A Few Fun Extras From Memoir

I’m still working on my memoir, believe it or not, and I wanted to share a few fun extras from 1997 that won’t make it into the book.

 

August 20, Sarah just asked me to get her the toy dishes to play with. As I walked with her to get them off the shelf, she said, "I'm smiling, because I'm a cute little girl."

 

August 29, Sarah had an ouchy which was irritating her, and she said in frustration, "I wish we were in Heaven!" Caleb agreed, "No crying, no sad, no mad, no dying."

 

September 9, Murray was looking at some mail at supper last night about his and Ping-Hwei's trip to Washington, D.C.for Promise Keepers. It said they would have to all take turns driving, so Murray told Ping-Hwei he would have to take a turn driving, too. Ping-Hwei said, "Uh-uh! Police take me to jail!"

 

September 11, Rebecca was complaining about her leg hurting tonight. I told her it was growing pains. Frustrated, she said, "Well, this is the one that always hurts. Is it going to be bigger than the other one?"

 

September 14, Last night Rebecca said, "When I grow up, I'm going to kill a big bug and cut off its face and save its eyes for a treasure."

 

October 10, While we were waiting for the bus this morning, Caleb said, "Sometimes I can feel myself grow if I stand really still."

 

October 17, This morning the three little rascals were playing while waiting for the bus. Caleb was Sarah's son, and she left him with Rebecca at church, because Rebecca was his Bible Schoolteacher. Later Rebecca was going to visit Sarah and Caleb in their home. She called them for directions. Sarah said, "Go straight on the street from the church and--" Rebecca said, "I'm not at the church; I'm at my house." Sarah didn't miss a beat. "Go to the church. Take the road straight, turn left, then right. . ."

 

October 23, Murray was cutting fingernails and toenails tonight. Caleb, when he was referring to getting his toenails cut, said, "Daddy, hang me upside down and do it."

 

Tonight we gave Ping-Hwei the car keys and asked him to put something in the car. He walked toward the door, jingling the keys and said, happily, "Good-bye!"

 

November 3: The other morning, Sarah told me, "I had a dream that Daddy bought a can of soup, but when he opened it, frogs jumped out instead."

 

November 5, At a party last week, Rebecca won for a prize a model of an eye, with wiggly parts inside. When she practices the piano, Murray usually sits with her and watches to help her. This afternoon, I asked Rebecca to practice her piano lessons. She said, "I need someone to watch me while I practice, so I'll get my eyeball."

 

November 24, At supper tonight, Caleb asked, "What if my school was built out of onions?"

 

December 1: Ping-Hwei's new nickname is Boss. The other day we were calling him Boss, and he said, "Benjamin, Little Boss."

 

December 22, 1997: The other day Sarah was noticing how many fingers and toes she had, five on each hand and foot. After she'd added them she said, "We have twenty things we can wiggle."

Sarah was playing with Benjamin's little musical bunny this morning, and noticing that its hands and feet and ears moved. She said, "He's moving his arms like he's praising the Lord."

 

December 25, The other night we had vegetable juice to drink for supper, but for simplicity sake, we told the kids it was tomato juice. Caleb picked up his glass and said, "I smell celery." Sure enough, when Murray checked out the ingredients, one of them was celery.

 

From memory-pictures I give to Murray at Valentine’s Day:

Whoa! What's going on here? You're at the library, and you've just slammed your finger in the car door and broken it. You grab Benjie and run in, handing him to a friend who works at the library. She shows you to a bathroom to run water over your finger. Soon another lady you know at the library comes in, acting very worried about what has happened. Then she calms down, says, "Oh, I thought it was the baby," and leaves you, although you're bleeding profusely. 

Living and Active, God's Gift

I never want to forget to thank God for the gift of his word.

 

I’ve been a reader and student of the Bible for 45 years. I’ve read every part of it a number of times.

 

And yet, often as I read, hope and delight in the nature of God still comes to me as if it’s something I’m hearing for the first time.

 

Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,

piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow,

and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

 

What a miracle, to have God’s speech, living and active in our life. He knows our hearts and thoughts. He knows what we need to hear and understand from him at any moment.

 

Such a wonderful gift. Such a wonderful promise.

 

We can’t remember all that we need to remember. We don’t have the answer for needs that come our way or to those we care about. But, we have a glorious, living source.

 

John 14:25-27: “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

 

Lamentations 3: 21-23: Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 

More Summer Recipes From Kathy's Kitchen

ICEBOX BROWNIES

 

I haven’t made this one for years. I think it’s time.

 

Ingredients:

3 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

1-1/2 cups nuts

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

½ cup margarine

12 ounces chocolate chips

 

Directions:

Melt margarine and chocolate.  Add graham cracker crumbs, nuts and milk.  Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan, and press the mixture into it.  Chill in refrigerator several hours, until firm.  Cut into squares.  

 

After my last post from Kathy’s Kitchen, my friend, Author Sharon K Connell, sent me a recipe she enjoys during the summer.

 

This recipe is just off the cuff. I make it for lunch every now and then. It's great for the hot weather when you just want a nourishing meal.

 

Open-faced Quesadilla Supreme

 

One flour tortilla (I use the butter tortillas)

Slice of your favorite yellow cheese (I like Colby Jack for this)

Picante (We like mild)

Sour Cream (I use the low-fat)

Black olive slices (optional)

 

Place the tortilla flat on a microwave plate.

Position the slice of cheese in the middle.

Microwave to melt cheese. (Since microwaves are so different in the way they perform, I won't tell you which setting to use. I use the defrost setting, which melts the cheese, warms the tortilla, and doesn't fry it to a crisp. LOL)

Spoon picante on top with a dollop of sour cream.

Decorate with the olives. 😬

 

Generally, I cut this into four pieces with a pizza cutter. YUM.

 

I replied to Sharon:

 

Well, yum. I'd have to make them only for myself. No one in my house likes olives except me.

 

Sharon wrote back:

 

You don't have to put the olives on them, Kathy. You could put out a veggie relish tray with olives, green peppers, celery, etc. to go with the quesadillas, and everyone can choose what they want on it or eat the veggies separately with a dip. 

 

Well, yum. 

Come and See

John 1:35-39a: The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.”

 

“Jesus, where are you staying?”

You say to us, “Come and see.”

See the ones who are lonely and confused.

See the ones who are in pain and need healing and comfort.

See those who are mourning and dying.

I am there. Come and see.

See the power of God in a storm of wind and thunder.

See his gentleness in a tiny, purring kitten.

See his joy in the laughter of children,

His strength in the hug of a friend.

See the splendor of the northern lights,

The glory of a simple daisy.

I am there. Come and see.

See the abundance I want to deliver to the poor,

The hope I would shower on the lost.

Come to those who are in the midst of war and danger, of cruelty and disaster, of shock and sorrow.

I am there.

Come be with me.

Be my hands and feet and lips.

I will help you.