delicious and ready to serve the minute we walked in the door from church. I will definitely try it this way again.

~Deb

A Lost Art

I recently discovered an interesting new blog which I've enjoyed perusing, and I wanted to mention it to anyone who hasn't become acquainted with Mrs. Wilt. The Sparrow's Nest focuses on homemaking, decorating, family, modest dress, and gardening.

Actually, what interested me initially was her post on Reviving the Art  of Correspondence. Mrs. Wilt recommends this book by Alexandra Stoddard which she is reading now. I'm going to check our local library to see if it's on their shelves, and if not, I've already put it in my Amazon shopping cart.

Here are a few suggestions she says the book includes:

• Write from your heart.
• Use a variety of different-colored inks and stationery.
• Always put the day, month, and year on your letter.
• Letters are intimate. Be intimate.
• Keep your stationery box open; it makes starting so much easier.

I just wrote a three-page letter last week...well, actually, I typed a three-page letter and printed it out on three different colors of bright paper--yellow, lime green, and wild pink. So it wasn't truly "old-fashioned" since it wasn't written in my own handwriting, but I think the recipient won't mind. It will be a letter she can keep and read over again.

My stationery, cards, postcards, and stamps are all arranged in three different drawers. Most of the cards are purchased, but some are Hannah's watercolors, calligraphy, and photography cards. So I don't "keep my stationery box open," but I do have everything together in one spot for easy access.

I just need to recopy my addresses in my new address book. Then I'll be all set. Who shall I pick first to find a letter in their box? :)

~Deb

Come Again Another Day?

This week's Carnival of Beauty is being hosted by Allison over at Autumn Rain with the theme: The Beauty of Rainy Days. How appropriate! I visited Allison's blog this morning for the first time and found verses and quotes all about rain! Isn't it interesting how bloggers are all so different with their own unique focus? I'm amazed at how creative some folks can be! Here's the link for the list of bloggers who submitted posts this week. Check them out!

Actually the Carnival slipped up on me this week; after I blogged yesterday about the rainy Monday we had shopping and left a comment on Susan's blog about how rainy days and Mondays always pick me up (if I'm inside!), I never had a clue today was a rainy themed Carnival day! So, here's a rainy day story I've been meaning to write about...

Everyone called her "Grandma," even though her name was Louise. She was 85-ish when I first became acquainted with her, and we always shook hands during the greeting part of the church service because she sat in the same place right in front of me every week.

For a few months the Lord kept prompting me to ask her during one of those hand-shaking times if I could come visit her one day. I'd end up never mentioning it, and the moment would pass. Then one Sunday I finally asked if I could drop by her house one day, and oh, she was ecstatic! That wrinkled old face broke out into such a smile, you wouldn't believe it. I thought what a simple thing it was to make an old person happy.

She turned back around and whispered, "Do you like tea?" Well, it wasn't my favorite drink, but I said that would be fine. She gave me another smile and said, "You come visit, and we'll talk and have tea."

Later that same morning she asked, "Do you happen to like Scrabble?" I replied, "Why, that's my favorite game. I love Scrabble!" She said, "You come visit, we'll talk and have tea, and play Scrabble!"

And that's what we did...week after week, month after month. Fridays were the days I'd travel the thirty or so miles to her little house that was jammed packed with books. She loved to read, and I guess that's how she knew so many Scrabble words; she was a feisty surprise to me!

Rainy Fridays were the best. I'd knock on her door and head straight back to the  kitchen table where she'd have her deluxe game board and tiles all ready. One of us would make the popcorn, and the other would fix the ice in glasses. We were a team...except when we were playing. And then we were fierce competitors. After one game, we'd play another. After that one, we'd play yet another. I had never played more than one game of Scrabble in one sitting until I met Grandma. I think she wanted to keep me there as long as she could.

Sheltered inside her warm, cozy kitchen with the lights blazing and the rain splattering on the window panes, I enjoyed watching her have fun. She was an encouragement to me, and I valued her walk with the Lord and considered her a real prayer warrior as we shared prayer requests. She went to be with the Lord five years ago last month, and needless to say, there was a big void on those game afternoons I so enjoyed.

I still remember Grandma at the door each visit sadly bidding me good-bye and calling out, "Come again another day?"

~Deb

Oh, No! Not Again!

This is what I'm using today in hopes that it will work, and I won't have to make an appointment to see a doctor, although I'm to the point where I don't mind taking an antibiotic. My sister, who knows how sensitive my skin is, gave me this box of poison ivy soap last Christmas. Every spring and summer I usually manage to come into contact with the horrible weed someplace. I'm sure when she saw this soap she was thinking, "What a perfect present for Deb!"

Last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday Hannah and I were cleaning out flowerbeds, and we transferred some divided plants to the side of our shed near the woods. I picked up poison ivy there last year just from the roots...so I knew that danger lurked in that area. I remember telling myself to be careful.

Evidently, I must have touched something because the blisters are on several fingers, my hand, arm, and spots on my neck and eye area. I'm supposed to wash 2 - 3 times a day with this soap. I hope Burt's product provides some relief, and if it does, I will be one satisfied customer!

Any other suggestions before I call Urgent Care?

~Deb