Who else can laugh about prostate cancer?

October 28, 2015
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Dear Chocolate Cream Centers readers,
I got this email from my younger brother Jim the other day and those excruciating images have been yanking at the corners of my mouth ever since. But our prayers have again been answered and it looks like he’ll (eventually) be fine. My Dad died of prostate cancer about 22 years ago, so my brothers are especially watchful. Jim is the third of five brothers to get the diagnosis. He may be laughin’ now, but I don’t think he was lovin’ life a week ago!
He’s a cutie, aint he? Deena’s nothin’ to sneeze at neither!

Dear Family and Friends,

A brief commentary on my recent experience.  (you might want to turn your head or cover your eyes during some parts of this description)
“Your x-ray looks perfect!”  were the words Dr. David Esrig, my urologist, proclaimed as he walked into the exam room.  “Let’s take that catheter out.”
A wave of relief swept over me as my darkest dread was that I would have to endure another week of being tethered to an ever-filling plastic bag hanging down the inside of my left leg.
Prior to his arrival in the exam room, I was provided plenty of time to reflect on the experiences of the previous week.  Surgery had been performed exactly a week earlier:  Surgery Monday morning, recovery-room that afternoon,and then hospitalization that night and most of the next day.  I was asked to stop eating anything solid on the Sunday afternoon prior to surgery and it wasn’t until Tuesday morning that any food was allowed.
 I wasn’t especially hungry, but the whole idea of being deprived of nourishment bothered me.  My only ‘food’ to that point was from the bag dripping into my IV.   Finally, late Tuesday morning, the nurse asked if I wanted to try some eggs and a bowl of cream-of-wheat.  That sounded great–a good shot of protein and some nice carbs to fuel my recovery.  When I took the cover off my first meal, my heart sank a little.  The eggs were the right color, but any additional resemblance to what I knew of this classic breakfast item ended there.   Still, my desire to eat drove me on.  The first taste taught me an important lesson that I wouldn’t forget:   when ordering food, also order salt or seasoning to accompany your selection.  I ate them anyway.  The paste-of-wallpaper was the same–all goo, no gusto.  My next two meals, however, were actually quite good because I checked the little box on the menu next to salt and then scrawled, “times 2” next to it.  The culinary team at River Bend Hospital rose to the occasion at midday by treating me with a delicious presentation of pureed sweet and sour sauce smothering a chicken breast piece (even had felt-penned grill marks on it) over a bed of rice.  The accompanying mashed potatoes and gravy, once salted, were also enjoyable.
I was released from the hospital on Tuesday evening and my dear wife drove me home.  Before discharge, I was given careful instruction on catheter care and given the order to pass gas at my soonest convenience.  Those of you who know me best know that this repugnant behavior is totally against my character and better judgement.  However, fighting against my refined upbringing, I put forth my best efforts to accomplish my caregiver’s instructions .  You will be happy to know that I have celebrated many ‘victories’ since receiving my orders.  (I don’t even feel socially compelled to excuse myself because each outburst is truly an audible acknowledgement of my healing–really, people should cheer, celebrating my success…)
Once home, I found that I really did have to take it easy.  Sitting up or standing for long periods of time was difficult.  I was light headed and dizzy much of the time.  My appetite for food was lacking too.  Nothing sounded good and eating was bit of a chore.  Reading and writing made me dizzy.  In fact, the only thing that really came easily was lying on the couch and watching Netflix.  One nice perk to this lazy time was that Deena had hurt her back and was forced to take it easy as well.  So, the two of us got to spend some nice time together watching home-improvement shows and back-episodes of “The Office.”  She has been so supportive and tender during this time and in the end, our relationship has gained added depth and understanding.  We’re here for each other.  (Excuse me while I wipe the tears from my keyboard…)
There was only one real point of contention during our prolonged time together:   where should I stow the connected catheter bag?  I felt that letting it sit in the middle of the family room floor was appropriate–let everyone witness how active my kidneys really were.  Admirers could observe the color, quality and even quantity of my output.  Heck, Deena could even use the thing as a pillow while lying on the floor watching “Home Makeover.” To my displeasure, my darling homemaker kept tucking the thing under the couch.  I protested firmly but ultimately compromised by strapping a smaller, less impressive bag to my leg.  I tried to keep it visible as much as possible because keeping it concealed, I complained, made my leg too hot.
I will spare the reader the burden of hearing all the details, but know that each day was a little better than the one before.  My appetite slowly returned and I was able to be about a little bit more.  I found, however that sleeping was difficult and that the insertion point of the catheter was extremely tender.  My back was sore from tensing up worrying that something was going to rub against or, heaven forbid, pull on it.  I was in this state of concern when we traveled back to the doctor’s office for my one week follow-up appointment.  Before seeing the doctor, I was directed to a room where an x-ray of my bladder and the surgery site was performed to determine the progress of my healing and to determine the fate of the catheter.  It was also during this exercise that I discovered an important truth about modesty and decency.   The x-ray tech, a spry young lad about 4 years out of high school, announced, “I need to get to your catheter.”
“Oh, please be careful…” were the words written across my anguished face.
He sort of stared at me awkwardly for a few moments.  It became clear that he wanted me to drop my drawers–right there with him watching the whole thing.  I can already hear you women laughing at my concern, but I contend that in this moment of truth–dropping your drawers in front of another human being who has never before seen you, let alone seen all of you–is more difficult for men than women.  For a woman, dropping your drawers reveals very little.   Most of your anatomy is tucked inside, but for a guy, it’s all right there.  One glance and the story is over…
The tech did his work and I was sent to await the doctor’s decision on my fate.
So, when the doctor came in and announced the imminent removal of the catheter, I was ecstatic.  My week of misery was over.  I could now walk upright with no back pain, my left leg would no longer overheat and life was going to be great.
My mental jubilation was suddenly interrupted by my physician:  “We need to go outside to do this…” he announced ominously.  I sensed a diabolic sneer on his face as he led me out to the parking lot where a jacked-up 4×4 sat idling in the parking lot.  Hanging from the tow hitch was heavily used strap that had obviously been used to yank disabled bulldozers out of mud pits.  I noticed the license plate was from Texas and read, “LVN PAIN.”   The doctor directed me to a spot behind the truck and proceeded to tie the tow-strap to my catheter.  With little notice, the physician raised his hand to signal that everything was ready and before I could beg for mercy, dropped his arm and sent the pickup screeching his tires through the parking lot.  I instantly felt the tug on the catheter but it refused to budge.  The  truck driver, with increasing determination, shifted gears to increase torque and finally, with tow strap starting to fray, the catheter gave way. *
Ummm….. ouch…
So here I sit, facing the new life of a man without a prostate or a catheter but with a likely UTI.  I’ll be finding out today.  Incontinence is my current reality as my body adjusts to the new me.  It will improve and eventually go away as I do my exercises.  I have never worked-out so hard as I have the last two days.  I tried to find a chart that tells how many calories per minute you burn doing Kegel exercises but no literature is available.  Maybe that can be a little research project for me.
Sincerely, I truly appreciate all the good thoughts and prayers in my behalf.  It has meant so much to me.  I am so grateful to have been able to have the surgery at this early stage in the cancer progression.  I was told that there were previously undetected cancer cells in the gland that earlier biopsies had missed.  The doctor assured me, and I agree, we did the right thing at the right time.  None of the cancer cells had escaped the envelope of the prostate.  So yet again, proof that I’m living a truly blessed life.
Jim is an exercise physiologist  and owner of Coastal Fitness in Florence, OR.

Pressure canning Pumpkin

October 27, 2015

It’s troubled times we be livin’ in! And we Americans have some shameful traditions! One of the most nutritious and plentiful and delicious vegetables is carved as a decoration and discarded! No Jack, this is no laughing matter! Not only can the seeds be rinsed and then roasted with a little olive oil and salt, the pumpkin flesh is a super food!

 

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Jack-o-lanterns can be cut up, pressure cooked, pureed and bottled with excellent results. (The one in the picture looks a little moldy. He’s probably too past his prime.)

Why not let Jack do double duty as décor and dinner?

Here’s how.

Clean the stringy “guts” and seeds out of the pumpkin. Cut out the stem. Do not include the blossom spot on the bottom. They tend to be gritty even after cooking.

If you used your pumpkin as a Jack-o-lantern, pick out all the wax, wash thoroughly and then cut  into chunks small enough to fit into a pressure cooker. DO NOT PEEL. The dark orange skin is loaded with nutrients/anti-oxidants. Once cooked, it will blend nicely.  The size pumpkin shown (above) is probably a little bigger than will fit all at once into a cooker. I usually do two or three batches.

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Add a quart of water and fasten the lid. Pressure cook for 15 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure.

Place cooker in sink and pour or spray cool water on the outside of the pressure cooker. (I also remove the weight so the steam escapes in  geyser, but the instructions with the pressure cooker warn that it puts you in danger of being burned.)

Using tongs, place cooked pumpkin chunks in a blender and blend until smooth.

Fill clean jars, (no need to be sterile) with hot pumpkin puree to the bottom of the neck.

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Wipe rim of jar so that it is completely clean, place lid and tighten band.

I rinse the empty pressure cooker quickly, place the canning rack in the bottom and arrange the jars upright in the canner. Add water so that jars are about an inch deep. Place lid of pressure canner and process for 70 minutes on 10 pounds of pressure.

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These six quarts and one pint are the yield for a 14 inch pumpkin.   It will vary depending on the thickness of the flesh, so choose your Jack-o-lanterns according to their weight.

If a jar doesn’t seal, refrigerate and use soon.

Allow canner to cool undisturbed until all pressure is gone. Rinse jars before storing in the cupboard. Use it the same way you use store-canned pumpkin.

You’ll notice that it has a milder flavor than store-canned pumpkin.

Sometimes the puree on the top of the jar becomes a little discolored. As long as the seal is tight, no worries. If the seal is broken after storage, discard.

I have incorporated pumpkin into chocolate cake, pumpkin pie,  crustless pumpkin custard, pumpkin muffins, etc.

One of my favorite successes was a soup made from home canned pumpkin, milk, some bottled cheddar queso, herbs, sea salt and pepper. I garnished it with a little shredded cheese and served with crusty bread. It easily passed for cheddar soup.

 

 

For love of Books

October 20, 2015

I started my Bachelor’s degree as a callow 17-year-old listing my major as Communications. Married the following summer, I dropped out to work full time to support my husband. But for many years I felt the secret ache of that lost opportunity. Every visit to the campus filled me with yearning for learning.

I learned about the Bachelor of General Studies program from BYU just after my first book, The Angel’s Song was published and as my youngest went to school. By then, we were financially established enough that I could earn a degree with no definite earning potential. I had always been an avid reader and believing myself to have potential as an author, I decided to major in English and American Literature. I want to learn what makes great literature great. I wanted to truly communicate ideas with others.

It took me four years of home study to earn the 86 credits I needed to graduate. It was a four-year-revel, swilling in the sea of knowledge and gulping all I could. The most important thing I learned was that I have merely sipped from the ocean of knowledge. My thoughts on the BGS program are best described as reverent gratitude for the difference it made to me.

Part of the result of earning that degree was to develop my personal tests for important literature. I love a good romance, mystery or fantasy, but to make my “important” list, it must have some intriguing idea: a new way of understanding the world. It becomes a love letter from the author to me.

I don’t include the Holy Bible or the Book of Mormon because though they each have elements of great literature, their purpose transcends literature when cherished and studied. They become love letters from God.

This list below includes some titles I loved as a child. In many instances, the favorite title I list represents much of an author’s work.

I’d love for you to add your own titles to the list in the comment section! Or rank your top five or ten from the list. Are there any on my list that surprise you? I know there are some that could.

  1. Les Miserables (Hugo)
  2. Unbroken (Hillanbrand)
  3. The Fountainhead (Rand)
  4. The Shack (Young)
  5. The Secret Garden (Burnett)
  6. Huckleberry Finn (Twain)
  7. Gifted Hands (Carson)
  8. Christy (Marshall)
  9. Our Mutual Friend (Dickens)
  10. David Copperfield (Dickens)
  11. All Creatures Great and Small (Series by Herriot)
  12. The Help (Stockett)
  13. AnnE of Green Gables (Montgomery)
  14. Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Stowe)
  15. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Jacobs)
  16. Tess of D’Ubervilles (Hardy)
  17. Pride and Prejudice (Austen)
  18. Sense and Sensibility (Austen)
  19. Centennial (Michener)
  20. My Antonia (Cather)
  21. Oh Pioneers (Cather)
  22. The Prince and the Pauper (Twain)
  23. Moby Dick (Melville)
  24. The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorn)
  25. To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee)
  26. My Name is Asher Lev (Potok)
  27. North and South (Gaskell)
  28. Wives and Daughters (Gaskell)
  29. The Pit (Norris)
  30. The Hiding Place (Ten Boom)
  31. East of Eden (Steinbeck)
  32. The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck)
  33. The Count of Monte Cristo (Dumas)
  34. Gone with the Wind (Mitchell)
  35. Ramona (Helen Hunt Jackson)
  36. Killer Angels (Shaara)
  37. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Ford)
  38. John Adams (McCullough)
  39. The Lord of the Rings (Tolkein)
  40. Robin Hood (Pyle)
  41. Robinson Crusoe (Defoe)
  42. Little Women (Alcott)
  43. The Sea Wolf (London)
  44. The Diaries of Adam and Eve (longish short story by Mark Twain)
  45. The Scarlet Pimpernel (Baroness Orczy)

An incisive article from someone with firsthand Socialized Medicine experience.

October 16, 2015

I think Americans would do well to read what the actual citizens are saying about the countries that have tried socialized medicine. If you read the hype, of course Sweden will make it sound peachy keen, but everything I’ve read from actual Swedes is that it is awful. It is so ironic to me that Socialist policies are promoted in political circles as being designed to benefit the poor, when in truth, the poor are harmed the very most. One other thing that I found interesting in other research on Socialist Sweden: Every citizen pays a minimum tax starting with 27% for income tax but that doesn’t cover Social Security and other taxes. So with 50% of Americans paying no income tax at all, the Swedish model of socialism starts out by whacking the poorest right where it counts.

Here’s the link

https://mises.org/library/truth-about-swedencare

Democrat debate: You’re out of Money, Honey!

October 15, 2015

I don’t know why my morbid curiosity drove me to watch the Democrats debate last night, but it did. I was duly appalled by the utter lack of reality and truth from all except one candidate and I’d never even heard of Jim Webb before last night. Cheering for socialist Bernie Sanders, REALLY?

If only the democrats who think that these far left candidates will benefit them would go to a socialist country. Investigate the realities of socialist, (or the more modern term “progressive”) health care. The wealthy come to a country where they can access capitalist healthcare and the others die waiting.  Look at the vermin infested government housing that is given equally, (oh, so equally) to the citizens. Listen to the citizens explain how they are near starving because even though they go to work in their socialist factory job making sub-standard products, they are paid only sporadically. In Ukraine, where they still struggle to recover from being part of the Soviet Union, many months might pass without a paycheck even though the workers do work full time. Corruption is rampant and unapologetic.  This is where Socialist policies lead. Every time. Countries that have democratic socialism are better in exact scale to how much freedom they still have. Before you tout Sweden’s healthcare, research the facts involved. It’s a nightmare to citizens.
But more to the point about the debate, the promises mounted: Free college! Free healthcare! More money for seniors! Subsidies for illegal immigrants!  Free daycare! FREE FREE FREE.

They’re going to make the billionaires pay for it.

There are 545 billionaires currently in the USA. If you combined ALL of their net worth and stripped ALL  of them of every penny, you could pay our CURRENT national budget from January to August (before you add any more freebies.)

But a billionaire doesn’t have billions of dollars, he has billions of dollars WORTH of property and businesses. So to pay for the programs Dems propose for part of one year, you’d have to first take everything those billionaires have, liquidate it, and then spend it on colleges and other goodies.

Many millions of people would be unemployed as a result of the liquidations.

After a few months, you’re out of money and you’re out of billionaires. So, my dear Hillary, or Bernie or possibly Joe, what then?

You’ve given free college, free healthcare, free food, lodging, phones, transportation, for a few months. They liked it! They’re not going to vote for you again if you can’t keep on delivering it.

If you print more money you will certainly collapse an unstable economy.

If you tax the middle class, you’re breaking your promises (oops, the middle class were going to get tax breaks by grabbing those billionaires’ money, too.)

You’ll equalize the wealth in this country all right. Unfortunately you’re going to have to use the lowest common denominator. You’ll make beggars out of everyone without anyone to  respond to the cardboard, “will work for food” signs.

Worse yet, what if the terrorist are emboldened by your weak quibbling foreign policy and launch wide spread attacks?

What if there are a few major disasters on your watch?

What if the earth starts warming again, (it hasn’t actually showed signs of warming in 18 years) causing widespread famine here in our land? Just how do you go about legislating food that does not exist?

Poor Hillary! She’ll be fresh out of billionaires!

Oh well.  Let them eat cake!

Pressure canning meat

October 6, 2015

It isn’t that I don’t enjoy giving canning workshops. I do. But I’ve done it so many times that I feel like surely the audience is saturated. It seems to make sense to just post a tutorial and refer people to cyber hand-holding.

You’ll be fine if the power is out and the freezer isn’t working. Bottled meats last for years with no loss of quality. You may add vegetables or rice to make a meal in a jar, or just can the plain meat and figure out how you’re going to use it when you need it.

First point is that you CAN NOT EFFECTIVELY can/bottle meat without a pressure cooker. If you try it with a steam canner or a water bath canner, you’re likely to waste the meat and to make someone sick.

That said, modern pressure cookers have lots of safety devices. There’s a lock in the handle so that you can’t open it while there’s pressure inside. There’s a safety valve on top that melts out when the inside gets too hot and blows out like a gyser from the tiny hole. But the canner doesn’t blow up.

If you don’t have a Mirro brand pressure cooker, I recommend that you investigate the possibility of getting the fixed pressure style of weight gauge for your cooker. It never gets out of calibration and can’t break. If you’re buying one now, consider replacing the gauge with this type, if they’re compatible.

 

This Mirro is the type/style of pressure gauge I prefer because it never gets out of calibration.

This Mirro is the type/style of pressure gauge I prefer because it never gets out of calibration.

These boneless pork roasts were $1.49 lb. I bought 12 pounds to bottle.

These boneless pork roasts were $1.49 lb. I bought 12 pounds to bottle. Any meat or poultry works. Even cooked meats (like leftover turkey) bottle nicely. They aren’t mushy, as I thought it might be.

Jars must be clean but there is no need to sterilize. They’ll be plenty sterile by the time they’ve been pressure cooked.

cut meat into chunks so that it fits easily into jars. I pay no attention to size or shape, just cram it in.

cut meat into chunks so that it fits easily into jars. I pay no attention to size or shape, just cram it in.

I like to add a little salt. I put in about 1/4 teaspoon per pint

I like to add a little salt. I put in about 1/4 teaspoon per pint

At this point, rather than adding salt, you can add teriyaki sauce, barbeque sauce, chopped onions or other vegetables, liquid smoke, Mexican seasonings, gravy mix or any other seasoning or sauce. You can add tomato sauce instead of the water, too.  If you add rice, I recommend putting brown rice in before the meats and be sure to add double the water as rice. Then add meat and sauces. My favorite is brown rice with teriyaki sauce and chicken. Any meat works, however.  For this tutorial, I’m doing plain pork that I can use for tacos or soup in a hurry. One pound of  lean meat fills one pint.

fill with water to the bottom of jar neck.

fill with water to the bottom of jar neck.

Release the bubbles and make sure there are no air pockets. I’m using water, but this might be Mexican sauce, teriyaki, gravy, etc. Game meats are great with the seasonings and flavorings added at this stage.

wipe rim of jar with clean cloth or paper towel

wipe rim of jar with clean cloth or paper towel. It should be free of food, salt, or nicks or chips in the glass.

If you bought new jars, they come with the lids and bands. If you’re using used jars, you buy the lids separately in the canning section of the store. The styles shown are the types they sell at our local Walmart.

 

 

Place flat canning lid on jar and tighten band until snug but not wrenched.

Jars don't need to be the same size or shape. They just must be upright. Add water to canner so that it

Jars don’t need to be the same size or shape. They just must be upright. Add water to canner so that it is 2 inches deep on jars.

Place the lid, and lock into place. Place the gauge on top and turn the heat up to high. For the style of gauge I use, I do meats or anything containing meat at 15 pounds pressure.

Once the rocker starts rocking or the gauge starts hissing, you know that the cooker has reached the desired pressure inside. Lower the heat so that it hisses for a second or two only every 15 seconds or so. I doesn’t have to be exactly 15 second intervals, but something like that. Start the timer. I process meat for about an hour. If it stops hissing (or rocking with other style gauges) turn the heat back up a little bit. Usually just above medium is high enough. I’m using a gas stove so it responds quickly. If you’re using electric, you have to give it several minutes to heat or cool after the adjustment.

When the time is up, turn off the heat and let the pressure go out of the canner without disturbing it. After about half an hour, if no steam comes out when the gauge is slightly lifted, the canner can be opened and the jars removed to the counter.

The lids may already be popped down, but if not, they’ll “pop” as they seal. Happy canning music!

Because there is a good vacuum inside the sealed jars, they may still be boiling inside at room temperature. That’s a very good sign. If not, as long as the lid is tightly affixed and doesn’t pop up and down when you press the center of the lid, you have a good seal. If a jar didn’t seal, (either because of a chip in the rim or some food on the rim, refrigerate and eat soon.

Wash the jars when completely cool in warm, soapy water and mark the top of the lid with the contents and the date before storing. A Sharpie works great.

 

It’s not exactly pretty in the jar, but it’s easy to shred with a fork and season up the way I like it. This will be perfect for pulled pork sandwiches or barbeque pork or taco or enchilada fillings. It will be perfectly good for several years, although some discoloration may eventually occur to any meat above the water line. It isn’t bad, it just turns a little darker. I have used meat I canned 5 years ago and it was still great.

Somebody defaced my car in a way that reveals their true character

September 29, 2015

Somebody defaced my bumper sticker with a black marker. I noticed it when I came out of the grocery store and commented out loud, “Somebody defaced my bumper sticker!” Another shopper came over and looked at it. “What do you expect?” he asked. “If they’re willing to murder babies before they can take a breath to object, what’s a bumper sticker to them?”
What’s my right to free speech to them?
What’s my property to them? Are they taxpayers? They like taking my dollars to pay for their horrific crimes.
I’ve not been “political” for a while. (About a month, I guess) But really, I’m not going to be political now. I’m speaking of our national morality.
I’m sick and tired of talk show hosts, including Fox’s Megyn Kelly and other commentators scolding people like Kim Davis who wouldn’t give a marriage license to gays. She calmly explained that it went against her moral duty. The talking heads keep pointing out that “It’s the law of the land! She should uphold the law of the land!”
Here’s a little history lesson.
In 1976, Governor Christopher Bond of Missouri rescinded the “Mormon Extermination order.” It had been the LAW OF THE LAND that Missourians were to drive the Mormons from the state and if that was not possible to exterminate them. In 1838, they used both methods. I was living in Missouri at the time and chuckled at the way Governor Bond did the act. He didn’t warn anybody, but announced it after the fact. What would have happened if some Missourian mass murdered a bunch of Mormons and then used the Boggs order as legal justification. Do you suppose it would have stood up to the test? A defendant could rightly claim that he had no malice, just did his civic duty.

Even more interesting is the reason for the order. The Mormons were gathering in western Missouri mostly from the Northern United states. But Missouri wanted to be a slave state and all those northerners scowled at the institution of slavery. It became politic to get rid of a voting block that would prevent them from practicing their evil.

Before the Civil War, the LAW OF THE LAND made it illegal to teach a slave to read. A slave could not own property, nor could a slave enter a contract. A slave was subject to severe punishment if he were caught with a paper with any writing on it on his person.
The LAW OF THE LAND made it illegal to help a black person get away from his master, even in the north. It was legal for slave hunters to venture into the north to capture escaped slaves and illegal for anyone to prevent their recapture.

Until the mid 1960’s the LAW OF THE LAND prevented Blacks from eating in restaurants where whites were served, or drinking from fountains where whites drank, or riding in a bus or train in the seats where whites were sitting nearby.

The LAW of the LAND has allowed businesses to publicly state that they will employ no Irish.

The Law of the Land allows congress to pass laws that apply to others but not to them.

 This is our 32-week-since-conception granddaughter. Her name will probably be Gracey Bowers. I think it’s funny how the three dimensional pictures make them look so lumpy, but also give such a clear picture of their features. She’s having a nice little nap, safe in her Mommy’s womb. 

The law of the land makes it illegal for me to use my cell phone while driving but has no problem in some states with smoking pot and getting high while caring for children and can inhale the second hand smoke.

Yes, the “Law of the Land” allows men to marry other men and women to marry other women. The law of the land does not allow ANYONE to sell human body parts.
The law of the land allows women to kill the babies in their wombs as long as the baby has not had a chance to breathe so that he or she can scream for help.
That’s the law of the land.
To whomever took it upon themselves to mark up my sticker, you reveal a fundamental lack of respect for other’s rights and property, to say nothing of their lives. May God help you fix it before you meet him and have to explain for yourself.
Yes indeed, may God help you!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A night stranded on the banks of the Niangua River.

September 23, 2015
I’ve been slow in posting the newspaper story that resulted from our high adventure mishap.
They cut out some of the explanation about the rest of the event, but the previous post has that fabulous Hot Fudge Pudding Cake Recipe. The recipe works perfectly with gluten free flour, too.
Here’s the link.
http://newsok.com/article/5447929?

If we look a little confused, we were. We all started upstream, (where instinct told us the pull out was) but who ever heard of an upstream pull out? We turned downstream and found ourselves up a creek

You’ll have to cut and paste the link.  For some reason it won’t go live. 

Adventures Galore!

September 18, 2015
I was supposed to be writing an article about “Glamping” for the Oklahoman Newspaper. We were at Bennett State Park in Missouri for a short camp out. The highlight of the trip was to be a 7 mile Kayak Run down the Niangua River.
My family moved to Rolla, MO right before my senior year in High School. There’s not much going on in Rolla, and even if their was, I got a job at A&W hopping cars after schools and on Saturday, so I didn’t have too much time for social time. It was a tough time, mostly biding my time until I got to BYU, the Shangrala of the Mormon dating scene.
But I fell in love with Missouri Rivers. Cool, clean, beautifully scenic, wending their unhurried paths  past bluffs and meadows, forests and mountains. Float trips let you have all the fun of a scenic hike with much less effort than required in the mountains, with refreshing swims thrown in whenever the mood strikes you.
The Niangua River promised to be all of the above.
But a tiny mistake turned our last delight of summer into a dangerous trial of endurance. I’ve sold the “Definitely not glamping” story and included in it a lead up to the kayak trip. It’s going to be in the Sunday paper. I’ll post a link as soon as I have it.
I included the link to my blog for this recipe. We started off the camp out with a decadent dessert!

Here’s my very favorite dutch oven recipe. It’s easy to carry in two zip lock bags and just add water. Served warm in a chilly camp, it’s the BEST!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake for a 14″ dutch oven with legs and a cupped, flat lid

Combine these ingredients in one Quart sized ziplock bag or other tight container. If space is no issue a plastic bowl with a good lid works great.

Baggie 1
2 cups flour (I use whole white wheat) and gluten free flour works fine, too.
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4  cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup dry powdered milk
2 teaspoons vanilla.
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Zip closed

Baggie 2
 2 cups brown sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa.

In camp, heat 30 charcoal briquettes until mostly white. I use a chimney with a handle. It speeds them up and they’re easy to maneuver. Heat 3 cups of water until boiling.
 Mix contents of first baggie with one cup of water until well blended. Spread evenly on the bottom of the greased dutch oven. I line the dutch oven with foil to make cleanup easier.
Sprinkle the dry contents of baggie 2 over the thick batter. Pour 3 cups of hot water over the dry layer. DO NOT STIR. It will separate into a layer of moist cake on top and rich pudding on the bottom. I don’t know how, but it always works!
Place lid on top of the dutch oven. Place 15 coals on level place and place the dutch oven over the coals. Using tongs, place the other 15 coals on the lid.
Let bake for 35 minutes.
Remove coals from lid and carefully move lid aside without dumping ash into the dessert.
Serve hot with vanilla yogurt, (above) or whipped topping. If you’re home, serve with ice cream.

You can bake this dessert in a regular oven. Use a 9×13 greased pan, uncovered. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.  

Why the Duggers are in the News.

September 8, 2015
A young man confesses to fondling his sisters and other girls.
A young husband confesses being addicted to porn and being unfaithful to his wife.
It’s not a pretty picture. In his shadow, we see his broken-hearted parents. We watch his wife’s face for signs of her anguish. We barely notice that the only way we would have know who his teen-aged victims were was that the media exposed the VICTIMS of his sins.

Yet, we gather around the TV and watch TV dramas where adultery is passe’. We chuckle at sitcoms where unfaithfulness is nothing more than a naughty little secret to smile over.
Dear Abby might advise the young husband to keep the information to himself to keep from injuring his wife.

I attended a Church -related meeting 25 years ago where the keynote speaker said to someone he knew in the crowd “Who’s that pretty lady you have your arm around? Does your wife know?” Ha ha ha.

Like a pack of ravening wolves, the media has turned on the Duggars. “Hypocrites!” they scream.
Megyn Kelly had interviewed some of the older “victims,” of their brothers inappropriate touching. I put the word “victim” in quotations marks because they were each asleep when it occurred. They didn’t feel like ‘victims.’ She asked them if the “Duggars have any more family secrets.”
When their brother confessed that he did  have more secrets, deeper and darker than the first, Megyn Kelly/Fox news played the clip of the question over and over to her viewers, promising “deeper and darker secrets to be revealed, like a side show circus barker. I felt that she betrayed them. She deliberated called their integrity into question, as though a little sister is likely to know her married brother’s hidden sins. Fox News made them the victims for a third time.

The only reason it’s news is because the Duggars have stood for something. They follow through with complete commitment to family values.  The work, pray and play together. They are careful to exclude influences they believe will harm their children. They are faithful members of a church family.

I believe that they have sincerely tried to everything God wants them to do in raising their family.

They’ve learned lessons as their children have become adults. You can control outside influences, but the natural man still has tendencies to separate us from God. We’re still partaking of the forbidden fruit, no matter how beautiful the garden is.
Parents can (and MUST) teach their children to love God, love their neighbor, to do good and to work hard. They can and must teach their children to be true disciples of Jesus, not just in some old traditional-lip-service way, but all the way to the bottom of their lives. Faith must be demonstrated and taught through the scriptures and prayer, and constant service. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the needy.

AND then they must hope and pray and plead that the children choose to continue on that path once they are choosing for themselves in their own homes.

What greater sorrow can parents who have given it all they had, receive than to have a child pursue the secret, insidious evil of internet porn or stepping through the cyber portal into real-life infidelity. Jesus said to look at woman to lust after her is committing adultery with her in the heart. How much worse to actually engage with another person, so that a multitude of people are wounded and scarred.

So why do we chuckle over it when we see it on TV? Why do we enjoy an appetite for sensational sins on the evening news? Why do we expect it on movies and TV dramas and give awards for its portrayal?
If all this is true, how can we howl when a young man succumbs to temptation and acts on those messages?
Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone at her.” (the adulteress)
We do it because we know Josh Duggar knew better. We know that the Duggar family truly taught high values and moral principles. Yes, he knew better.
But so do we. We are no less hypocritical than Josh Duggar if we know that sexual impurity is wrong, evil, destructive, and forbidden by God, yet we laugh at it in our entertainment, we hope for it in our literature, expect it in drama and give out awards for its convincing portrayal.
We can rationalize but statistics for the harm it does in families will not support rationalization or justification.
 We know that the divorce rate in the US is disgraceful. 40% of American children are born to unwed mothers.  Half of the children born into two-parent homes will see the divorce of their parents.
Cheating on spouses is encouraged and labeled “normal and expected” by researchers.

Yet the media are the first to scream and stomp and rage when someone who promotes Biblical values, and sustains the principles of righteousness publicly fails to do so privately.
Not only has media stoned Josh Duggar, they’ve stoned all of his relations, making sure that his sins are double edged.

We’re living a in dangerous world, brothers and sisters. We all need to keep our eyes on the Lord and come unto Him with full purpose of heart, or we’ll all go astray. We need to love and honor our spouses and families. We need to teach and train and love and prepare our children to be barraged with a cacophony of evil messages that will only bring them woe and heartache if they follow it.

We must give our children religious principles of righteousness, honesty, love, kindness, virtue, self-control,work and fidelity because they won’t be getting those lessons much elsewhere.

Jesus promised to forgive only those who are willing to forgive others. We cannot expect his mercy if we show none toward others. Even in social media! Even in the double standards we accept daily.

Keep trying, Duggars. Keep speaking for truth and righteousness. You’ll be castigated and condemned for falling short of the glory of God. . .like all the rest of us. But keep raising your voices in defense of the family and doing the best you can.  I join my prayers to yours that our children will be able to thrust aside Satan and his followers, those who will attempt to destroy them.

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