My book list

I have recently rekindled by love of reading.  For some reason over the last few years I had started getting off the reading train, at least reading for pleasure.  Now it is back in full swing.  My boyfriend likes it cause he says he's happier with the drama in my life being between the pages of the books instead of in reality.  I whole heartedly agree.  It's the same reason I watch trashy TV too ;-)  Oh Gossip Girl...you kill me.

So I wanted to start keeping a list of all the books I have read throughout the calendar year, and will continue next year.  These include good old fashioned reading and audio books.  I like to listen while I take trips alone or with Ben and when I run errands for work.  You may see a lot of Jodi Picoult on here as I am currently trying to work my way through everything she has published.  I DEVOUR her books.  Love her.

1)  Searching For God Knows What - Donald Miller
2)  Twilight - The Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer3)  New Moon - The Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
4)  Eclipse - The Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
5)  Breaking Dawn - The Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
6)  Prince Caspian - C.S. Lewis
7)  The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis in progress
8)  Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult (FASCINATING...could NOT put this one down.)
9)  Change of Heart - Jodi Picoult
10)  Vanishing Act - Jodi Picoult - in progress

Auditioning TONIGHT for the Nashville Symphony Choir!!

Haven't sung this in 5 years but I am auditioning with this:

	Messiah - Soprano - 04 For Unto Us A Child Is Born .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

5 Things I am proud of myself for doing today.

1)  I told my Daddy I loved him.

2)  I made plans to visit with my sister.

3)  I got to bond more with my roommie...love you Katie!

4)  I worked out!

5)  I took the time to take a hot bubble bath and read my book.

How is love defined in us? Relationship Studies....

I found this on my friend Chip Green's FB profile page and I couldn't agree more:

"We all have the potential to fall in love a thousand times in our lifetime. It's easy. The first girl I ever loved was someone I knew in sixth grade. Her name was Missy; we talked about horses. The last girl I love will be someone I haven't even met yet, probably. They all count. But there are certain people you love who do something else; they define how you classify what love is supposed to feel like. These are the most important people in your life, and you'll meet maybe four or five of these people over the span of 80 years. But there's still one more tier to all this; there is always one person who you love who becomes that definition. It usually happens retrospectively, but it always happens eventually. This is the person who unknowingly sets the template for what you will always love about other people, even if some of those lovable qualities are self-destructive and unreasonable. You will remember having conversations with this person that never actually happened. You will recall sexual trysts with this person that never technically occurred. This is because the individual who embodies your personal definition of love does not really exist. The person is real, and the feelings are real--but you create the context. And context is everything. The person who defines your understanding of love is not inherently different than anyone else, and they're often just the person you happen to meet the first time you really, really want to love someone. But that person still wins. They win, and you lose. Because for the rest of your life, they will control how you feel about everyone else."

-Chuck Klosterman, Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story

It's Hard to Re-learn Old Lessons...

Church was hard this morning.  Two things happened in the last week that I really let get to me and that I reacted to in a way that I am not proud of.  I always try to be as Christ like as I possibly can be every day and especially in the way that I react to things that impact me emotionally and situationally in my life.  No small feat let me tell you.  This week I failed big time.  I failed twice.


This morning our preacher, Randy, was talking about a passage in 1 Peter.  I turned to follow the passage he was referring to, 1 Peter 2:4-11, but God had other plans for me this morning.  He, instead, diverted my attention to 1 Peter 2:13-25:


"But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. ²¹To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 
 ²²"He committed no sin,
      and no deceit was found in his mouth."^[a] 
23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.


This is how I failed.  I retaliated.  I felt hurt, angry, insulted, and offended.  I felt an injustice had happened to me (in two separate instances in one week), that crimes had been committed against me, and I needed to defend myself, to protect myself, and the offenders needed to pay and learn from their mistakes.  God showed me this morning, although He has revealed this to me previously in my past, that this behavior is not what He wants from me.  He wants me to turn my cheek, to bear the burden of the offense, and to entrust myself to Him who judges justly.  It is not for me to measure what is right and what is wrong, it is Him, He has not called me to do that.  It is not for me to defend myself when a crime is done against me, as it is done to me it is done unto Him, and He is the one that will choose what action if any needs to be taken.  It is my job to forgive and to consistently and continually live in that forgiveness every moment, one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.

My Mama's Meatlof = Heaven

I realize I have been writing a lot about cooking lately.  I love it, it is my art, and I am very passionate about it.  This comes from a long line of great cooks in my family (forgive my inability for humility).  My grandmother was a Home Economics major and an incredible cook (Man I wish that would have been available for me and not entirely politically incorrect!).  She still verbally spouts off recipes from memory when I visit her that she would be excited for me to try.  My Mom is STELLAR in the kitchen, my Daddy has become very talented especially in the seafood variety, and my sister is an impeccable cook too, not to mention a fantastic restaurant reviewer (see southernpalate.blogspot.com).  We are all way to committed to true ingredients and not cutting fat corners, this shows on our hips but also on our lips through the delectable smiles we have after tasting this food! 

I have been promising Ben for some time now that I would make him my Mom's meatloaf recipe.  He was probably getting tired of all that chicken pot pie I as making, not that he didn't like that too!  So last night I took about 2 hours and whipped  up the meatloaf.  I had almost forgotten how incredible it was to grow up with this food.  I share this with you today!  You are welcome to make it in your own homes but remember, it's my Mama who deserves the credit!

Mama's Meatloaf or Baby, We Could Talk All Night But That Ain't Getting Us Nowhere

 ~ Edited slightly by Libby...

1 lb. lean ground beef (small meatloaf) 1.5 for medium, 2 lb. for large one. If you have fatty meat, it will cook down too much & be too greasy as well.  The following ingredients are for the small meatloaf, adjust accordingly for medium & large. I usually make the large, split it in two cook both in two small ceramic or Pyrex bread pans & keep the second one for cold meatloaf sandwiches with mayo. . .mmmmm! Or you can freeze it for later.

If your meatloaf mix won't fit into your pan, but there isn't enough for a second one, make meatballs. Fry them or bake them on a cookie sheet until brown or freeze for later. Cover cooked meatballs with Campbell's mushroom soup. . . mmmmm!  Add mushrooms, preferably fresh (but sauteed first). This is a good party dish when you have to take a hot hors d'oeuvre. But I digress. . .more meatloaf ingredients.

PREHEAT oven to 350.
 

1 medium onion

2 C. crushed crackers Ritz is good, I use Club crackers (rectangular buttery ones) generic is fine. An alternative is Quaker oats but NOT instant ones or the meatloaf will be too mushy

1-2 eggs I use one but if it seems dry or isn't sticking together, add another. I never use more than two. Or you can add 1/4 cup of milk.

Mix in these ingredients:
         
                

garlic powder to taste

salt & pepper to taste

Tony Chachere's to taste

Optional: oregano, basil, or any herb you like, or not. Parmesan cheese, Velvetta cheese, but not regular cheese, unless you want to melt it on top. It sort of curdles in the meat loaf & makes an unpleasant texture.
 

Bake in a bread pan in a 350 degree oven. Small about 1 - 1.5 hr.  Cover top with two layers of foil.  Last 20 min takes the foil off.  Last 5-10 minutes add the sauce (see below).

If you make meatballs you can also sink them into this sauce for a hot hors d'oeuvre, instead of using the mushroom soup.
 

One cup ketchup, at least

At least 2 Tablespoons of regular yellow mustard; I use about a 1/4 cup. This is to taste but you want it to be tangy.

One cup brown sugar, to taste.
 

This sauce is really sweet as well as tangy. You should really make a double batch, pour half over the meatloaf in the last 10 minutes or so of cooking, then use the rest for dipping as you eat it or for the meatballs if you make them.  Serve with a salad & if you dare, or want to splurge, mashed potatoes or baked potatoes or MAC AND CHEESE!.

My Mother's 9/11

Aftermath
When they fell
We rose up.
They fell on an island,
Now priceless
Once bought with beads.
In a war den,
Five sided,
And on a simple, empty field.

Though I hear their names,
There are too many to remember.
How can it be possible,
That I know not even one
Of so many who fell.

Yet I will never forget their faces,
Shining out from tacked-up photos,
Or the faces of the broken-hearted
Searching, hoping.
Will they ever heal?
And the faces of the children
Innocent, unknowing,
Or knowing too much.
The faces of those offering aid
Any sort of rescue.

These faces said to me:
Deep is the love we have for each other.
No one can kill that.

They fell.
But what happened then is
We rose up.

Carol MacDuffee Hanson
two years later
September 11, 2003