Bees in My Bonnet

I'm making this for supper tonight.  I intend to wrap it up with sticky (glutinous) rice in banana leaves.  But if you don't have those you can serve with some rice and a veggie. Marinate 3 Chicken Breasts in: 1 T grated fresh ginger 1-2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 T apple cider vineager 2 T italian dressing 1 T soy sauce (or Bragg's Liquid Aminos) 2 T olive oil 1 t. sesame oil (the toasted Asian kind - should be dark and fragrant) Let it sit for 1-3 hours. Sprinkle with salt & pepper or/and seasoning salt. Cut into chunks and saute in a pan over high heat. Thinly julienne 2 big carrots.  Slice an onion. Throw these in with the sauteeing chicken. Stir around, while in a separate pan boil down the marinade.  When it is reduced to about 1-3 T's (you guess), pour over the chicken, carrot, onion mixture.  Saute a minute or two longer. If you want a sauce follow the next step: Remove the mix from the pan, leaving any residue behin...

I made this Granola today for the family.  Note - though Granola made at home lacks a lot of fillers and extra unhealthy ingredients, this does not mean one can gorge him/herself freely and think the calories don't add up!  They do!  Lots of other websites give great 'healthier' versions of granola.  I figure I'll just make it my way and use as a condiment rather than to consume by the bowlful.  Granola is deceptive in that many think it is a great 'health' food - which because the main ingredient is oats, it is - however it is highly caloric and will not really be a great addition to a diet looking to curb calories etc. This is great sprinkled on ice cream (more health food anyone?!) or you can add a spoonful to non-sweetened cereals, or if you are looking to bulk up, just eat by the bowlful! This is a heaping amount - enough for a big family! 12 c. oats 3/4 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. flour (I used a mix of brown, white, oat flour combined with wheat germ a...

This was me ten years ago today. After having Caleb and seeing how delightful a child he was, and how wonderful it was to be a Mommy, when he was about 10 months old we thought, 'One is good.  Two must be better!'  And soon after that we took the pregnancy test and it was positive! When Caleb turned 1 and began walking we suddenly realized what we had done.  How on earth would we manage two  mobile creatures?  How would I get through morning sickness while chasing a toddler?  I still don't have an answer for that.  But we did.  Somehow. (It was such a blessing that Caleb was so content to sit and look at books on his own - sometimes for more than an hour!) Sure enough that summer Sam had a business trip to Hong Kong and China.  I got to tag along - with 1 yr. old Caleb in tow.  I don't remember much from that trip other than the nostalgia and longing I had to be back there.  I remember throwing up in a taxi.  It w...

For my friends who aren't in Facebook land, I'll post some pics here I took last week of the girls in their lovely Christmas dresses - sent by my Mom (she had them made from a piano cover!).

Today I'll link you up to my blog at A Biblical Marriage. In this post I give a few pointers for managing conflict in marriage.  Needless to say, I've had a lot of background in that area! :) Thanks for stopping by! I Can't Make My Marriage Work!

I don't generally struggle with unforgiveness.  But lest I speak too soon, I've had a bout of it lately.  And as the days pass and my demeanor improves I am feeling a bit like how I felt when recovering from the flu last month. And it hit me:  Unforgiveness is like the flu. You see, when I had the flu last month, I was miserable. I found it hard to sleep because I was achy and sore and stuffy.  But sleep was what I really wanted and needed.  But the pain in my bones kept me uptight and unrelaxed making sleep very difficult. Unforgiveness has done the same thing to me.  It made me uptight.  Unrelaxed.  Fidgety.  Unable to sleep. The flu made me miserable.  Unforgiveness did the same. Also, the flu is highly contagious. I would venture to say that unforgiveness also breeds itself in seedy environments where festering, brooding and spill-over occurs.  When others catch a whiff of your bitter insolence it plants toxic see...

A long time back I wrote about anger in parenting.  I think it's time I revisit this subject. Because as I ponder it I realize that I still think it is healthy for children - especially as they get older - to know that: 1. Anger is a powerful emotion that has a proper place in the home. 2. Anger is meant to be controlled. 3. Anger can provoke fear - and fear is not always to be avoided. 4. Anger is appropriate at times. 5. Anger needs to be addressed, dealt with and expressed in a healthy way. As I have considered all the feedback I realize that anger is wrong when it: 1. Is based on my selfish desires and wishes. 2. Is focussed on retribution or retaliation. 3. Is not instructive but merely biting or hurtful. 4. Is out of control. These thoughts raise some theological questions, as all thoughts should in any thinking person.  Namely, God, as a perfect parent, does get angry.  Sin, unrighteousness, injustice, degrading one another, tearing down those He ...

I was just thinking about how Jesus told us to "Love your neighbour as yourself." Lately I've noticed a trend. A do-gooding trend. A trend in the Church. A 'let's do lot's of nice things for those outside our walls' trend. Which is great. I applaud it! But let's not forget that Jesus taught us to first love our neighbour. It is so easy to lose ourselves in 'good works' - feeding the hungry, going across the globe to the poor and needy, reaching out in the community, thinking of nice things to do for others... and forget to show love to those closest to us. Who is my neighbour? Let's start with: my spouse, my children, those in close proximity to me, those in my church. What good is it to do a lot of 'good' things for needy people if you despise those closest to you? What good are your good works if you harbour bitterness and resentment towards those nearest you? Really, what good is it? If we can't show ...

Dear Little Girl Bullies, You could be any age, but for my purposes I will address this to the 6-12 year old range. I have come across you a few times in my short life as a parent.  I want you to read and listen and learn and change as a result of this letter. I am well aware that my little boys may cause you distress.  They probably provoke, annoy and are bothered more than they should.  I, as their mother, seek to address their deplorable behaviour and attitudes.  I would appreciate your help in coming to me if my sons have caused you problems in any way.  That aside, I'd like to address your deplorable behaviour. I used to think little girls were sweet, harmless, angelic creatures who were a positive inclusion in my child's life.  I used to think little girls would be a blessing to my sons and inspire them to kindness, mercy, grace, understanding and soften their rough edges.  I now see that little girl bullies are also a blessing to my chi...

Today instead of posting a blog here I'm linking you to A Biblical Marriage.  This is a two-part article looking at some of the marriages in the Bible.  Basically I just skimmed the surface.  I'm not necessarily saying we need to follow the examples of the characters in the Bible (unless God tells us to - like telling us to be like Sarah in hoping in God etc.).  I'm just saying that marriages in the Bible didn't exactly look all hunky-dory and romantic-like the way we think they should be! Here's the link!  Enjoy! So, you want a BIBLICAL marriage? - Part 1 And now, here's part 2: So, you want a BIBLICAL marriage? - Part 2

Do you ever wonder why you have been given the name you have?  If we really believe God is sovereign over all things, then I suppose we must assume the name we have been given is under His auspices as well.  Maybe you have been named for something silly that has no meaning to you.  No matter - perhaps it was only to teach you to be more thoughtful in your name choices for your children.  See - I like to find a reason behind everything and in everything.  Nothing is meaningless.  Unless you are Solomon writing Ecclesiastes who says, 'Everything is meaningless - there is nothing new under the sun!'  But I digress. I haven't had to wonder very long why my name is Sarah.  I have given her character a lot of thought through the years but the one line that stands out to me is this from 1st Peter: "You are her daughters [referring to Sarah] if you do what is right and do not give way to fear..."  My guess is that with all that Sarah had to endure...