Just A Quick Update

Sorry I haven't been on here much recently. Life seems like a whilrlwind right now, and I sort of feel like I am just holding on for dear life.

I have 8 kids participating in the musical at our church. This year they made it into two musicals and divided it into younger kids and older kids. I have four in each group. That has made for a very busy schedule! Last week I had to have kids to the Church by 6 pm each night. It made it quite interesting to have dinner each night. Performances started on Friday night. The younger kids performed on Friday and the older kids performed on Saturday.

We had a busy Sunday but we had a break from the musical. This week we have Monday and Tuesday off, which I am taking advantage on getting things caught up around here. The Laundry is about to overtake us!  I am also trying to get things organized for school. I was hoping to get started this week with school, but we are just not ready.

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I had asked for prayer for my Sister in law Debbie recently. Saturday night God called her Home. Could you please keep my brother Rick in your prayers? He and his four children need God's comfort right now. I am so torn because they are in Virginia and I am in Kentucky. I am trying to figure out how to get there for a couple of days for her Funeral. My family means the world to me! I hate not being there with them right now. Debbie is going to be so missed. She had such a sweet spirit and loving heart.

I probably will not be on here much this week either so I can get some things accomplished. I also might be traveling and we have more musical rehearsals and performances this week as well. I hope to be back just as soon as I can!

 

Let Us Fix Our Eyes On Jesus!

Picture Credit


 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

 

For Real?

If you are a bit squeamish, then this post might not be for you.

Besides my garden , I have a large pot that I usually grow tomatoes in, by my back door. I bought a lovely tomato plant this year, but with all the other flowers that I delayed planting, it started looking kind of scraggly. After I finally planted it, within a few days it started perking up quite a bit. Things were looking up and I thought that I would get some good tomatoes!

Earlier this week I noticed that some of the little tomatoes were getting eaten up. I thought that maybe there was some kind of little bug was eating them. I picked the bad ones hoping that would make things better. A few days ago I noticed that the tops of the plant were being eaten off. Oh Joy! I figured that some large animal was snacking on my tomato plant. We do have a lot of wild life around here!

Let me break here and ask really nicely that you do not laugh too hard at my expense! I try to garden, but really I have no idea what I am doing!

Anyway, about 2 days ago Matthew asked me if I saw the caterpillar that was on my tomato plant. I said no, but at the time I was busy and did not pay a whole lot of attention to him. Then yesterday he said the caterpillar was still there and asked me if I ever saw it. A little later I went out and found this creature.

See the horn!

Actually, there were three of them!

Isn't this one interesting?

I had to get on the Internet and research what these things were. So I typed in caterpillar and tomato plant and I immediately found out what it was!  It is called a Tomato Hornworm. Interesting! Then I found pictures that looked so much like mine. What are those white things on that one? After reading further I found this info here.

Because the hornworm is so large (about the size of a pinkie finger), the easiest way to get rid of him is to simply remove him from the plant and dispose of him. You may be lucky enough to attract parasitic wasps to your garden who will do the job for you. Parasitic wasps won't hurt you.

A natural predator of the tomato hornworm is a tiny beneficial insect called the braconid wasp. This wasp lays its eggs inside the hornworm. As they hatch, they eat their way out, killing the hornworm in the process. It's a bit off-putting to see this creature on your plants, but you're better off letting him be and letting the wasps do their job. Once they hatch, they'll be enough braconid wasps to keep your garden hornworm free.

OK, so I didn't follow instructions very well. First I waited for hubby to get home so he could see them for himself! He didn't seem too impressed. Then I asked him if he could remove them and squash them. After much begging some sweet talk, he did the squashing! I did not watch, but I heard that they squirted a whole bunch when squashed! Thought you really wanted to know that!

This has been a fun interesting Summer in the creature department around here!

 

Safe In His Arms

My heart is a bit heavy right now. I shared with you in this post about my sister in law. She is now at home and Hospice has been called in. She is very weak and spends most of the time in bed.

I hate being so far away from my extended family. I hate not being there and helping in any way that I can. This really STINKS! I am so torn because I have 8 children that are participating in the musicals at our church which will take place the next two weekends. I cannot just pack up and go! What would they do if 8 of the cast members just pick up and leave town?

The song "Safe in His Arms" has been a great comfort to me. Wow! The hands that hold the World are holding my heart! He will be with us always! When Everything is falling apart, we will be safe in His Arms! I don't know about you, but this brings me tremendous comfort. I like being Safe In His Arms! I like to imagine His Arms Wrapped around me, holding me tight! There really is no better place.







TO THE ONE WHOSE DREAMS ARE FALLING ALL APART
AND ALL YOU’RE LEFT WITH IS A TIRED AND BROKEN HEART
I CAN TELL BY YOUR EYES YOU THINK YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN
BUT YOU’RE NOT ALONE


HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE ONE WHO CAN CALM THE RAGING SEA
GIVE SIGHT TO THE BLIND, PULL THE LAME UP TO THEIR FEET
WITH A LOVE SO STRONG AND NEVER LET YOU GO
NO YOU’RE NOT ALONE


YOU WILL BE SAFE IN HIS ARMS, YOU WILL BE SAFE IN HIS ARMS
‘CAUSE THE HANDS THAT HOLD THE WORLD ARE HOLDING YOUR HEART
THIS IS THE PROMISE HE MADE, HE WILL BE WITH YOU ALWAYS
WHEN EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART YOU WILL BE SAFE IN HIS ARMS


DID YOU KNOW THAT THE VOICE THAT BRINGS THE DEAD TO LIFE
IS THE VERY SAME VOICE THAT CALLS YOU NOW TO RISE
SO HEAR HIM NOW HE’S CALLING YOU HOME
YOU WILL NEVER BE ALONE


THESE ARE THE HANDS THAT BUILT THE MOUNTAINS
THE HANDS THAT CALM THE SEA
THESE ARE THE ARMS THAT HOLD THE HEAVENS
THEY ARE HOLDING YOU AND ME


THESE ARE THE HANDS THAT HEALED THE LEPER
PULLED THE LAME UP TO THEIR FEET
THESE ARE THE ARMS THAT WERE NAILED TO A CROSS
TO BREAK OUR CHAINS AND SET US FREE


SAFE IN HIS ARMS, SAFE IN HIS ARMS
SAFE IN HIS ARMS
WHEN EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART
YOU WILL BE SAFE IN HIS ARMS


Would you please remember Debbie in your prayers and also her husband (my brother) Rick, as well as their four children. They all really could use a touch from God right now. Please pray that God's presence will be felt in their lives and that He will heal, comfort, and bring Peace! I pray that the words of this song will minister to them as well!

 

Wordless Wednesday

Yes, this creature is real and alive! We found it on our front porch!

 

Crafty Crescent Lasagna

I am always looking for something new to try for dinner. It seems like we do the same things over and over again and it gets boring!

Back several years ago, we were living in a different house in a different state, and a neighbor made us dinner because we had just had a new baby!  We enjoyed the dinner and I begged asked her nicely for the recipe( actually several times). I never got that recipe from her, but over the years I remembered that dinner and would hope to find the recipe.

Recently I did a google search for it and I got this recipe. I think she must have used something different for the crust, but I am not sure. It is not exactly the same(at least from my memory), but it was still good. It seemed as though most of my family enjoyed it.

INGREDIENTS:


Meat Filling

• 1/2 lb bulk pork sausage
• 1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
• 3/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
• Dash pepper
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

Cheese Filling

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
•  1 egg

Crust

• 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
• 2 (7x4-inch) slices mozzarella cheese ( I used shredded mozzarella instead)
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed  

DIRECTIONS :


1. In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage and beef until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink, stirring frequently; drain. Stir in remaining meat filling ingredients; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated.


2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix cheese filling ingredients. Unroll both cans of dough. Place dough rectangles side by side, on ungreased cookie sheet (if using crescent dough, firmly press edges and perforations to seal). Press to form 15x13-inch rectangle.


3. Spoon half of meat filling in 6-inch wide strip lengthwise down center of dough to within 1 inch of short sides. Spoon cheese filling over meat filling; spoon remaining meat filling evenly over cheese filling. Arrange mozzarella cheese slices over filling.


4. Fold short sides of dough 1 inch over filling. Fold long sides of dough tightly over filling, overlapping edges in center 1/4 inch; firmly pinch center seam and ends to seal. Brush with milk; sprinkle with sesame seed.


5. Bake 23 to 27 minutes or until deep golden brown.


I made two of these. Since some of the kids do not like Sesame Seeds, I made one of them without.  I will definitely make this again sometime!