Just thought I'd share my easy, squeezy meatloaf recipe.
I use:
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 envelope vegetable soup mix (Knorr's is all I've been able to find recently, but I prefer Campbell's)
1 generous cup savory herbs stuffing mix (more or less, depending upon the leanness of ground beef)
1 gallon size ziploc bag
Preheat oven to 350ยบ F, place all ingredients in bag, zip, and knead until thoroughly mixed.
Shape into loaf, place in loaf pan, bake for 45 min - 1 hour.
It's quick, tasty, and cleanup is easy.
Please let me know how you like it if you try it.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Works-For-Me Wednesday
Playing along with Shannon from Rocks In My Dryer .
My husband likes meatloaf. He loves my meatloaf. I love my husband, and I like to make meatloaf for him, but I hate putting my hands in it, and it just doesn't mix well with a spoon. The last time I had made it, I tried putting sandwich bags on my hands, and it actually worked pretty well for keeping my hands from getting yucky, but I still had a slimy mixing bowl to contend with.
We had meatloaf again Monday, and I took my idea a step further. Gallon sized ziplock bags! Put all your ingredients in, press most of the air out, zip, and squish, squeeze, or knead until ingredients are thoroughly mixed. You can even shape it while it's still in the bag, turn it out into the loaf pan, and pop it into the oven.
No muss, no fuss! Am I a genius or what?
For more great ideas, go here.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Why Am I Here? Part II
Read Part I here.
Ah, surrender... I knew about that. I had done that all my life. I had given up my purity to a high-school sweetheart who would eventually abuse me. I had given away my dignity to subsequent boyfriends and a couple of one-night-stands who were done with me after they'd used me. I had forfeited my life, my identity, to a man who treated me like property and walked all over me. Hadn't I surrendered my children to him as well? I couldn't just give up on them!
Like Lot, I had compromised my testimony. I had made one huge mistake after another, I had trampled the blood of my Savior beneath my feet, and now I was certain that there would be a special place in Hell for me for having chosen that man to father my children. I was angry, frustrated, bitter, and oh so confused.
Can you hear my Father's heart breaking?
I had been so sure that I was finally on the right track; but like Lot's wife, I kept looking back. Why did I marry him? Why didn't I kill him? (What? Like the thought wouldn't have crossed your mind. Yes, I've thought it, and I've repented - every time!) Why didn't I fight?
Oh. Yeah. That. Obedience.
OK, so what's with all the doubt? Where is that coming from? (cue Churchlady voice) Could it be... Satan?
Whoa. You coulda knocked me over with. . . um, a pitchfork. Suddenly, I understood.
I was trying to fight a battle that was not mine to fight. 2 Chronicles 20:15
All the pain and grief that I had suffered, that I would ever suffer, was nothing compared to what my Savior had endured on the cross for me. How much deeper had I driven those nails with my foolishness? I had never been victorious in battle because I had been powerless, acting of my own accord, and I had surrendered unnecessarily to the enemy that He has defeated! I had accepted Christ as my Savior 25 years ago, and I was still wandering in the wilderness because I had never actually, sincerely, asked Him to be Lord of my life. There would be no victory for me until I surrendered my will completely to Him.
Lord, have mercy on my soul. It's a wonder I didn't drown in my tears that night. I was broken. I prayed the words of Psalm 51:10-17 and asked Him to prepare me to accept His will.
[I know now why I'm here. It was revealed to me last week as I was contemplating writing about it. I will divulge the reason, hopefully in my next post. I'm just so excited about how God is working that I feel compelled to share it. I did explain it to Sarah, but she still doesn't get it. Yet.]
Ah, surrender... I knew about that. I had done that all my life. I had given up my purity to a high-school sweetheart who would eventually abuse me. I had given away my dignity to subsequent boyfriends and a couple of one-night-stands who were done with me after they'd used me. I had forfeited my life, my identity, to a man who treated me like property and walked all over me. Hadn't I surrendered my children to him as well? I couldn't just give up on them!
Like Lot, I had compromised my testimony. I had made one huge mistake after another, I had trampled the blood of my Savior beneath my feet, and now I was certain that there would be a special place in Hell for me for having chosen that man to father my children. I was angry, frustrated, bitter, and oh so confused.
Can you hear my Father's heart breaking?
I had been so sure that I was finally on the right track; but like Lot's wife, I kept looking back. Why did I marry him? Why didn't I kill him? (What? Like the thought wouldn't have crossed your mind. Yes, I've thought it, and I've repented - every time!) Why didn't I fight?
Oh. Yeah. That. Obedience.
OK, so what's with all the doubt? Where is that coming from? (cue Churchlady voice) Could it be... Satan?
Whoa. You coulda knocked me over with. . . um, a pitchfork. Suddenly, I understood.
I was trying to fight a battle that was not mine to fight. 2 Chronicles 20:15
All the pain and grief that I had suffered, that I would ever suffer, was nothing compared to what my Savior had endured on the cross for me. How much deeper had I driven those nails with my foolishness? I had never been victorious in battle because I had been powerless, acting of my own accord, and I had surrendered unnecessarily to the enemy that He has defeated! I had accepted Christ as my Savior 25 years ago, and I was still wandering in the wilderness because I had never actually, sincerely, asked Him to be Lord of my life. There would be no victory for me until I surrendered my will completely to Him.
Lord, have mercy on my soul. It's a wonder I didn't drown in my tears that night. I was broken. I prayed the words of Psalm 51:10-17 and asked Him to prepare me to accept His will.
[I know now why I'm here. It was revealed to me last week as I was contemplating writing about it. I will divulge the reason, hopefully in my next post. I'm just so excited about how God is working that I feel compelled to share it. I did explain it to Sarah, but she still doesn't get it. Yet.]
Monday, May 01, 2006
Comic Relief
Thought I'd post a few family funnies just for grins.
I began early teaching the girls about water and energy conservation. I knew Lindsey, who was 4, had grasped the concept when I called her into the kitchen to help unload the dishwasher. She came to the doorway and said, "But Mom, the TV's on in the living room, and we're wasting cable."
Andrew, 7, and Emily, 9, were discussing reproduction. She asked "Do you know where babies come from?" He said, "Of course. The man's sperm mixes with the woman's eggs in her tummy."
She asked, "How does it get there?" He said, "She swallows it, stupid!"
The first Christmas after their dad and I divorced, I said to the girls, "Well, now we can start all new traditions."
Sarah, 10, said, "Like, Hannukah?"
Please share some of your own.
I began early teaching the girls about water and energy conservation. I knew Lindsey, who was 4, had grasped the concept when I called her into the kitchen to help unload the dishwasher. She came to the doorway and said, "But Mom, the TV's on in the living room, and we're wasting cable."
Andrew, 7, and Emily, 9, were discussing reproduction. She asked "Do you know where babies come from?" He said, "Of course. The man's sperm mixes with the woman's eggs in her tummy."
She asked, "How does it get there?" He said, "She swallows it, stupid!"
The first Christmas after their dad and I divorced, I said to the girls, "Well, now we can start all new traditions."
Sarah, 10, said, "Like, Hannukah?"
Please share some of your own.
Why Am I Here? Part I
I often find myself trying to explain to my younger daughter, Sarah, why I can't just move back to Arkansas. How can I expect her to "get" it at 14 when I didn't "get" it until I was almost 40? It's about obedience, discernment, patience, and a whole lot of other things that are just beyond her comprehension at this point. It doesn't help that her dad isn't the least bit concerned about her spiritual growth. "Dad said God didn't sell your house, the realtor did." That sort of thing.
Anyway, try as I might, I haven't been able to give her a specific reason. I mean, I know God wants me here, but why? She points out that I gave up my house, my new lawnmower, and my new grill to live in an older house with less room and fewer closets. I point out that all those things are material, and He wants us to store up treasures in heaven, not here on earth. Couldn't we have just given all of our stuff away? Did we have to move? As it turns out, yes we did.
First of all, I have to admit that I didn't want to send my kids back to their dad for the school year, but they weren't ready for the move, and since I had been clearly instructed not to fight over them, I knew I would have to let them go. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I do not trust him (for reasons that I shall not go into at the moment), and I worried constantly. I had never been a worrier, but this was so much bigger than me. Nagging doubt plagued me. Had I done the right thing? How could I in good conscience send my kids into enemy territory? This can't possibly be what God wants! You call yourself a mother? Satan had himself a heyday.
Lesson one: Let go and let God.
Hadn't I told my children when they were young that our God is so BIG that they had no reason to fear anything or worry that He couldn't handle it? Did I not believe this myself? In fact, during thunderstorms, I would comfort them by telling them that thunder is just God's way of reminding us how big He is. Then when the thunder rumbled and the windows rattled we'd say aloud "we hear you, God." Now here I was in the midst of this HUGE storm holding up this flimsy umbrella that I called faith. I definiteIy needed a bigger umbrella. (I hear you, God.) I would have rather had lightning strike my ex, and I admit to having requested that a few times, but that isn't what God had in mind. Nope, not at all. Instead, He was going to teach me to trust Him. Really trust Him. In. All. Things.
I began to pray like I'd never prayed before. I wanted to know why He brought me here. He said "Wait and see." Sheesh! The patience thing, again? I wanted Him to show me what I was supposed to do. He said "Trust me." I wish I could say that I immediately said, "Here. Take it. It's too big for me, and I can't handle it. It's all Yours." People, please. We're talking about me here, so you know that's not what happened.
Then my older daughter, Lindsey, called me. Things were not good. (cue the lightbulb) It was going to get worse before it got better. The enemy was surrounding, and my hands were tied. It was time to surrender.
Anyway, try as I might, I haven't been able to give her a specific reason. I mean, I know God wants me here, but why? She points out that I gave up my house, my new lawnmower, and my new grill to live in an older house with less room and fewer closets. I point out that all those things are material, and He wants us to store up treasures in heaven, not here on earth. Couldn't we have just given all of our stuff away? Did we have to move? As it turns out, yes we did.
First of all, I have to admit that I didn't want to send my kids back to their dad for the school year, but they weren't ready for the move, and since I had been clearly instructed not to fight over them, I knew I would have to let them go. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I do not trust him (for reasons that I shall not go into at the moment), and I worried constantly. I had never been a worrier, but this was so much bigger than me. Nagging doubt plagued me. Had I done the right thing? How could I in good conscience send my kids into enemy territory? This can't possibly be what God wants! You call yourself a mother? Satan had himself a heyday.
Lesson one: Let go and let God.
Hadn't I told my children when they were young that our God is so BIG that they had no reason to fear anything or worry that He couldn't handle it? Did I not believe this myself? In fact, during thunderstorms, I would comfort them by telling them that thunder is just God's way of reminding us how big He is. Then when the thunder rumbled and the windows rattled we'd say aloud "we hear you, God." Now here I was in the midst of this HUGE storm holding up this flimsy umbrella that I called faith. I definiteIy needed a bigger umbrella. (I hear you, God.) I would have rather had lightning strike my ex, and I admit to having requested that a few times, but that isn't what God had in mind. Nope, not at all. Instead, He was going to teach me to trust Him. Really trust Him. In. All. Things.
I began to pray like I'd never prayed before. I wanted to know why He brought me here. He said "Wait and see." Sheesh! The patience thing, again? I wanted Him to show me what I was supposed to do. He said "Trust me." I wish I could say that I immediately said, "Here. Take it. It's too big for me, and I can't handle it. It's all Yours." People, please. We're talking about me here, so you know that's not what happened.
Then my older daughter, Lindsey, called me. Things were not good. (cue the lightbulb) It was going to get worse before it got better. The enemy was surrounding, and my hands were tied. It was time to surrender.
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