Five Years Ago

Five Years Ago

I find it fitting to take a moment to recognize the anniversary of my first blog post on January 31, 2015. In fact, today’s posting is my 1,188th. 

Today is a first. The first posting on my blog. Covey says, "To start with the end in mind." I can't say exactly where that might be. But I do know that I needed to just start. So today is that first small step in a new beginning.

As I reflect on the last five years I can honestly say that I still am not completely sure about the endgame here ,if there is one. What I do remember, though, was the fear I felt when I first pressed that publish button. 

In fact, I only shared it with a few friends fearful that it might not be received well. Over the last five years I’ve felt that same fear occasionally when I’ve shared something particularly vulnerable. 

However, more times than not I’ve enjoyed writing, and sharing with you, my readers, my thoughts and life. Sometimes I wonder if there is a bigger purpose to this blog, and sometimes I wonder if it is time to quit?

The first four years I challenged myself to write five times a week. Some days I found myself overwhelmed with ideas, and would write several posts in a day. Sometimes I struggled to come up with even one idea, and found myself typing late into the night to meet my goal. 

At first it was easier because I had so many thoughts that needed to be explored, but as the years went by I seemed to need to sort them out less and less. Last year I decided to cut down to posting three times a week, and even then I struggled some to meet that number. 

I’ve been guilty before of all or nothing thinking, and I don’t want to give up my blog completely if I have something to say. Yet, I don’t want to be hard on myself for not writing. 

This sixth year you may not find as regular of a posting schedule, however, I still do want to keep Grace Found Daily alive. 

I’ve learned a lot through writing it, and more than anything I have looked forward to your insight and wisdom. 

Thanks for reading along, 

Cuban Coffee

Cuban Coffee

Chuck returned from a business trip to Florida last week all excited about Cuban coffee. 

Apparently he’d met an employee there whose job was to fix Cuban coffee using an espresso machine. Chuck was instantly hooked, and his new friend instructed him on how to make the caffeine delight. 

When Chuck returned home he immediately checked out on You Tube what was needed to replicate the drink he had enjoyed in south Florida. 

We ended up purchasing a stovetop coffee maker and some Cuban coffee. This past weekend while I fixed breakfast tacos, Chuck worked on the coffee.

This type of coffee is actually served kind of like shots, and we pulled out our souvenir shot glasses from our Jack Daniel’s Distillery tour from a couple of years ago. They were the perfect size for the concoction. 

While the coffee was percolating Chuck whipped up sugar and coffee to make what would be the foam on top. He poured the coffee into the shot glasses and we tried the maiden sip. He was quite pleased with the results as it tasted just as he remembered. 

Now it was quite strong, with a sugary taste, but one shot was plenty for me. I usually serve my coffee with a flavored almond creamer, so I’m used to a milder brew. 

Chuck on the other hand polished off the rest which pretty much left him happy, but jittery. It was fun, though, trying out something new. 

We reminisced about some other international cuisines we have tried over the years, and agreed that it was fun learning about other cultures. 

Worry

Worry

I’m taking a Bible study about the book of Joshua and worry. As I’ve thought about it I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m pretty good about not worrying too much about day to day life. 

In my twenties I did worry more, because life didn’t seem to be turning out as I had envisioned, and as it was passing me by I worried that I would not have the life I had dreamed of. 

But if I’m to be completely honest the thing I do worry about today is the future. It’s uncertainty is what seems to get me. As I consider all the possible scenarios of what could possibly go wrong it starts to get me down. 

Yesterday I met a woman a few years older than me who has been through a lot in her life. She had dealt with and was dealing with some pretty challenging circumstances. And yet she seemed so upbeat and positive. 

How was it possible that someone who had suffered such tragedies could go on to live a full and happy life? She was realistic about her future, and even then she was resigned to making the best of it. 

I’m glad our paths crossed. I’ve been ruminating too long about my own future. I think going through my father’s health decline brought to my attention for the first time that aging isn’t for the faint of heart. 

However, as I think about my dad’s life he lived it to the fullest despite some pretty significant obstacles along the way. He lived very independently into his mid-eighties until it was just no longer possible. 

I don’t want to waste my sixties worrying about what might or might not happen in my eighties or nineties. So when I find myself thinking too much about the future I want to remember the woman I met who spends her days skiing, RVing and taking Riverboat cruises. 

I think she has the right idea!

“That the birds of worry and care fly over your head, this you cannot change, but that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent.”

Chinese Proverb

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Matthew 6:27

Second Guessing a “Great” Idea

Second Guessing a “Great” Idea

This past weekend was my youngest grandson’s second birthday. How is it even possible that two years have passed by so quickly. 

This little guy is adorable plus two in my book, and as my daughter and I discussed what to get him for his birthday his love of cars came into the discussion. While his older brother is totally enamored by tractors, and large earth moving equipment, the little one’s taste runs toward police cars, and “fast” sports cars. 

It totally cracks me up to see their distinct personalities taking shape. You would think with the plethora of John Deere available in their home that he would just follow in his brother’s footsteps. But, that is definitely not the case. 

A year ago the older grandson got an electric John Deere Gator which has probably been driven well over its suggested limit. It gets used pretty much daily, and even the younger one knows how to drive it. Because of this Brittany and I thought maybe an electric vehicle of his own might be the perfect gift for the two year old. 

It wasn’t long before Brittany sent me a picture of the coolest electric police car ever. Without a moment’s hesitation I knew it would be the perfect gift for his birthday. Chrome wheels, a light bar, siren, and even a hand held radio looked like it would bring hours of fun. 

We even envisioned the younger one pulling over his older brother while he was driving his gator. The police car arrived, and Will got it all ready to go, noticing that this vehicle even came with a remote control that made it possible for a parent to direct it around the backyard just in case. 

The younger one was thrilled when he saw it, and made a beeline to it while attempting to climb in sans the door. His older brother started to do what he does best, you know take charge, and helped get his brother situated. It didn’t take long before he was driving around the back yard with his older brother “cheering” him along. 

The grown-ups all smiled knowingly thinking that this was such a GREAT idea. They envisioned hours of fun, and plenty of childhood memories. 

Little did they realize what would happen the next morning when the newly turned two year old would wake up. Chuck and I were awakened to the repeated pleas of, “Police car, police car,” followed by tears. 

In our excitement to make a little boy’s dreams come true we forgot one small detail. It’s hard for a two year old to understand that six o’clock in the morning, and frigid conditions don’t make for ideal police car driving weather. Unfortunately, the fussing proceeded for quite a while, and Brittany and I looked at each other like, “What were we thinking?”

I should have remembered how during the Christmas season the first thing out of his mouth each morning was “Stevie!” his Elf on the Shelf.  I have a feeling “Police Car” is going to take its place. 

Sorry Brittany!

Air Fryer

Air Fryer

As promised I’m writing a short review about my air fryer. I was hesitant at first to add another appliance to my collection, as I have more than a few already. 

Over the years I’ve collected a bread maker, a really cool Cuisinart ice cream maker, a crock pot, an Instant Pot, a Kitchen Aid mixer, a rice cooker, a hot air popcorn popper, one large food processor, and one small one, a waffle maker, an electric skillet, a juicer,  a basic blender, a Ninja blender, an egg cooker, toaster oven, and a coffee maker. Wooh, I’m exhausted!

Now you can imagine how thrilled I was to finally get a walk-in pantry to have a home for all of these contraptions. Now to be honest, I do use quite a few of the on a regular basis since I really do enjoy cooking. 

As I checked out the pantry I knew I had a home for one more appliance with just a little rearranging, and after researching the many different foods that could be cooked in the air fryer I went ahead and asked for one for Christmas. 

So far, I’ve been quite pleased. The other night I fixed seasoned homemade French fries, which Chuck went on and on about. I’ve been oven frying fries for years, but these were much crispier than what I’d pulled out of the oven before. Next time, I’m just going to salt and pepper them, though, rather than season them. 

Yesterday I fixed crispy seasoned chick peas. I rinsed and dried chick peas out of a can, spritzed them with olive oil, and added salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, and put them in the air fryer. They were crispy, but could have used just a little more seasoning. I’ve even seen recipes for a sweeter version, and may give that a try. 

Overall, the process was pretty simple, but it did require shaking the basket midway through cooking. I’m looking forward to trying out some other recipes I’ve pinned on Pinterest, including dehydrating fruit. 

What about you? 

Did anyone else get an air fryer for Christmas this

Eggcellent

Eggcellent  

Continuing along a theme today I’m posting about another food related Christmas present. 

As you may have remembered Chuck and I have gone on and on about baked “hard boiled” eggs. Chuck swears they are much better tasting then the traditional boiling method. 

At our house the process to bake the eggs took close to an hour. 

It took a full fifteen minutes to preheat the oven, since I have the slowest heating oven known to mankind. Add to this almost thirty minutes of baking time, and then fifteen minutes in an ice bath, and however easily they peeled or not, it took quite a bit of time out of our Sunday night. 

This Christmas I came across a door buster at Belk’s on Black Friday that has changed our life. It’s an electric egg maker that uses steam to cook the egg. The whole process from start to finish takes about thirty minutes, and no oven to heat. 

You basically pour the amount of water needed for the type of egg you want on the heating plate, pierce the egg with the included tool, place the eggs on a tray, put on the lid, and press the button. About ten minutes later you are alerted by the most soothing sound alarm I have ever heard. 

Just like before plunge your eggs in an ice bath for about fifteen minutes, and peel away. So easy, and you’ll have eggs available for the week for breakfast or even egg salad for lunch. 

This handy little appliance takes up very little room, and works like a charm. My next posting is going to be about my air fryer which I also received for Christmas this year. I’m going to be making French fries, but I’ve got plans to make some roasted chick peas, and “fried” mushrooms.

The Cast Iron Skillet

The Cast Iron Skillet

I was not born in the south, and my experience with cast iron skillets is pretty much nil. 

That being said, early on in our marriage Chuck bought a cast iron skillet, and used it occasionally to fry bacon and eggs.

Over time the skillet got used less and less. Our style of eating changed, and we no longer considered bacon grease a food group. Eventually, the skillet made its way up to our farm, and pretty much was retired. 

When it came time to sell the farm, the skillet was given away to Goodwill. 

Apparently, I didn’t realize how much Chuck missed that skillet. When he first asked me about it, I assured him that BOTH of us had agreed to get rid of it. I asked him if it had belonged to his mother or grandmother, as I worried that we may have given away a family heirloom. 

No, it was just something that we had had for over thirty years, so I guess that’s what made it valuable to him. What I later learned was that Chuck had seen a recipe for potato and egg hash on You Tube, and was determined to replicate it. 

The only problem was that our cast iron skillet was non-existent. Not surprisingly a cast iron skillet made its way to Chuck’s Christmas list this year, and being the good wife that I am I bought him one. I actually picked up the preseasoned Pioneer Woman version with a lovely butterfly stamped on the handle. Not very manly, I know, but I figured we’d probably both be using the skillet, and hoped the butterfly wouldn’t be a deal breaker. 

Yesterday, we made our maiden dish in it, and it was delicious! I chopped up potatoes, green pepper, and onions, while Chuck fried bacon in the skillet. After removing the bacon Chuck sautéed the vegetable blend, and then added minced garlic, and spices to the mixture. 

Chuck made three indentations in the hash, added cheese and eggs to the holes, and then transferred the skillet to a preheated 400 degree oven to finish up the cooking process.

I added some diced green onion tops to the finished product, and Chuck crumbled the bacon on top. It looked pretty yummy, and did not disappoint in taste. 

Chuck already has a pizza recipe that he’s excited to try out with our trusty little skillet. I’ll let you know how our next culinary adventure turns out. 

I’ve included the recipe for Skillet Potato Egg Hash below if you own a cast iron skilllet, and would like to try it out. 

://www.aberdeenskitchen.com/2018/02/skillet-potato-and-egg-hash/

BIG Goals

Big Goals

How are you at setting and achieving goals? Most of us have been taught a simple formula for goal setting called SMART goals. This encompasses making our goals, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time bound.

What if I were to tell you that you’ve been missing out on achieving your dreams by limiting your goals to this formula?

Ruth Soukup in her book Do It Scared redefines conventional wisdom about goals. She writes that the problem with these types of practical goals is that they actually limit us to what we find to be, “safe and achievable.”

In setting these types of goals we never really push past our comfort zone, and we will probably find ourselves settling for the status quo. 

Rather, Soukup challenges us to set BIG goals. 

“It’s daring to believe we are capable of more, and daring to push ourselves past our current limits to create something amazing.”

As I thought about it I sadly realized that I had never really set a BIG goal in my life. Yes, I’d accomplished many goals over the years, but all of them were conventional and did not require too much effort above or beyond what I could easily achieve.

More than anything I’ve learned that being consistent will eventually get you to where you want to be. Unfortunately, though, I’ve never set what she calls a stretch goal, “...one we might not fully believe is attainable.”

Learning how to play it safe comes easily to The Procrastinator, The Rule-Folower, and The People Pleaser. However, it is these BIG goals that will continue to motivate us to “stretch, change or work harder than we already are.”

I know for me, the work harder part is what holds me back. I’ve never actually had to work too terribly hard to accomplish anything. Now this doesn’t mean I haven’t put hours into studying for exams, or stayed up late to finish a project. It’s just that I learned early on to focus on the things that I am naturally good at. 

In doing so, I rarely experienced failure. When I realized that I had never allowed myself to set a pretty outrageous goal that I wasn’t sure I could accomplish, it made me sad. Soukup says the first step is to “...give yourself permission to start visualizing all the possibilities, and the freedom to dream big without self-editing or self-judgement.”

I wish I could say that I’ve conquered my fear, or know exactly what BIG goal I want to tackle. I’m not there yet, but you better believe that I’m ready to start exploring the possibilities of what the future might bring. 

How about you? Have you ever set a BIG goal, and how did it turn out?

The People Pleaser

The People Pleaser 

In my blog I last week I wrote about Ruth Soukup and her book, Do It Scared where she identifies seven fear archetypes. After taking the online assessment, not surprisingly, mine came out as The People Pleaser. Although, I did see a lot of myself in both The Procrastinator and The Rule Follower. 

Kind of a fear trifecta all based around, “When you’re most afraid of what other people will think.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve hesitated when getting ready to press that publish button wondering how my posting will be received?

Soukup writes that the The People Pleaser is, “Naturally drawn to seek the approval of others, and struggles most with the fear of being judged, which also manifests itself as the fear of letting people down, and the fear of what other people might say.”

As you can well imagine this is a tough row to hoe for over six decades. In addition to just the uneasiness it might bring, Soukup adds that, “As a People Pleaser, you face the danger of allowing the thoughts, opinions, and needs of others to prevent you from pursuing your own dreams, passions and goals.”

Last week I addressed reframing as a way to view “mistakes” for The Procrastinator. The reframing she suggests for The People Pleaser involves changing the script that plays inside our head. This script says, “...others might not love or accept you if you don’t perform the way you think they want you to.”

The only way to make a headway here is to change that voice, and replace it with a more affirming one. Learning to accept that disagreement is okay will be that first step to meeting your fear head on. Learning to share your opinions without the fear of judgement will also be freeing. 

Of course, for a life long People Pleaser like me, this is easier said than done. However, I have found that I can be more aware of how I respond once I’ve figured out why I react the way I do. 

I’ll be sharing with you next time how these fears can stand in the way of achieving your goals and dreams, and how setting BIG goals is critical. 

The Lynne Effect

The Lynne Effect

I never actually met Lynne. She was a Facebook friend whom I connected with through my son-in-law’s cousin. 

What I did know about Lynne, though, was that she was a Christian who attended her beloved church each Sunday. She was a mother and a grandmother. Just this December she was quite pleased to watch her son marry his beautiful bride. 

Recently Lynne started working out at the gym, and I encouraged her to start slowly, and not overdo. She was proud of the progress she was making. I had noticed over the last year that Lynne was struggling with some health issues. She had been in and out of the hospital, and was having to spend some time in rehab.

Last week she underwent spinal fusion surgery right after her son’s wedding. She was in rehab, and had posted a picture of her wearing a neck brace. Not to be discouraged she was participating in the Grandmother challenge, and had posted two days worth of pictures of her precious grandchildren. 

You can imagine my shock when a couple of days later the announcement of her passing popped up in my feed. Her oldest daughter was heartbroken at losing her mom so quickly and unexpectedly.

I didn’t really know Lynne. We had never actually met or spoken in person, and yet I felt a connection to her. I was saddened to hear of her death, and my heart went out to her children. 

It was then that I really began to learn more about her remarkable life. She had been a music teacher, and her students were posting how special she was to 
them. Lynne was one of those teacher favorites that students remember so 
fondly. The kind of teacher that really encourages her students to push themselves to excellence. 

She also taught piano lessons, and had shaped the lives of so many students along the way. Her life on the one level seemed so unassuming to me, but I was heartened to learn of her legacy. 

As I read the glowing tributes about her, it made me wonder if she truly knew what a difference she made in the lives of others. I know she had physical challenges at the end of her life, but I wished she had had an opportunity to read what others thought of her. 

It made me think about how often we just assume we will see someone again, and how we aren’t always quick to share with others how important they are to us. 

In honor of Lynne I’m enacting The Lynne Effect. I’m challenging each of you to reach out regularly to others to let them know how special they are to you Can you imagine the powerful effect this contagion of kindness could have on the world?

Who can you touch today with your message of love, encouragement and appreciation. 

Rest In Peace Lynne with your savior Jesus. 

“In my father’s house there are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

John 14:2

Reframing

Reframing

I’m reading a book by Ruth Soukup,  entitled Do It Scared- Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Adversity, and Create a Life You Love.

In her book she has identified seven archetypes of fear, and includes an online assessment to help determine your dominant archetype. (doitscared.com/assessment.com)

Although, this is not my main archetype, I found a lot of similarity in The Procrastinator, or Perfectionist. Often times, I delay starting something because I’m afraid I might not do a good enough job on the task at hand. I’m great at researching, and planning, but actually taking action is where I struggle. 

One of her recommendations for conquering this fear is the strategy of reframing. Soukup writes,

“When you can start looking at life as a series of lessons rather than mistakes, it will give you more freedom to experiment rather than always striving to achieve perfection.”

I’ve recently started following a You Tuber who has moved to Oklahoma, and is starting his own homestead. He has spoken in the past about looking at each endeavor toward his dream as an “experiment.” When you think back to the science class of your elementary school days, getting to do an experiment was always a big deal. 

You would begin with a hypothesis, and then proceed to test it out. Even if it didn’t turn out exactly as you had hoped, you never really considered it a failure. You just chalked it up to experience, and either tweaked your initial hypothesis, or tweaked your process. 

What a great way to look at approaching your dreams. Try something, and value the lesson learned. Keep trying, and learning, and keep trying again. 

Don’t be afraid of the mistake. Welcome it as part of the process.

As I continue to read, and learn more about the other fear archetypes I’ll be interested to find out more about The People Pleaser, and how that archetype holds me back. I’ll share that information in a few days. 

Do you see yourself at all in The Procrastinator, putting off something because you are afraid of making a mistake?

“Perfectionism is not as much the desire for excellence as it is the fear of failure couched in procrastination.”

Dan Miller

48 Days to the Work You Love

New Beginnings

A New Beginning

Not only is today the beginning of a new year, it’s also the beginning of a new decade. What is it about new beginnings that stir the soul?

As I reflect back on the last decade, I must say it was one of my best. I’ve been retired for ten years, my daughter graduated from college, began her working career, got married, bought her first and second home, and best of all made me a grandparent to two amazing boys. 

Chuck and I moved a total of three times. We sold our home in Frisco, lived in an apartment for a year, bought a home in Euless, sold our farm in east Texas, and purchased our retirement homestead in De Leon. Woo! That was a whole lot of moving and work, but I’ve loved every minute of it. 

We’ve settled into life in the Midcities, and we couldn’t be happier. Chuck’s commute has been more than cut in half, we are closer to Brittany, Will and the boys, and I’ve become involved in several activities which has allowed me to meet and make new friends. 

As I anticipate the future, I look forward to Chuck and I building a new home, moving out to the Rocking H, getting some chickens, and planting a garden. It’s exciting to think about another new adventure, and I look forward to new places, new people, and learning new things. 

I also love the thought of being closer to my daughter’s family, and getting to be more a part of their life. Now I know that my plans, and God’s plans may not be 100% in sync, but that’s okay. I’ve learned over the years to trust his direction, and know no matter what, I have an opportunity each day to be blessed, and to bless others. 

I’m wishing you a wonderful 2020, and look forward to another decade of Grace Found Daily. 

“Every moment is a fresh beginning.”

T.S. Eliot