Dinner or Just Dessert

Came home today and was not really in the mood to cook dinner. Nothing really quick to grab in our frig right now. The more I thought about it, if I was gonna cook why not dessert. I went with Blondies, dark and milk chocolate chips with walnuts. Yum! To say the least. A while back I stumbled upon Jane's Sweets & Baking Journal. And found this recipe Cream Cheese Blondies...With Milk and Dark Chocolate and Honey Roasted Almonds. I switched out the almonds for walnuts and little more generous with chocolate chips. A girl gotta have her chocolate! Since we are three in number, why not?! Do we have dessert for dinner often? Almost never, ice cream once in a blue moon on a hot summer evening. My girls were more than okay with warm Blondies and milk for dinner tonight.
 Do you ever just have dessert for dinner?
All the best,
Shawn

Sunshine At Last

It turn out to be a beautiful day here, after days of rain. Still has some warming up to do, but amazing how a little sunshine can brighten the outlook on the day. Clean up all but one of my tomatoes plants. Maybe, just maybe last few will ripen up or turn into fried green tomatoes no the less. Pick my last two cantaloupes and dead headed my daisies and hostas.

I find myself with a thankful heart tonight for the sunshine and the rain.
All the best,
Shawn
 

Moneyball

Still cold and rainy here on my end of the world. Perfect lazy afternoon for a movie. Sunshine and I went to see Moneyball with Brad Pitt as Billy Beane of the Oakland A's. I am not a huge baseball fan, but I enjoyed this movie.  

  

Looking forward to warmer weather later this week in hopes of getting some things done outside.

All the best, 

Shawn

Cold Rainy Day

It's cold rainy day here in Northeast Ohio, just 44 decrees. I'm holding out on turning the heat on. Normally don't touch that thermostat til November 1. So much for global warming. I thought I would share a little bit today about my girls.                                                                                                

Downtown Cleveland after Indians game

  I'm blessed with two girls, Rachel who will soon be 20, who we call Sunshine or Rae most days. And Shannon who is 18, who was christened Sweet Pea from day one.                                                                                                

 Sunshine

Sweet Pea

 Rachel works in a local Chiropractic office in our area, and is going to school for Medical Assistant. Sweet Pea is life guard, swim instructor, coach and assist to all things her boss needs. Sweet Pea loves kids and looks to work with them in some form in the future.

Sweet Pea all set to run a relay in the Akron Marathon last weekend.

Here's just a glimpse of why we call her Sunshine.

All the best to you:)

We will never forget 9/11

Ten years later, the images of September 11th terrorist attacks linger in our hearts and minds, we will never forget the lives lost. Out of the ashes of evil and pain, rose courage, strength, and hope to push forward. Not giving up or giving in, but stepping up to the challenges we face as a nation. I am thankful for the first responders, firefighters, officers, all the people who helped those in need and those left behind to pick up the pieces. I am also thankful for President Bush and the other leaders God had in place this day.                 May God bless us and keep us in these ever changing times.

  

Where was I? Small town in Ohio, I was on morning break. Walking out back to our trucking dock with slice of watermelon, thinking about how beautiful the day turned out. When a co-worker told me what a trucker had come through and told him. Five minutes later most of us were listening to radio in disbelief.

These pictures were found through Google images.

The Power of Words

Our words have power. The power to destroy, hurt, encourage, paint a picture, love, bless or to curse. I could go on and on. Before those words touch your lips they have already been spoken within the walls of your heart. Some people withhold words that need to spill out, to cover a long open wound, to push aside the door of pride or fear that has held back words that could bring healing. Or at least the start of...something beautiful, true and honest. There is a raw beauty in our brokenness. I hold back words afraid of my own anger spilling out. I hold back words because I can feel the ugliness of my thoughts. I pray for wisdom with my words. I pray for self-control. I pray for the cycle of sin to end with me. I pray God would take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ Jesus. We pray as a family that we could be an encouragement to those around us. To lead us away from gossip and strife. To put a guard over our mouths that we would not sin against God or others. . . In this I believe in power of prayer. I believe in the power to change. I believe in the power of words.  

Kind, Smart, Important...

     We saw The Help. Few laughs and many tears later, it was a great movie. The ugliness of people hatred is still surprising to me. I guess that's a good thing after all these years. One of the things that stands out to me from the movie is Aibileen's words to the baby girl she's raising "'you is kind, you is smart, you is important". Aibileen lived out life everyday in a world that told her as a black woman in the 60's south she had no value, yet she instilled  love and confidence in each child she care for. Do you show the people in your life that they have value and worth? The Help is a must see!  

Stilling learning...

Still learning how to love well. Yes, I am. No lie I fall short on this one quiet often. All my good intentions, my hopes, the longings of my heart get lost somewhere between my heart, my head and my mouth. What spills out of my mouth is so not the words of encouragement i imagine myself saying all day long at work. I step in the door and the current "must deal with right now" explodes in my face and all my good intentions seem to go out the window with my energy to make a difference in my home at that time. I try to speak truth, go to the truth of the situation to find the answers for what ever the current issues are. Believing that the truth is a foundation for dealing with life's difficulties. In the moment am I speaking words that give life and resolution? Or am I tearing down, hurting the ones i love? Yes the truth can hurt... Not to mention fear. Fear of the truth.  Fear of disappointment, fear of lose on some level I would say. Lose of a relationship. All these things come to mind in a moment. Words have power to heal, or to hurt, to move a person forward or stop them in their tracks. Yet I know perfect love cast out fear ..."There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with judgement. The one who fears is not made perfect love." 1 John 4:18...At the end of the day I want to have loved well. I still learning what that looks like.