TIME

Do you have Road blocks?  Caution Signs?  Stop Signs?
Are there any other kinds of signs, that you might feel are labeling you?

Some days I feel as though my "labels", without intention.....put up signs to others.  Maybe saying, "stay away" or "stop trying"....or maybe even something worse.

But what they are really meaning is;
"Help!"
"I'm bombarded."
"I feel alone."
"Why don't you understand?"
"I need someone to listen."
"I want someone to care."
"Is anyone out there?"
"Do you really understand?"
"Even if you can't understand completely, can you care enough anyway?"

Some days, I feel as though the more people I'm around, the more alone I become.
Does this even make sense?  Well maybe not in the scheme of logistics.  But definitely in the reality of life.

Do you have labels?  Either that were put upon you by others, by yourself, or your circumstances of life?

Do you feel like you're all alone out there?  Like no one else really gets what you are going through because no one else knows what you are going through?  Or no one else gets what you are going through because no one else is going through the same things as you?


Well, you don't understand because you didn't birth your kids.

Well, you don't understand because you don't work an extra job.

Well, you don't understand because you get to stay at home.

Well, you don't understand because you've never lost a child, or parent, or grandparent.

Well, you don't understand because.... the list could be numerous.

You're not alone.
Someone does understand.
God has put others in this world, so that we can share with one another our trials and struggles, and so that we can help one another when we go through these trials and struggles.  We just need to talk about it, invest time with someone.  Because there IS someone out there who's going through the same thing as you.  More than one even.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.⁴ He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. ⁵ For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. ⁶ Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. ⁷ We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. (NLT)


I think what we need to be more willing to do, is share.

Not things.

Time....

Take TIME to call up that person and ask them how they are REALLY doing.
Find out the tried and true details of their life and pray for them.  Right there, on the phone.

Take TIME to stop by that friends house, if even for 10 minutes.  To show that you thought of them, took the time out of your day, and stopped by to say hi, and that you care about them.

Take TIME to be a blessing to someone.

TIME.

It's not something you have.  It's something you make.




 

Multiplication Cards

A while back I made addition cards.

If you didn't already know, I try to be frugal in many areas.  So printing my own flash cards was an easy thing to type up quick when I needed them.

Click here to print them out for yourself.

Dimensions are written on the file to know how to cut them apart.

 

Pesto Chicken Pasta

Chicken:

4-5 chicken breasts

1/2 C flour

1/8 t salt

dash pepper

3 T olive oil

Sauce: 

1 (6.25 ounce) jar pesto (just a bit less than 1 cup)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 C milk

1 C chicken broth

1/2 t sugar

1 T butter

Pasta:

1/2 (16 ounce) box bowtie, penne or corkscrew pasta

1. Cut your chicken breasts into 3 inch chunks and set them aside. 

2. Toss 1/2 cup flour, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper into a loaf pan. 

3. Heat a large skillet up over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. 

4. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour and then carefully place them in the hot pan. Turn the heat down to medium low.  Let the chicken get nice and golden brown on the bottom. Then turn them over and let them get golden brown on the other side. When the chicken has cooked through remove from the pan and onto a clean plate. Cover the plate with tin foil and set it aside.

5. While your chicken is cooking, boil some water and cook the pasta according to package instructions.  

6. Pour 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of milk (I used 1 %) into the hot pan you used to cook the chicken. Use a whisk to break up the crispy chicken leftovers in the bottom of your pan. 

7. Add just a bit less than 1 cup of pesto, and one block of softened cream cheese. Give it a nice stir. The cream cheese will start to melt down and incorporate into the sauce. Don't worry if it is chunky at first. 

8. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, whisking it occasionally. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, or until it thickens up a bit. 

9. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1 T butter. If your sauce is too thick, add a bit more milk to thin it out. 

10. Serve immediately over hot pasta. The sauce with continue to thicken as it cools, so it's best to eat it soon after you make it. 

recipe from Jamie Cooks it up.

 

SnickerDoodle Bars

2/3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 Tbsp white sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.  Add the flour and baking powder to the egg mixture and beat until well blended.  Spread the batter evenly in the pan.  In a small bowl, combine the white sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the surface springs back when gently pressed.

These are like a mixture of cookie and coffee cake.  Not as light as a piece of coffee cake, thick enough to eat like a cookie, and soft and very enjoyable!  Try them. :)