Angel Flying Close to the Ground

Saturday was a great day in the Kingdom! Steve and I participated in a Ragball Tournament Fundraiser. It was truly an amazing day! It seemed from the number of the cars and people that everyone thought this was the place to be. To explain how really huge this was, when Steve and I arrived, we stopped to ask directions from a local policeman as to what field the tournament was being held. He waved his hand across the entire area (this was on both sides of the complex) and said, "All of this is for Mike." It was like that the entire day - all of it was for Mike.

Steve and I were part of the CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association) team. I wouldn't say that we were among the oldest players but we were, by far, NOT the youngest! So you can imagine my shock when we hit the field ("we" being the corporate we) and our players moved into position. I watched Steve move across the field in his gentle stride. My assignment was to capture this day on film and as Steve said, "Sit and look pretty."

The clock struck 10 a.m. and the game began. Batter up!!! It seemed that the ball seemed to slip through the wind in slow motion. Within seconds the batter and the ball connected! The sound was unmistakable - game is on!

Steve was covering first base. To my joy, the man caught the ball! Really - full and solid that yellow ragball nestled into Steve's glove like the perfect fit it was. Then, something went terrible wrong. It is said that a picture is worth a 1,000 words. So you tell me...what do you think? Unaware that I caught this shot my camera left the sports shot position and froze in the air - just like this shot. I'm so glad that that I didn't get the succession of the "freeze frame" shots that followed Steve's landing to the ground. There was an audible gasp from the crowd and all I could do was pray. Steve quickly got up and dusted himself off. Steve reported proudly that he was the only player on the team that "looked" like he had played ball! Could it have been the dirt that lingered on the bill of his cap, the front of his shirt, down the legs of his jeans and crusted on his shoes? Dana, Mike's wife and I both nearly cried. Dana quickly exclaimed, "Nobody is suppose to get hurt!" Well, tell that to the flying Ferguson man over there hovering over and around first base!

Here is Mike, Steve and Mike's mother-in-law (Janice - our bud). Mike was out on the field early that morning, threw the first ball and then move around thanking people for coming. Is he amazing or what??? If you can read the sticker that is on Mike's shirt it says, "Brain tumors suck!"

At your first glimpse of Mark (in wheelchair) you are thrilled beyond words that this young man came out to play on one of the teams. Mark batted, got walked (yes he did!) and played short-stop in the field position. It wasn't until later when we played against his and Dana's team that I learned Mark is blind! Wanted to share this amazing player's time at the bat with you. Dana (Mike's honey) played on the same team with Mark. She and other team members took turns rolling Mark out onto the field, to the batter's square and even ran the bases with him!

This photo is the CMA group that made up one of the 37 teams that played. Please note there are some "young" ones in the group. I like to call these sweet angels "merciful." They took one look at our group and asked, "Do you need extra players?" What do you think?

Lastly, here I am sitting and looking at a pretty baby boy. This is Adam Michael...named after the first man, a tail-kicking Archangel in Scripture and also named for his dad. Is he just the cutest thing ever???

It was one of the days that when the sun set, you were sad. It had been a day of goodness, goodwill and holy love. Can't help but think that Heaven was watching and smiling a lot.

Seeing my honey, the "Flying Ferguson" brought a song to mind...and you who know me know this had to be a God-thing because I don't do country-western music. But the words to this sound kept playing over and over in my mind. The song (you will not believe it, I know) is by Willie Nelson and is called "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground."

For those of you who participated in Mike's Ragball Tournament, thank you! You blessed this family more you and I will ever know on this side of Heaven. Available at the tournament were grey bracelets that read, "Pray for Mike - Matt. 19:26." That is the scripture that Mike claims and wants us to join him and his family in praying for him.

If you are interested in more information about Mike, you can check my blog for an earlier posting or you can leave me a comment and I will respond to you. Finally, if you feel called to make a difference in this sweet and precious family's lives, Wells Fargo Bank has an account for the Mike Gill Cancer Fund. Most of all, we ask your prayers. In my earlier posting "My Dad's Has Cancer?" you will see the importance of prayer to this family. It is their lifeline.

We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we KNOW who holds tomorrow!

At the Table

For the life of us, it seemed nothing could be done about...although we tried. We begged, we pleaded, please, children don't tell your friends it's gumbo night. But in the end, it really didn't matter because somehow, someway the neighborhood buds and even though who didn't live in our neighborhood always knew. It was kind of a miraculous kind of thing because without any notice...right about dinner time...unexpected friends appeared just in time to eat with us.

Steve and I would look at our children and they would all exclaim with truthfulness conveyed with every breath, "I didn't invite them, I promise!!!" Somehow, someway, they came and stayed. What was the draw??? I think initially it probably was the food, but something else made them stay. Could it be that they were welcomed at the table?

And that is how it would happen...every time!!! What was the draw? How did they know? To tell the truth, it really didn't matter because it continued to happen until we moved from that address to a foreign land called, "Texas." There was a void "at the table" for a while. The unexpected dinner guests cease...for a while.

Over time our Texas friends came to know this delicacy and yes, it has been requested when someone has been ill, had a baby, had surgery, just plain old hungry for it...and it even made into the church cookbook. Finally, once again, the unexpected joined us again at the table.

Thinking back over the tapestry over our lives, there were many important things that happened and was shared at the table. No wonder the Lord shared his last moments with friends and family at the table. What is happening at your table? Do you welcome unexpected guests? Is it a safe place to come and just "be?" Could it be that the hunger that draws them is not so much the food for the physical need? Could it be that the need is spiritual or emotional? What are you serving up to your family, friends and unexpected guest at the table?

So for those of you that haven't guessed it by now, here goes my recipe for Chicken/Duck Gumbo. (Hey, I'm from Louisiana - you were expecting???).

Chicken/Duck Gumbo

6 chicken breasts (thawed) or 12 duck breasts

1 onion (chopped finely)

1 large green bell pepper (chopped finely)

6 stems celery (chopped finely)

4 cloves garlic (chopped - you guessed it - finely)

Parsley (1 bunch)

Green onion tops

Salt and pepper to taste

Several dashes of Tabasco

File' to taste

Place chicken or duck in stock pot and cover with water. I saute' onions, bell pepper and celery in a small amount of canola oil. Add the veggies (Louisiana people know them as the "trinity.") to the stock pot and cook until meat is tender. Remove meat from stock pot and cut into bite-size pieces. Return to pot.

Roux:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup canola oil

Tony Chachere's Seasoning (to taste)

Mix in a skillet and SLOWLY cook until the roux is the color of a Hershey's bar. Once it is brown slowly add to stockpot and stir until mixed well. About 30 minutes before serving add the parsley (one bunch chopped) and green onion tops (chopped) and cook until ready to serve.

Serve gumbo over Zatarain's long grain rice and serve File so everyone can season to their own taste. Great with crackers and a green salad.

Bo and Dorlene Ferguson

Bo and Dorlene
(Mike, Sonya and Sheryl)

More Than A Tradition - Dorlene's Enchildas

As promised each week I will be featuring a recipe. This week's recipe is a family recipe. To say it has been in our family for more than 40+ years is a safe statement to make. This recipe first appeared on my menu when I was a mere young bride.
One of my favorite of Steve's uncles was Bo Ferguson. He and his wife, Dorlene, just barely ten years our senior, took me in and lovingly showed me the ropes to being a member of the Ferguson family. Bo was ever the kidder and loved to joke around. He was also a betting man when it came to food. Right after I first met Bo, he challenged this LOUISIANA girl that he could out eat her in shrimp. Well, let me just say that Bo Ferguson met his match and then some. He learned there were certain things that a Louisiana girl could out do him. There were many good times and plenty of joyful moments shared between Bo and Dorlene and their family and Steve and me. One of the first things Dorlene taught me to make was her enchiladas.
Dorlene's enchiladas were a thing of beauty - not only to look at but to taste. Bo would even eat them cold (not my way of eating them. He definitely had me beat there). We spent our first New Year's with Bo and Dorlene and their family and that tradition lasted until Bo passed away.
There is something to be said about a tradition - but this was more than that. It was a time we all looked forward to sharing. Christmas was almost anti-climatic compared to spending time in Vicksburg with Bo and Dorlene.
I guess that is why time is my kitchen has always been a special place to me...especially when family is around. I try to make it memorable (short of fire in the kitchen or some other calamity like that). Each moment spent with family in our kitchen continues to be holy. There is much to be said about family in the kitchen.
Each time I know that our children, grandchildren, and other family and friends are planning on a visit, I ask the same question: "What would you like for me to prepare for you?" And, sometimes a special dish is requested and sometimes it isn't. Just spending time in the kitchen is enough because we know it is going to be fun.
With our grandchildren, I've tried to institute a new tradition. That is each time they come, we cook something in Nani's kitchen. Such was the time when our Louisiana grandchildren came and we tested a "Molten Lava Cake." It was so much fun wearing the goggles, aprons, and pretending to be in a test kitchen trying out a potential recipe. Then there was the time we tested "Brownie Covered Oreos." Or the time we made reindeer cookies out of M & M's and sugar cookies. What fun we had!
So has it been with each family that visited - a different recipe - and best of all, a fun time had by all. You see a tradition has to be more than just a tradition in order for it to last. It has to have a heart to it. It needs to speak of joy, fun, fellowship and most of all love. The memories shared in making a tradition count is timeless. The "Do you remember when...." followed by laughter is what makes a tradition timeless. It lives on in the hearts of those that share it. With all that said, may you resolve to make your time with your family and friends more than a tradition...make it a life-memory that just thinking about it will bring a smile for years to come. Here goes - Dorlene's Enchiladas Recipe.
Thanks, Dorlene, for helping me make this our family tradition. Your legend still lives on...

Dorlene's Enchiladas

For every dozen enchiladas, you will need the following:

1 lb. ground beef (we use lean 96/4)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 small can chopped ripe olives

2 slices Velveeta Cheese

1 can Wolf Brand Chili without beans (this is the best brand)

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1 dozen corn tortillas (or flour) - I make flour for the girls and corn for the boys (Yes, I do!)

1 package of Mexican Shredded Cheese

Brown ground beef with fresh chopped onions adding salt and pepper to taste. Drain off any liquid. To a skillet, add drained ground beef with onions, ripe olives and Velveeta Cheese . Mix in skillet until cheese is melted and then set aside.

In a saucepan, add chili with 1/2 can of water. If not enough water, add a little more until the chili is just barely runny.
Warm tortillas either in a microwave between moistened paper towels or on a griddle. Dip individual tortillas into chili and then place in an oblong baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM. Spoon meat mixture onto tortilla and then roll, placing tortilla seam side down in baking dish. Repeat process until baking dish is full.

Top enchiladas with remaining chili. Sprinkle cheese over the chili. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and enchiladas are bubbling. You can make ahead, cover and freeze! Great leftovers!!

Little did we know at the time this picture was taken that Bo would leave us in a little over 6 years. He fought the good fight and won and waits for us at the best of all places - the Lord's table.

It may seem like just a simple recipe to you, but to us who share it and enjoy it, it is a tradition...it is family...it is love.

"I thought you gone. You were no

more...but then I remembered your smile...

and there you were...right where I could find you...in my heart!"

(Left to right) Bo, Sandy and Steve

Taco Bean Soup

Winter is finally here!!! It is a breezy 41 degrees. It is suppose to be in the high 20's tonight and tomorrow in the high 30's. For a girl who is used to 70+ weather, this is a great time to pull out the soup recipes, bundle up with a great book or finish those indoor projects that have waited for such a time as this!

Thought I would share one of our family favorites. It is a hearty soup and very filling. This is also better the day after you prepare it and also freezes nicely. We serve it with either cornbread muffins or tortilla chips (Tia Rosa). To dress it up you can add a dallop of sour cream, sliced guacamole and by all means do add the grated cheedar cheese! Here you go! Enjoy!!!

Saute' and brown: 2 lbs ground beef (I used 96/4 lean ground beef) and 2 medium onions (chopped)

Once the meat is no longer pink and the onions are clear, drain and add to your stew pot. To the meat mixture add the following items - juice and all! (That means don't drain the juice from any of the canned items.) Add: 1 can Mexican stewed tomatoes (if you want a snappy taste - add 2 cans Rotel tomatoes); 1 can chopped green chilies (mild); 1 can Ranch Style Beans; 1 can whole kernel corn; 1 can garbanzo beans, 1 can hominy (white or yello); 1 can black-eyed peas; 1 package taco seasoning.

Simmer over a low heat for about an hour to allow flavors to blend. Stir occasionally to make sure the mixture does not stick. You can serve this immediately or refrigerate and microwave individual bowls the next day. Always a hit! Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!

Finding the Center

I feel like I am looking at a mixer on high and wondering when and how I will jump in? The lives of those around me are in chaos...some are hurting, some are in conflict, some are angry with God for their circumstances, some are struggling with depression and oppression. Where do I jump in, Lord?
As I type these words I see in my mind the swirl of emotions mixing in the lives of others and myself. Somehow I have fallen into this mix. My heart is hurting, and I'm angry...You are here...but how do I find the center where you are?
This mornnig like each morning and each evening I have a ritual that is a life-saving. Due to a rare inheirted blood disorder, each morning and evening begins and ends with an injection. This injection is designed to right the wrong in my blood cells. Without these injections, blood clots form and...well, it isn't good.
Years ago I was told by my doctor that the oral medication I had been taking was no longer effective. It would be necessary to change from the medication to the daily injections. I truly thought my world had ended. The thought of purposely inflicting something similar to a "bee sting" pain into my abdomen twice a day was not my idea of a good alterative to the oral medication. But, there were no other options. This was what would save my life and keep me present in the lives of those that mean the world to me.
One morning totally distaught with the pain, I cried out to God, "Please give me a reason to do this! I do not want to spend the rest of my life feeling like this." In the quiet of my heart where God resides, I heard God clearly say, "Name your shots." "Now, this is an interesting and intriguing concept, Lord," I said, "But I really don't understand what you are asking me to do."
Then God laid out his plan: I was to name my injections. That meant that each time as I did an injection, I was to remember in prayer someone(s) by name(s). "I love this idea," I told God excitedly. Being the ever planner, I grabbed my calendar, sat in my prayer closet and asked God to help me know who to pray for during these times. Before I left my prayer closet that day, four months of names for my injections were written on my calendar. Sometimes I wrote notes to those on their "Shot day." Sometimes I called and said, "Today is your shot. Do you have a prayer request?" And sometimes I emailed them to tell them what I heard in my prayer time during their shot!
You know it is a good thing when people get excited and join in a plan. Such was the case in naming my shots. What began as (in my estimation) an impossible time became incredible moments with God as I poured out from my heart to His the names to His care.
This morning I am asking God to still my storm so that I can find the center-where He is. I know that God never leaves nor does He abandon us in our storms. So, today, I look to the helm of my ship and ask Jesus to stand up and speak to the gale winds and crashing waves, "Peace be still!" Then the peace comes...I have found the center and my heart is still.
The second ritual is that before I turn off my bedside lamp at night, I read from my "Grandmother's Bible." Without a doubt, with no exceptions, no matter what kind of day I have experienced God meets me in His Word! In this Bible there are prayers for the grandmother to pray over her grandchildren. I read the prayer aloud including two little ones who are not my "birth" grandchildren, but are in my heart as such. Leaving those precious souls in the arms of Jesus, I am free to close my eyes and rest in peace knowing that all I hold dear has been left to His safekeeping.
This thought just occurred to me. The enemy of our souls wants us to be dizzy...it is his desire to keep us distracted, confused, hurting, tossed about in crashing waves drowning out our thoughts so that we are fearful. His desire is to upset our hearts, make us anxious, angry and isolated.
But!!!! The Prince of Peace is just the opposite! Finding the center is where Jesus is! Zephaniah 3:17 reminds me that Jesus is the source of saftey, peace and joy. It says, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you are the center of my life. Thank you for rescuing me from the storm, quieting my heart and for the melody of love that you sing over me.

Waiting on God is Sometimes Like Feeding Ducks

Why is it that the most thought-provoking idea comes as you lie back on your pillow to go to bed at night? It was after midnight and the house was quiet as I tiptoed into our bedroom and slipped into the waiting covers. My eyes closed and then it happened - that thought that wouldn't stop! It was as though my mind had a screen (like a full-screen monitor) and the words were flashing at me, "Waiting on God is sometimes like feeding ducks." My eyes rolled in annoyance as I thought, "Nooooooo! I need to go to sleep!" But the words kept flashing on the screen in my mind. I must admit I was a bit cranky when I asked the Lord, "What is it, Lord, that you are trying to tell me" From past experience, I knew that getting out of bed meant that I would easily be up into the wee hours of the morning writing. I also knew that I had a full day awaiting me and I really needed to get some sleep. The Lord reminded me of our system, so I quickly got up, jotted the main thought on a tablet I keep in our dressing area. Climbing back into bed I prayed, "God, PLEASE help me remember this thought AND for now allow my body and mind to rest."

God is so gracious! Sleep came, morning came, and the thought came - again, "Waiting on God is sometimes like feeding ducks." In pondering the statement this morning, my mind quickly went to this past weekend. Our grandchildren and their family were here for a visit and a trip to the playground area was promised at some point in the day. The promise soon realized, we arrrived at the playground area with great anticipation. Our grandgirls saw the ducks that were in the pond area behind the playground. Bread was retrieved from our house (thank you, Saba) and the feeding of the ducks began in earnest. There were two kinds of ducks floating on the pond. There was the Aflack family (pictured above) and then there were these motley looking ducks (see picture to the left). The nicest thing that one might possibly say of these ducks is that they were NOT handsome! In fact, they were really kind of scary looking.

While the ducks were well-trained as to the feeding ritual, we were not. In a matter of minutes our grandgirls were quickly overcome by the persistent and sometimes pushy ducks! At one point one of our grandgirls literally threw her slice of bread on the ground and ran in the opposite direction! Once ALL the bread was expended, the feeding ritual quickly ended and the ducks returned to the water and not to bother us again. Somehow the ducks instinctively knew the feeding time was over.

How is waiting on God sometimes like feeding the ducks? We come waiting on God not really knowing wait to expect. Anticipation high as to what God will do, we anxiously await His movement. Then, our worries, anxieties and fears come to be fed. The distraction of feeding these persistent "ducks" soon captures our attention and we find ourselves quickly overwhelmed. The waiting on God time has become a time of fear and fleeing from His presence. We allow the ducks to keep us from being still and waiting on God and sometimes we miss His movement in our circumstances.

So this morning, I asked God to help me be like a tree planted by the water. I long to be still, drink in all the nutriments that God's everlasting water offers. I want to bask in His presence and not be distracted by the ducks (fears, worries, anxieties or the "what ifs"). Lord, please help me to be still and rest in You! Lord, please allow Your Word to soak into my heart, fill my spirit with your peace and joy as I wait for You.

"He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 (NIV)

My 2011 Mission Statement

I will try to do my prayer walking faithfully. (See past blog). I will try to read the "Prayer of Release" daily (it is taped to the outside one of my kitchen cabinets. This is because I am pretty sure that I have allowed something back into my worry zone in the past 24 hours. I will try to make our home an oasis. That means clutter-free to the best of my ability with God's help...it will take that, I promise! I will try to be more hospitable to those who need a respite (that includes me and my family). And finally, I will try to honor God by sharing with others the abundance of blessings that He pours out daily (that includes talents He has given me such as culinary, music, art and laughing...a lot). The key words for 2011 are faithfully...daily...clutter-free...with God's help...respite...honor...sharing.