I had a few choices for products starting with J this week, but had to go with the Jar Opener. I don’t know about anyone else, but there are way too many times in my life when I have had trouble opening the lid on the jar. It doesn’t matter if I have opened it before or not. Sometimes, someone follows behind me and closes the jar so tightly that I have to ask them to reopen it for me. Granted my hand strength is not what it used to be when I was younger, but even then, I sometimes struggled to get the lid off. One of the things I love most about this product is that I can mount it under my kitchen cabinet or I can use it by hand. The hand is soft, comfortable, and easy to use.
Every time I use the Jar Opener, I remember how my faith helps me open up my belief system and explore my beliefs, some of which are outdated and need to be taken out of my jar. Some items need to be taken out of my jar and sometimes items need to be put in.
Read moreWe all know that the end of this month is Thanksgiving, but how many of you know that this month is National Peanut Butter Month. So this week I am paying homage to Peanut Butter. I love peanut butter for a few reasons. One being that it has taught me some amazing life lessons.
A friend of mine tells the story of how much he hates peanut butter, but would make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for his daughters who loved them. One day he realized that he was imposing his disdain for peanut butter on his daughter without even realizing it. He realized it when his daughter complained that he put too much jelly, which he loved, and not enough peanut butter on her sandwich. He was so focused on what he loved that he was not thinking about what she enjoyed and what spoke to her. To this day he still hates peanut butter, but puts more peanut butter on his daughter’s sandwiches and less jelly, which she enjoys, but not as much as the peanut butter. His story reminds me of how easy it is to put our needs and desires over others.
Read moreThis evening, one of the women who came for Love and Inspiration, brought a bag of Fiesta Mix she had picked up at the store. Fiesta Mix, for those who have never had it, is a combination of pretzels, Cheetos, and two kinds of tortilla chips. I guess you could say it is a junk food party in your mouth. When she first brought the bag, it seemed like your ordinary bag of mixed snacks.
As our discussion about things happening in our life progressed, I realize that even something as simple as this mixed bowl of snacks had a powerful lesson to share.
Read moreI know I was supposed to write about a Q thing this week, but I had an epiphany the other day while taking a 15-minute break and found myself in a quandary over whether to pay attention to my new P inspiration, my Q inspiration or write about both my P and my Q. In sharing with my followers on FB that I was discerning what to do most said to follow my instinct and inspiration and give myself another P week. A few told me to write about both my P and my Q. One of my friends, had a sense of humor, and shared that it was nice to see me paying attention to my P and Q. (LOL – Thanks Milton). So after some prayer and meditation, I have decided to do my P thing.
I was taking a short break from my normal routine of reading, writing, grading, and editing and when I turned on the television, Food Networks new show The Kitchen was on and Katie Lee was showing an easy way to get the seeds out of a pomegranate
Read moreThis week I had this epiphany while I was baking. I baked dozens of biscuits and loaves of bread and in the process of being creative with my bread and biscuit making; I had one of those AHA moments. You know that moment when you see something you have never been able to see before. Or maybe you saw it before, but now you are seeing it in a new way.
I have been aware of how my ability to become increasingly creative in the kitchen has enabled me to tap into a zenful state that avoids me when I am following someone else’s recipe. For me, it is like those shoes that feel great when you first try them on in the store, but after walking in them for a few hours, you realize they are nice, but not exactly what you are looking for. Unlike the shoes, I can adapt the recipe to the needs of my palette or that of the person or people for which I am cooking.
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