Thanksgiving in the Midst of Hardship = Peace with God

It’s very easy to fall into a “me” focused relationship with God, seeing God as as some form of genie or Santa Claus. Many times when we don’t get the “gift” or “wish” that we wanted, our relationship with God tends to deteriorate – what horrible creatures we are! Instead of thinking of what we want from God, let’s start thanking God for what He has already so freely given to us.

I read this at the “Especially Heather” blog :

Heather is a mom who is part of the Moms of Grace community who, in the past year, found out and then has been treated for brain cancer. One of her children, Emma Grace, has had a myriad of medical difficulties and is currently on the wait list for her (second?) heart transplant. Needless to say, Heather and her family have been through three or four life-times worth of hardships – yet they are strong Christians and are still praising God in the midst of these trials.

What a beautiful example of faith! I am eternally thankful that they are blogging and sharing their ups and downs through the lens of scripture with the rest of the world.

Coming from this family, the following is especially meaningful:

DEAR GOD:
I want to thank You for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed; I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive.

I am thanking you because I made it through the day’s difficulties.

I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.

I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.

I’m thanking YOU, God…You haven’t given up on me.

Total Lunar Eclipse – IOW, Excuse for a Cheap Date Night!

I’m always looking for excuses to steal away for a few moments with my love!

February 20, there will be a Total Lunar Eclipse. < --- click on the link for viewing times. Ladies, this is your chance to surprise your husbands and plan something cool! The eclipse is visible in most parts of North America.... so start scouting NOW for a quiet spot with a view uninhibited by city lights. Get out your sleeping bags or favorite snuggly football-game blankets out of the storage closet and clean 'em up! (I do have confess that, despite the above fantasy - which strongly I encourage my readers to carry out - since this is such a spectacular event, we'll likely have our young astronomers with us... but the hot chocolate in mommy & daddy's Thermos might be a little on the Irish side. Just sayin'... ) "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." Song of Solomon 6:3

Be a Leader!

Hello Friends!

This morning, I took an hour of my time and placed calls for the Ron Paul Campaign as a precinct leader. It was very easy to do – they have a script, each page with the information about the person you are calling blended right into the script. All you have to do is click the information about the person’s voting preferences as you speak to them. From there, it generates a list for door-to-door or letter writing contact. Everything is nicely packaged and thoroughly thought through.

All of you know that if *I* can find an hour in my day to do this – me a mom of five kids ages six and under – you have no excuse! =)

People in your precinct are your neighbors, usually on the streets surrounding your house. If you already know your neighbors, it’s an opportunity to talk about something that matters with them. And, if you don’t know them to well, it’s a great way to meet them. I found out some of my neighbors who I knew were Republicans were considering voting Democrat in this election! Eek!! I’ll be working on changing their mind!!

So… I invite you to become a Ron Paul Precinct Leader!

If you support Dr. Paul, this is THE best way to get involved–this will allow us to methodically get our message across to voters all across America, person-to-person, and to identify every Ron Paul supporter and make sure they get to vote on Election Day!

Much love,
Sarah Joy Albrecht
mrsalbrecht@speakeasy.net

If you are able to help with this great effort, please visit:
Ron Paul Grassroots HQ

Saucy Date Night Ahead

Dinner this evening will be at Pietro’s Prime in West Chester, PA.

As I preview the menu from home, everything looks quite scrumptious!

All steaks at Pietro’s are served with a choice of one of the sauces listed below.
Click on the name of each sauce for a recipe to make your own version:

Béarnaise

bā-är-ËŒnāz (sounds like the word “bear”)
Etymology: French béarnaise, feminine of béarnais of Béarn, France
Date: 1877
: a sauce of egg yolks and butter flavored with shallots, wine, vinegar, and seasonings

Hollandaise
hä-lən-ˈdāz
Etymology: French sauce hollandaise, literally, Dutch sauce
Date: 1907
: a rich sauce made basically of butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice or vinegar

Demi Glace
de-mē glass
Etymology: French, half cooking stock, literally, half-ice
Date: 1900
: a highly concentrated reduced brown sauce often used as a base for other sauces

Au Poivre
ō-ˈpwäv
Etymology: French, with pepper
Date: 1953
: prepared or served with a generous amount of usually coarsely ground black pepper steak au poivre

It looks like Béarnaise sauce has been around the longest!

I hope these sauce ideas inspire you the next time you serve steak – or, in a pinch, you can always sprinkle with blue cheese… unless you’re Susan Whimsy, of course ;-)

BTW, you might like to know that the word “Saucy” predates all of the sauces above:

\ˈsȯ-sē, ˈsa-\
Date: 1508
1: served with or having the consistency of sauce
2 a: impertinently bold and impudent b: amusingly forward and flippant : irrepressible3: smart trim a saucy little hat

Ron Paul – March for Life 2008

This is a comment from PJ in our Ron Paul meetup:

We were encouraged by the many, many RP supporters we saw there, along with the prominent RP signs and banners. Also encouraging was that we saw only one little, hand-made “Grassroots for Huckabee” sign and only one Thompson sign (I missed that one). RP was among the legislators who took a few minutes at the podium, and he was the only presidential candidate there.

Article from a Michigan paper:

Ron Paul gets Roe nod
by Press wire services

Wednesday January 23, 2008, 9:19 AM

AP PhotoThe doctor is in: Ron Paul used his medical background to argue against abortion Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — Ronald Reagan and other Republican presidents have addressed the thousands of abortion opponents who annually march from the National Mall to the Supreme Court in remembrance of the court’s Roe v. Wade decision.

The event has not always been a draw to GOP presidential hopefuls, but Tuesday’s pre-march rally on the 35th anniversary of the landmark ruling had one notable exception: Ron Paul.

Among people holding up more typical “Defend life” and “Stop abortion” signs, some held banners in support of the Texas congressman, a libertarian with an anti-war bent.

Paul was among about a half-dozen lawmakers who spoke at the two-hour rally, and he cited his credentials as an obstetrician who has delivered 4,000 babies.

“The debate over when life begins should not be a debate. Let me assure you: All life begins at conception,” he said.

Paul also scored a right-to-life coup of sorts by claiming the endorsement of the Roe in Roe v. Wade — Norma McCorvey, who won the case for abortion rights but has since changed her stand. She runs the Crossing Over Ministry, formerly called Roe No More.

“He has never wavered on the issue of being pro-life and has a voting record to prove it,” McCorvey said in a press release from the Paul campaign. “He understands the importance of civil liberties for all, including the unborn.

“After taking all of the presidential candidates into consideration, it is obvious that Ron Paul is the only one that doesn’t just talk the talk,” McCorvey said.
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