I missed My Love...

...And thought of this song.


This is a great song no matter who sings it: Joe Cocker, Slade, or the above. I personally am fond of Joe Cocker's version. My Darlin is home now.

How To Defeat Yourself, Creatively Speaking

1. Don’t ever sit down in front of your drafting table with pencil or pen in hand.


2. Better yet, place an ironing board in front of the table, and stack it with junk, clothes, clutter and NONSENSE!


3. Tell yourself you will tidy it up and get on track tomorrow, or Saturday, or Monday.


4. Keep telling yourself that and NOT actually do it.




I finally cleared off the ironing board yesterday and put it away where it belongs! I’m not making any resolutions about it or anything. I’m just saying that I cleared a path, and the drafting table is in a slanted position, so clutter cannot stick to it.


As of today's date, my dear and beloved Mother is a 10 year breast cancer survivor. I thank The Good Lord, for my Mom and the time He has given us.

My Resolution

I am not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions because I have never been successful at keeping any that I have made, so far. In the spirit of optimism and new-leaf turning I am making one this year. It’s not a grand, earth changing, life altering one. It’s simple. I am resolving to be an aunt like my Aunt Teresa.


My Aunt Teresa was not related to me by blood, but by heart. She was among my parents’ closest, dearest friends and their next door neighbor for a decade, perhaps more. They remained life-long friends even after my folks moved to the West Coast and then down South. My Aunt Teresa gave me the best advice on my wedding day. “Just be nice to each other,” she said. (I share it now whenever I’m in the presence of newlyweds.) I cherish the memory. My Aunt Teresa never forgot my birthday and always sent me a card. Later on, she even remembered my children’s birthdays, even though she had only met Adam* once. For a time I was pretty good about the card thing myself, but years passed, and I slacked off. This year I have marked my calendars, and hope to follow in Aunt Teresa’s thoughtful footsteps and send my various family members & friends a card, in a timely manner, for their birthday.
That's it.
Carry on.

Watch Night - New Year's Eve

I have been going to Watch Night Services since I became a Christian in the early 1990's. When Big Daddy was appointed to his first church and we were planning our first Watch Night service as a ministry couple, I found this article on the history of such services to be very interesting. After all, I grew up Roman Catholic, in the Northeast and then later moved to the West Coast, and I had never heard of this kind of service before. The article I linked is an essay by Charyn D. Sutton. The churches where I spent my early Christian years and discipleship were predominantly Caucasian, so I was particularly fascinated by the article. Watch Night Services are strongly rooted in the African-American church tradition, and are not unheard of within the Pentecostal Community overall.


We are within the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) denomination, and the practice seems common here in the Southeastern US. Our denomination was founded by several Methodists, among others. It seems that John Wesley had established this practice among the Methodists early on. Our sister denomination, The Assemblies of God, began with the Azuza Street Pentecostal Outpouring. That event was diverse, ethnically and socially, from the very beginning. I also add to those factors that Florida is near the Bahamas and Caribbean, with many immigrants from those areas. Some of those cultural influences have strong Christian practices and history. I was very interested to find that the The Moravian Church missionaries were the first to go in many parts of the world, including the Caribbean in the 1730's. The Moravian Church seems to be the first to hold Watch Night Services.

I also checked snopes.com, and they are skeptical about the portion of the first article I linked in regards African-American slaves being sold on New Years Day, as well as any other type of debt or financial transactions occurring on that day. Snopes had an email forward version of Sutton’s essay. However, the version they had was not completely the same and not even attributed to Sutton. So, you can do the research yourself if you like, and draw your own conclusions. It’s indisputable, though, that Watch Night became tied to the African-American community because of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.


Wikipedia says this:

“Many religious communities have a tradition of New Year's Eve being known as "Watch Night". The faithful of the community congregate in worship services commencing New Year's Eve night and continuing past midnight into the New Year. The Watch Night is a time for giving thanks for the blessings of the outgoing year and praying for divine favor during the upcoming year. Though held by some to have begun in the African American community, watch night can actually be traced back to a sect of Christians known as the Moravians who held the first Watch night Service in Herrnhut, Saxony, in 1732. The practice was later adopted by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Watch Night did take on special significance to African Americans on New Year's Eve 1862, however, as slaves eagerly awaited the arrival of January 1, 1863—the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation. This particular New Year's Eve became known as "Freedom's Eve."”

Along with the prayers of thanksgiving and reflection, we do some other things in our service. We celebrate by taking Communion, and following Jesus’ humble example and washing each other’s feet, see here.

I pray that whatever you do this New Year’s Eve, you will take a moment to reflect on the past and the future and on the One who holds your life in His hands. Just as the slaves gathered in churches to pray for and await the news of their freedom, realize God has given us all a freedom in Christ.

Be safe and enjoy yourself.
Happy New Year!



Edited to add this link to Michael Benjamin's blog and a good piece he wrote about Watch Night, which contains Charyn Sutton's article now that the link in the first paragraph is no longer available.

Aviation Adventure

That's us before take-off


Big Daddy has wanted to go on a bi-plane ride for several years now. When we moved to the Keys he was glad to see bi-plane rides advertised at the local airport, just a stone’s throw away. I thought I would surprise him with a ride on it for his birthday. I was not planning on going with him. There are many exciting things I would like to do, however, this intimidated me. There is the obvious reason – being so high up in the air and in an open, exposed cockpit. The other reason is this: For past few years my equilibrium or something has changed. I cannot tolerate roller-coasters or the like. The movement, height, and speeds that go along with such things don’t agree with me like they once did. At one time I was able to go on such rides over and over again with no problem. Recently, even swinging on the park swings with my children makes me a wee bit dizzy. So I thought the bi-plane ride would upset my head and my stomach. I am so glad I was wrong! I thought you only live once; I may as well go with him for this ride. I was rewarded with a thrill! I would do it again, it was simply breathtaking. I highly recommend it. Our pilot was a character, a bit salty, but he did a great job. He made it thrilling enough for Big Daddy and not overly so for me. I think that Big Daddy was genuinely surprised and enjoyed himself. It was a blessing for us both and I thank God for the opportunity.



This is a view of the 7 Mile Bridge from above

Christmastime is here…

...And I love it! We have our lights up, our tree, our decorations and we are ready!


What’s your favourite Christmas movie? I love A Charlie Brown Christmas. On the other hand, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas used to scare the heck out of me when I was a child, and he still does. I am still uncomfortable watching it! I really like Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, the old stop-action animated one where the characters are felt or clay. I like A Christmas Carol, too, but I can’t say which version I like best. I think that the movie The Nativity Story is one of my new favorites. Perhaps I am biased because of my faith, but I think it is a very well made, impeccably acted and visually compelling adaptation. I think anyone could appreciate it, even if they are not particularly religious. It’s directed by Catherine Hardwicke, who most recently directed the blockbuster Twilight. Check it out.

What’s your favorite Christmas music? I have so many favorites. Away In A Manger, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by the Pretenders, 'Zat You Santa Claus by Buster Poindexter, Little Drummer Boy by David Bowie and Bing Crosby, Put The Lights on the Tree by Sufjan Stevens, Ave Maria by Joan Baez….and of course, Christmastime is Here from the Charlie Brown special.


I will miss a few of the holiday traditions we enjoyed in Central Florida. Visiting Donelly Park in Mt. Dora, and enjoying the magical wonderland of lights and eating dinner at Vincent’s! Plant Street in Winter Garden was also lovely! I will miss driving by the decorated, old southern mansions in Oakland, some tasteful and some kitschy, but all a delight to the eyes. I will miss my dear family and friends there! I will not miss my dog-tired feet from working the retail craziness at Bealls, but I will miss my old co-workers. Last year I was so busy with my job and having some extra children in the nest, it was a very good Christmas overall, but a little crazy and stressful, too. God bless them (((J & T))), every~one!

I am looking forward to new traditions here in the Keys. I hope to visit the lighted boat parade in Key West. I have never seen a boat parade before, let alone boats with lights and decorations. That should be fun. I’m also told that the lights in the prayer garden of San Pablo are beautiful; I can’t wait to see them. We are having a candle light service on Christmas Eve. I look forward to some down time with my family, and to reflect on the season in a quietly joyful way this year.

Blessings, Ya'll!

Some Good Recipes

Coconut trees are not native to the Keys, I'm told, but they do thrive here. Our neighbor's son brought me a coconut from their tree. After googling a little I found a recipe from this blog. I used fresh grated coconut and sweetened it with a pinch of sugar and a teaspoon or 2 of apple cider. I used whole wheat flour. I also had only fresh bananas, and I think if they had been very ripe it would have been better. I usually have a few ripe bananas in the freezer, but I happened to be out of them. (If I have any bananas that are getting very spotty I simply put them in the freezer. Their peel turns black, but they are good for several months or so to use in breads, muffins, shakes and smoothies.)

Banana Coconut Muffins
from Epicurious

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the banana, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and 1/2 cup of the coconut.

3. Fold flour mixture into the wet ingredients, and mix just until combined.

4. Divide batter among 8 paper lined (or greased) muffin tins. Sprinkle tops with remaining coconut.

5. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes until golden. Cool on wire rack.


I have also been enjoying a new recipe for asparagus or broccoli I got from here. Wouldn't you just know that the Hippie Christian Family Message Board would have tasty veggie recipes?! (Check the board out, as it has just undergone a rejuvenation, and it looks so nice!) Anyway, I think I could eat broccoli every other day, it's my favorite vegetable. It was so nice to find a new recipe, with some of my favorite flavors. And it's simple! The first time I made it with asparagus, but I didn't toast the sesame seeds long enough. I toasted them for just a few minutes over medium heat in a small non-stick skillet. I also think I've been going a little overboard on the lemon, and might try going lighter the next time I prepare it.
Roasted Broccoli (or Asparagus) with Sesame Seeds and Lemon Butter
Serves 4 but is easily adaptable

1 pound broccoli florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with the oil and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast, turning once, for approximately 12 minutes or until tender.

In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and heat while stirring for about 1 minute. Let cool slightly and stir in the lemon juice. Place the broccoli in a serving bowl, pour the lemon butter over it and toss to coat. Scatter the toasted sesame seeds over the top.

I have a thing for Publix (a supermarket around here) brand raspberry iced tea. I wanted to see if I could come up with a home made version.

Raspberry Iced Tea
4 regular raspberry tea bags (I used Celestial Seasonings Brand)
Seedless raspberry jam or jelly
Sugar to taste, if desired

Bring tea kettle nearly to boil and remove from heat. Let the tea bags steep for about 10-15 minutes. Remove them and add about 2-3 tablespoons of the jam, stir into the hot tea until completely dissolved, you might have to warm up the tea a little to get the jam to dissolve. Add sugar to your taste. I like my sweet tea on the lightly sweetened side, so I use 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar to a gallon of tea. Remember to use a little less sugar than what you normally like because the jelly will have plenty of sugar in it. After the tea cools a little longer, at least a 1/2 hour, pour into a gallon sized jug or container with a tight fitting lid. Add enough water to top it off. Shake. Refrigerate. Serve with ice and lime wedges. Enjoy.

I am delighted and blessed by things too numerous to count. Neighbors, coconuts, fair weather and stumbling across a good recipe and a good blog about food. Yum!

Let me know if you try these recipes and like them.