Thursday Travels: The Voyager of the Seas

In 2011 we took a cruise that was a departure from the norm for us…a cruise minus our adult children. Our DD had married in the summer of 2010, and preferred to cruise sans parents for her honeymoon…I have no idea why…we are a lot of fun on a cruise! Our DS was starting a new job in law enforcement and chose to opt out as well. I admit this left me feeling a bit uneasy about cruising with just my DH. Now don’t judge…I love my husband dearly! However, 20 plus years of marriage had convinced me that we do not always see eye to eye on what constitutes a good time!

Luckily we did not have to contemplate this situation long! A couple we are friends with, E & D, came to our rescue and booked the same cruise. We had “Cruise Buddies,” yay!! It was made extra exciting as E had never cruised before…and I love sailing with newbies! We had almost as much fun planning our trip as actually taking it. It included a road trip, as we were sailing out of Galveston, and included a stop in Dallas to meet with a missionary family our church supports.

The trip to Galveston was a long day, but the stop in Dallas helped the drive seem shorter. I drove, of course…because I have control issues and hate it when other people drive as my life constantly flashes before my eyes. There…I have stated it publicly…don’t expect me to change…just move over and give me the wheel!

Our visit with our Albanian missionaries was wonderful, if short. They were in the USA for a few years while the husband attended Dallas Christian & obtained his masters degree. We visited and enjoyed an awesome home cooked Albanian meal. If you know what a foodie I am, you know I was in heaven!

Once in Galveston we checked into our hotel…and then made a bee line to a store on the beach that sold comfortable flip flops. E had made the mistake of choosing fashion over comfort for the 10 hour car ride. Her dogs were barking away! I just shook my head and wondered how she tolerates me as a friend. My idea of being fashion forward is when I wear jeans to the store instead of sweats! Then on to Joe’s Crab Shack…yes, I am sure there are better places to eat seafood in Galveston…but I am a Joe’s girl.

The next day a very friendly taxi driver took us to the port and we began embarkation. It was painless as always…except for the confiscation of D’s pocket knife, which he had checked to make sure he could bring. For our safety Royal Caribbean kept it tucked away until the last night of the cruise…when in their wisdom they felt the danger of D running amok and murdering us in our sleep had passed, and returned it to him.

Next Thursday Travels: Introducing the Voyager of the Seas

Bon Voyage! ~Marla

The Inspirational Life

Mother Teresa

Inspirational – To offer something valuable, or uplifting, which in turn motivates others to bring out the best in themselves.

I have been thinking about this word a lot lately. What does mean to be inspirational? What must one do to become inspirational? What characteristics do inspirational people share? Why do individuals find different types of people inspirational?

Audrey Hepburn

One person may be deeply inspired by a favorite athlete. Another person may find a great person of faith to be inspirational. Some may find inspiration in the day to day struggles of a treasured friend. The same individual may find all of these people to be inspirational, though for very different reasons.

I took a look at my Pinterest Board “People Who Inspire Me.” What I found was a very eclectic group of people. Some were well known, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Helen Keller. Others, not so much. 

My Niece & Friends, Joplin, MO.

What are missing are the people who have inspired me the most. My maternal grandmother, my mother, my niece who has made volunteer work a lifestyle, dear friends who have battled illness or disability, friends on the mission field who rely wholly on God for their every need. Though you won’t find their pictures on my board, and perhaps I should remedy that, they are my rocks, the inspiration I need to get through some difficult days. To make more of myself as a person.

As I look for the common threads that run through this very special group of people, I find these things.

Derek Redmond

Perseverance – Simply stated…They Carry On. No matter what is thrown in their path, they continue on. Does this mean they never falter or stumble? Absolutely not! But when they do they pick themselves up, brush themselves off, and continue down the road in front of them.

Goal Oriented/Ambitious – They know where they are and where they want to be.

Carol @ Female in Motion

Hard Working – It takes effort to accomplish goals and ideals. They are willing to put in the time and effort needed.

Humility – With possibly the exception of a few of the athletes…they do not see their walk as being anything special, and they certainly do not see themselves as special.

Acceptance – They accept what has been placed before them, in fact, they often embrace it.

Alida @ An Expat Journal

Giving/Sharing – They give to others. Whether reaching out to help monetarily, supplying physical labor, or simply sharing their story, they open themselves to others.

Adversity/Courageous – While this does not apply to all, I believe it does to most inspirational people. Most are overcoming some sort of adversity. Even if it is as simple as the sacrifice of pleasant living conditions and exposure to disease to help out in a third world country. They show courage.

Joni Erickson Tada

Positive Attitude – Possibly what makes them truly exceptional. Through trials and tears, they maintain a positive outlook.

My challenge to you is to take a moment and think about the people who inspire you. What traits do you see? What changes can you make to become an inspiration to others?

~Marla

Tasty Tuesday: BBQ Green Beans

My husband and I both grew up in homes where green beans were a frequently served vegetable. My mom canned her own home grown green beans. In the summer, if I sat down for any reason, a pan of green beans would magically appear in front of me for my snapping pleasure. Small price to pay for home canned green beans year 'round!

We still eat green beans frequently, but over time I have collected a few recipes that give a new twist to the rather tired looking store bought canned beans. The following recipe is from an old church cookbook. I have been making this for over 25 years and they are always well received. The recipe can be tripled and heated in a slow cooker for a large crowd or a pot luck event.

BBQ Green Beans

2 14.5 oz cans green beans, drained

1 can tomato soup

1/2 cup brown sugar

6 bacon slices, diced

1/4 cup onion, diced

Brown diced bacon & onion in skillet, drain well.

Place green beans, brown sugar, & tomato soup in casserole dish and mix together.

Stir in bacon & onion.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

For pot luck I triple the first 3 ingredients, use 1 pkg of bacon, and 1 whole onion. I place into a slow cooker and cook until heated through.

I know this sounds very different, but it really is a delicious recipe. Give it a try.

Bon appetit! ~Marla

Angels in Diguise

I’ve seen and met angels wearing the disguise

 of ordinary people living ordinary lives.

- Tracy Chapman

Angels in disguise. I have seen them, have you? Just the other day, at the airport, a kind employee bumped me to First Class seating. I had not asked about different seating, and when he handed me my new boarding pass and commented that it was a better seat, I still did not understand it was in the First Class area. What a wonderful, unexpected gift! Today I want to share a particularly wonderful story from someone close to me. It is about her angel in disguise.

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

 ~Hebrews 13:2 NIV

It was a particularly difficult morning. Things were piling up one upon the other. Finances had been an issue for awhile now, but today was especially bad. A cashed check that was to be held for awhile had sent the checking account into a tailspin. Checks began bouncing right and left, and the fees began stacking up. She owed money to the kids school and money on a student loan. The charges from the bounced checks had people calling her as well. How was she to pay any of these things when the money was simply not there? Topping it off were the family medical issues, including the surgery of a loved one that very day. How could one person be expected to bear so much?

As she ended a cell phone call from yet another person demanding payment, she began to give in to the despair. Standing in the hallway of her children's school, her world seemed ready to crumble. "Are you alright?", the voice asked. Looking up she saw the face of another parent. "Yes, I'm fine.", she answered, her face belying the truth. "No, really, I want to know if you are alright.", the woman said. And so the words began to pour out, along with the tears. She shared everything with this woman she barely knew, and accepted her arms to comfort her as well. Her story told, the woman asked a question, "What can I do to help?" She began to refuse the kind woman's offer, but the woman was persistent. "No, I am serious, I want to help. I can help you.", she stated. "My checkbook is at home. Let's go there and discuss this.", said the woman.

 Upon arriving at the kind woman's home, she was asked a question, "How much do you need?" Surprised, she said, "I don't know when I can pay you back." "Who said anything about paying me back?", asked the woman. "Name a figure, don't be afraid. What do you need to get back on your feet?" Stunned, she replied, "About $2000." Without blinking an eye the woman began to write the check. In explanation the woman simply said, "I was feeling sorry for myself this morning. My husband has a long commute to work, and I was resenting that. Meeting you and hearing your problems put my own into perspective. It helped me feel better."

You never know when or where your angel will appear, or when you can be an angel for someone else. In Him ~Marla

Tater Tot Casserole, Updated

This is not my first post for Tater Tot Casserole, but this is an updated version that fits my family a little better. This recipe is based on the Duggar's Tater Tot Casserole. With a few tweaks I have made it my own, a little higher in lean protein, and a little lower in carbs.

Tater Tot Casserole

2 lbs lean ground beef &/or ground turkey

Nature's Seasons Seasoning Salt

2 lbs frozen tater tots

1 cup shredded cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove tater tots from freezer. Brown and season meat to taste. Drain any fat and place meat in the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 baking dish. 

Sprinkle with shredded cheese, variety of your choice, I like a 3 cheese variety. Cover evenly with tater tots.

 Mix soups and milk in a bowl and pour evenly over tater tots. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Serves 8-10.

Enjoy! ~Marla

Life in the Bipolar Lanes: The Seeds of Guilt

Guilt. It is a powerful emotion isn't it? At least in most people. I am often amazed by the lack of guilt some people seem to feel. You know the ones...people sitting stoically in a courtroom as a verdict is read that proclaims them guilty of murder, child abuse, or some other heinous act. And yet, there they sit, seemingly without any remorse. It boggles the mind. 

I myself have the opposite problem. I can bring up memories over 45 years old and feel the guilt as if it was only yesterday. That is a lifetime of guilt, and it is a heavy burden to bear. A lot of time and therapy went into vanquishing some of this guilt. Some I have simply learned to keep at bay...most of the time. 

My first experience with guilt occurred at the tender age of 3 years old. Yes, I have memories of my life at this early age. Remember, memories are kept because they hold significance for us. The significance of these early memories are for the most part because they focus on my grandfather, Frank. Frank was actually my step-grandfather, but I do not believe I even knew that at the time. To me he was simply Grandpa Frank, a wonderfully kind man who loved and doted on me and gave me Dentyne gum when I came to visit. And the visits were often. See, Grandma & Grandpa Frank lived in a trailer next door to us, so I saw them at least once a day, and usually much more often.

My memories of Grandpa Frank are memories I have clung tightly to over the years. His smiling face, things he gave me, the time he took his teeth out for me! He was the perfect Grandpa. Unfortunately I only had 3 years with Grandpa Frank. During that time my Grandma was a shadowy background figure in my memories. Grandpa Frank took center stage. Grandpa Frank's death would change all of that.

It was fall, and my mother told me that Grandma wanted to talk to me. Grandma took me outside to the front yard. She asked if I had noticed that Grandpa Frank had been gone for a few days. She then proceeded to tell me that Grandpa Frank was never coming back. He had died. The remainder of the conversation was to be seared into my 3 year old brain for the rest of my life. Me, "Why did Grandpa have to die?" Grandma, "I don't know, probably because you were so mean to him."

~Marla

Tasty Tuesday: The Smells of Home

What makes a house feel like a home? For me it is the aroma. I have heard of people comment on how they love the smell of Pine Sol or bleach, denoting a freshly cleaned home. Other people enjoy the fragrance of fresh cut flowers or floral candles or room fresheners. My favorite aroma for a home are the fall smells. Apples baking in pies, nutmeg and cinnamon simmering in a pot of cider on the stove, a pumpkin pie and banana bread cooling on the counter, wood burning in the fireplace. When I experience these aromas I am transported...suddenly the house feels cozy, inviting, homey. 

During the fall the baker in me comes out to play. It cools off enough to use the oven again, and the spices of fall beckon. One thing I do enjoy about showing my home in the fall is the ability to add to that homey feeling for the potential buyer by putting out breads and having a big pot of spiced cider on the stove top. It is so welcoming. 

Here is a recipe to get you started on that fall baking, a yummy apple crisp from Betty Crocker! Bon appetit! ~Marla

French Apple Dessert

Streusel Topping

1

cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/2

cup chopped nuts

1/3

cup packed brown sugar

3

tablespoons firm butter or margarine

Filling

6

cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (4 to 6 medium)

1

cup granulated sugar

3/4

cup Original Bisquick® mix

3/4

cup milk

2

tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 1/4

teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4

teaspoon ground nutmeg

2

eggs

Topping

Ice cream or whipped cream, if desired

• 1Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, mix 1 cup Bisquick mix, the nuts and brown sugar. Cut in 3 tablespoons firm butter with fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly; set aside.
• 2Spread apples in baking dish. In medium bowl, stir remaining filling ingredients until blended. Pour over apples. Sprinkle with topping.
• 3Bake about 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean; cool slightly, about 30 minutes. Serve warm if desired with ice cream.
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