BBQ Chicken

Like everyone else, I have weeks when I know I'm not going to be home long enough to cook much. Those are the weeks I try to make something that will last several days so I can live on leftovers. This is one of my favorite easily fixed/easily reheated recipes.

The BBQ sauce recipe came from my pastor's wife at the church I attended from college until very recently. She always brought meatballs with this sauce to all the carry-ins, and I don't think she often took any home. I'm kind of picky about BBQ, and this is the best recipe I've ever found (at least for my tastes). I've also used it in a small slow cooker with little sausages/hot dogs as a party appetizer.

Since the season of busyness AND parties has arrived, I thought maybe this was a good one to share with you now!

Recipe:

1 whole chicken (thawed)
2 cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Put whole chicken in slow cooker for 8 hours on low (adjust time as necessary until thoroughly cooked). Pull chicken from bone and place in large bowl. Mix together ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke, garlic powder, and onion powder until sugar is dissolved. Pour over chicken and mix up well. Serve warm.

****PLEASE NOTE**** The BBQ sauce recipe will make more than you need for a chicken, unless you like a lot of sauce. I usually cut the recipe in half.

My sister introduced me to the slow cooker liners, which are AMAZING. You can find them in the grocery store near the plastic bags/foil/wax paper. Whenever you're making a messy slow cooker recipe, you can line your cooker with these bags to make a MUCH simpler cleanup. When you're done cooking, just gather up the bag, tie it, and toss it! Totally worth the money in my opinion.

Here is another of my favorite kitchen gadgets. My former roommate, Angela, gave this to me for Christmas one year, and it is wonderful. KitchenArt.com makes these spice/candy carousels. There are basic models, but mine is the elite model, which not only stores the spice, but has an auto-measure on it too. I keep my most frequently used spices in this so I don't have to dig through the cabinet every time I cook. it spins around, and when you find the one you want...

...you can use the 1/4 teaspoon measure feature on the bottom and save using a spoon! You just rotate the end cap, and every click is 1/4 teaspoon.

Okay - on to the actual recipe. I usually end up freezing the chickens when I buy them, and then I thaw them out in the refrigerator for a couple of days before I actually cook them. And in case you've never before cooked with liquid smoke...a little goes a long way.

Here is the chicken straight out of the packaging. I don't even add water - since it's packed in water. I usually put it in to cook when I leave for work in the morning....

...and by the time I come home, it's done cooking! I use a thermometer to check it - just to make myself feel better. The thermometer has a poultry reading on it, so I measure it against that.

I just put my bowl beside the slow cooker and use a fork to pull the meat from the bone. It's HOT, so be careful!

Once I have all the meat in the bowl, I pick through it to shred it and to check for any pieces of bone.

See? Smaller pieces.

Just a little bowl will work for the BBQ sauce ingredients. This is the half recipe. If you make enough meatballs to fill a full 5 quart slow cooker, you'll need the full recipe.

TA-DA!!! I just put the lid on the bowl and stick it in the refrigerator until I'm ready to eat, and then I warm up enough for one sandwich.

Thoughtlet(s)

The staff over at Malott's blog always leaves great little quotes...so I'm borrowing the idea. I read this in a Matthew Henry commentary during my Psalm 119 study tonight:

"Those that love the world have great vexation, for it does not answer what they expect; those that love God's Word have great peace, for it outdoes what they expect."

Not only do I love the quote...but the word "vexation" is dreadfully underused in general conversation, I think.

Bits for Sunday, November 23, 2008

I always tell Dad when he preaches that “less is more.” Today I shall take my own advice and without further ado, present to you my list of 30 random things I’m thankful for in this season of Thanksgiving.

1. Clean sheets of paper. Though I do much of my writing on my computer, I still love the beauty of an unmarked page just waiting for thoughts to flow.

2. Cooking, cooking, cooking. New recipes, old recipes, dinner for just me, or hosting a whole holiday – I love to cook. And I love to watch others enjoy the finished product.

3. Giant coffee mugs. I realize the one I filled with hot chocolate tonight is probably four times the size of the “recommended” serving muglets that came with dinnerware sets of yore – but everything tastes better in an oversized mug.

4. Lower gas prices. I don’t know how long we get to enjoy this, but it is a tremendous blessing to be able to take a trip outside a four mile radius of my home without rationing my pennies.

5. New Bibles. As I’ve heavily studied Psalm 119 over the past few weeks, I’ve delighted in filling up the wide margins of my Bible with all the things I’ve learned along the way.

6. Sales. From clothing to seasonal stuff for my house…it’s been a good couple of weeks in the sale department. What a retail rush!!

7. Fleece. Sheets, blankets, sweatshirts, whatever I can find. How ever would I stay warm, were it not for fleece?

8. New friends. The changes that have come about in my life this year have brought many new friends my way…and yet they’ve welcomed me so warmly that I feel I’ve known them forever.

9. Old friends. Of course no amount of new friends could take the place of those who have loved me all along the way…I’m thankful they’ve stayed by me and have chosen to allow me a place in their lives.

10. Stamping. Whether I’m making cards or scrapping…or just looking upon the stamp collection with warm thoughts in my heart…I’m glad I stumbled upon my first stamp in that craft store 15 or so years ago!

11. A job. Though sometimes it drives me to tears, I am very aware that to have a job is a blessing, and I do not take it for granted.

12. My elliptical machine. Speaking of things that drive me to tears…or wait. Maybe it’s just sweat. I invested in a little elliptical machine a couple of years ago, and I’m glad I did…unless you ask me within five minutes of being on it.

13. Massages. Funny how talking about the elliptical led me straight to the massage thoughts. I am not a regular recipient of massages – and perhaps that is what makes me more thankful for them when I do get the treat!

14. Blogging buddies. Jim, thank you for convincing me to join the blogging world. The friends I’ve met herehave been sweet encouragements to me – and even though I’ve never met many of you in person , I’ve learned so much.

15. Music. If you’ve driven past me, waved at me, and received no acknowledgement, don’t take it personally. I was probably singing along with someone…and having the time of my life.

16. My home. I love coming home – and I am glad others say they enjoy coming to my home. I love the memories of the years my grandparents spent here, but I also love that it’s become mine.

17. Good foundation. In our Sunday School class this morning, we talked about teachers and mentors, and I’m freshly aware of how many good people invested in me along the way to give me a good shot at life.

18. Right now. Speaking of Sunday School…last week we talked about being aware of this moment and appreciating it for what it is. The “right now” of life is good – and I’m thankful for it.

19. Free turkey. You can’t beat coming home from church to find a free turkey waiting for you on your porch! Now if only I could replicate what I saw Sandra Lee do with that butter basted turkey…

20. Books. I just rearranged my bookshelves here at home, and I love walking by and seeing all the sources of wisdom I’ve learned from over the years.

21. Words. Where there are books, there are words. I love a good word – and I love working in an office with fellow word-lovers who drop a great twenty-dollar word every now and then.

22. Leaf vacuums. My rake has officially retired, and the bag on my leaf vac has turned a lovely shade of mud after this last leaf season. But blessings upon its inventor. He or she has saved my back.

23. Church. All three of them I’ve attended throughout my life. The first gave me a great foundation. The second significantly molded me into the person I am today. And the third has been a huge blessing to me this year!

24. Sonic. Nothing really follows church well, so I’ll just keep going. We recently got a Sonic in town and it is officially my new favorite place to eat. It even (brace yourself) surpasses Burger King. (GASP!)

25. Pre-hinged trees. Last year I purchased a new Christmas tree for my bedroom. I didn’t have to sort branches and the cats couldn’t slide down one side and rip it all apart. I was hooked. All my trees from now on must be this design. Period.

26. Christmas décor. And speaking of trees – in less than a week, we’ll be in my favorite season of the entire year. Can’t wait for all the lights and sparkle!

27. Working appliances. Since this has been the year of the appliance revolt in Bekahland, I’m thankful to report that I have working appliances. My food stays cold, and my clothes wash or dry as needed.

28. Laughter. Yes, I’m usually laughing at myself and some stupid thing I say (manifesto) or do (magic marker hair color), but I’m thankful for laughter. The days are certainly much nicer when I can laugh.

29. Unknown blessings. The usher who prayed at church today thanked God for the blessings we don’t even know we have. I loved that. I’m sure I miss dozens every day. And yet He sends them anyway.

30. Thirty years. Thirty may be the new twenty, but there are many people who never get to enjoy thirty whole years of life. I was a surprise…but I’m glad I surprised the fam. It’s been a good thirty years.

Kaegan and Gregorian Chants

My cats have very distinct personalities. Distinctly different. Braeya (who is all two) loves to be with me wherever I go. She meets me at the door every time I come home, and when I'm barely inside, she flops over on her back and wants her tummy rubbed. She stays underfoot until she gets her treat (which she promptly disregards to continue following me throughout the house). If I go in a room and close the door, she sits outside until I open it again. When I work on the computer, she sleeps on the couch behind me. When I watch TV, she sleeps beside me. When I work out, she watches. When I go to bed, she finds her way down by my feet and stays there. But she doesn't like to be held. No cuddling.

Kaegan, who is the wise old seven year old, is mostly content to be by himself. He knows Braeya will be with me, and that gives him an enormous break from his energetic sister. He can be found under the bed, in the closet, behind the bathroom door, and probably a handful of other hiding places I don't even know about. He graces me with his presence only when he deems it necessary, but when he does, he loves to love. And bless his precious heart, he always shows up when I'm upset, and as long as I don't make any sudden moves that scare him, he willingly lets me pick him up and hold him for several minutes. He purrs and nudges my head with his face - his version of a hug and kiss.

Last week I had a pretty upsetting day at work and came home completely exhausted and crying. Braeya greeted me and continued her tour of the house, but I sat down and stared. Pretty soon, Kaegan sauntered into the room, came right up to me, cried once, and I picked him up. We probably sat there for ten minutes. I didn't say anything. I just sat and hugged him. And every now and then he'd look up at me, purr a little louder, and nudge me with his nose. And that's what I love about Kaegan. He's just good like that.

Last night I got a phone call from one of my friends...really out of the blue. We ended up talking for two hours - late into the night. I had some things on my mind that were confusing me and he just listened and gave good advice. And when I was most confused of all - he broke out in song. Gregorian chants, actually. Crazy, isn't it? But you know, I started giggling and couldn't stop. And this morning when I woke up (realizing just how much sleep I'd forfeited), I thought Now that is a good friend...one who will stay on the phone forever, letting you make verbal sense of your confusion and when it really gets overwhelming...he'll break into Gregorian chants.

If I can be so bold as to start my "I'm thankful for..." list a week early...these are my picks for today.

Bits for Sunday, November 16, 2008

The church bulletin reminded me this morning that next week is the all-church Thanksgiving lunch…so I pulled out the day planner and scratched notes to come up with a dish or two to make for the carry-in.

We’re smack in the middle of registration season at work, I’m trying valiantly to finish making and signing all my Christmas cards, and I’ve been spending extra time writing lately, so I completely lost all track of time. Thanksgiving is next week!

This year I get to take it easy on Thanksgiving. I’m not the hostess, so my sole responsibility is to assemble the broccoli salad and show up on time with an empty stomach to fully enjoy the turkey and its entourage of treats.

Thinking about Thanksgivings of yore took me back to the year of Thanksgiving disasters. I have shared about this one before, but it happened about five years ago, so chances are, you’ve forgotten about it and I can relive the joy once more.

That year, I was in the middle of a particularly confusing “love life” situation. I use that term very loosely because love wasn’t involved at all, but the whole he-might-like-me-he-might-not-even-care see-saw was enough to drive me crazy. I spent the entire day before Thanksgiving at the neighbor’s house, crying into multiple cups of coffee and rambling incoherently.

When I finally came home, I let my journal take over for the neighbor’s exhausted ear. Mid-written-rant, I happened to notice my unpaid credit card bill sitting on the desk beside me. I vaguely remembered seeing a newer version of a credit card bill in the recent mail deliveries, so I rushed around until I found an unopened envelope I’d tossed aside in the pre-Thanksgiving madness. I ripped it open and sure enough…proof in writing that the bill on the desk had gone unpaid. I now owed for my purchase, plus the late fee and the finance charge.

I had just enough time to get to the bank, transfer money into my checking account, and get to the store to pay my credit card bill before all retail-ville shut down in anticipation of Black Friday. While en-route to the store, I realized I might not have enough gas to even get across town. I stopped to add a little fuel…and the pump didn’t work. Well of course it didn’t!

I went into the station to see if they were experiencing technical difficulties or if I had ceased to possess enough intelligence to pump gas. Three other customers stood in line with me – and we all had the same question. We were advised to move along to the next station for speedy service. At that point, I didn’t care if I had to be towed home. I was not going to another gas station. I drove to the mall on fumes and prayer, only to discover when I got there…my gas cap was standing wide open. Super.

Thanksgiving morning, I got up with a firm resolve to not worry about silly boys, unpaid bills, or empty gas tanks. I busied myself with meal preparations, ready to welcome the faithful few attending our family dinner that year. I lit candles, set the table, played some music, whipped up the food that was my responsibility to make…and waited for life to improve.

Halfway through dinner, I noticed an odd running-water sound. Since all of us were gathered at the table and Kaegan hadn’t mastered the skill of turning on a faucet, I wasn’t sure what to make of this sound. Then I saw it out of the corner of my eye…my red three-wick candle had sprung a leak in the front and a fountain of red wax gushed down the front of the buffet and landed in a puddle on the tan carpet.

And my sister, who was my landlady at the time, sat right there taking it all in.

Oops.

After dinner, everyone sat around talking…eating…watching TV…and I curled up on the floor with a roll of paper towel and my iron, working on that stupid wax puddle. And to top it all off, I broke my thumbnail trying to chip wax out of the wood on the front of the buffet.

So after a year like that, I think I’m content to carry-in to various dinners. It certainly has to be less stressful than being the hostess with the mostest.

Baked Potato Soup

God Bless You, Skyepuppy, for telling me how to rearrange the pictures without losing my mind!!! It worked! :)

Well I don't know what the weather's like where you live, but in Indiana it has settled into day after day of cold and rain. Consequently, the time has arrived to break out the comfort food. This is one of my favorite comfort dishes. I first had this soup at the home of my friends, Jon and Julie. They used to live just around the corner from me, and sometimes on a Friday or Saturday night, they would invite me over for dinner, coffee, and a movie. One evening, Julie made this and it was so tasty...I just had to have the recipe.

It really doesn't take very long to make, and it works well as a leftover. I can probably get five or six meals out of this recipe - depending on how hungry I happen to be each time I dip into it. :) I also love all the colors in the dish. Regular potato soup is so boring in color - but not this one! (And just so you know, "soup" isn't really the right word for this dish. It is extremely thick.)

Recipe:

2 cups of milk
4 Tablespoons of flour
1 bag of shredded cheese
1 bunch of green onions
Bacon Bits
1 cup of sour cream
3 Tablespoons of butter
4 or 5 baked potatoes

Bake potatoes and set aside. Melt butter in large pan on stove. Stir in flour. Add milk and stir at low/medium heat until thickened. Add 2 chopped green onions, 2 Tablespoons of bacon bits, 1 cup of cheese, and the potatoes. Cook until thick - about 10-15 minutes. Add the sour cream and cook and additional 5-10 minutes. Garnish with bacon bits, remaining cheese, and green onions.


You can use whatever blend of cheese you like. I usually use a blend of white and yellow cheese. If the potatoes are very big, four will be plenty. Since the soup is pretty thick anyway, you don't want to have too much extra potato in there. You can use light or fat free sour cream if you want - it works just fine.

I bake the potatoes in the microwave on a dinner plate to save some time. You can bake them in the oven if you work ahead far enough to have that kind of time. When I bake the potatoes in the oven, I wrap them in foil, pierce them on all sides (to keep them from exploding), and bake them for about an hour at 375. (If a fork doesn't slide out easily at that point, I let them bake longer.) My microwave has a baked potato setting, and when I'm doing four potatoes at once, I run the setting twice. I think they end up staying in there about 15 minutes. Don't forget to pierce them before putting them in the microwave too! AND NO FOIL IN THE MICROWAVE!
While they bake, I cut the green onions. I usually chop up about three bunches - which is more than the recipe calls for, but I like the extra color and flavor.
When the potatoes are done cooking, I slice them open to let them cool a bit while the soup begins to cook. The first few times I made this, I didn't touch the potatoes until I was ready to use them and then they were too hot to work with. This step definitely helps!

I use a fairly big stock pot for this - it makes it easier to stir toward the end when everything is in the pot. Once the butter has melted, I add the flour. The flour absorbs the butter pretty quickly and turns into a paste of sorts.

When I add the milk, I smoosh out the little pieces of flour/butter paste that are left. During this step, the soup stays pretty runny, but beware - as you begin to add other things and it starts to thicken, it thickens quickly. Be ready to stir it frequently so it doesn't burn on the bottom!

I admit I don't really measure the cheese, onions and bacon. I just kind of dump in what I think looks good - which is usually a little bit more of each thing than the recipe calls for. But look how colorful! :)

While that part softens and thickens, I start scooping the potato out of the skin. I've found this to be a much easier method than trying to cut them into squares. I just scoop them out with a teaspoon and...

...put them in the pot with everything else. This is the step where things are thickening so quickly that it burns easily on the bottom, so keep stirring! I admit, I don't always let this step go the full 10-15 minutes. The potatoes are already cooked, so if the cheese appears to be melted, I move on.

...Add the sour cream - and I don't let this step cook the full amount of time either (mostly because I'm starving at this point). I just let it cook long enough to warm up the sour cream.

Ta-da!!!! Soup ready to be served!!

I usually add a little dollop of sour cream on top, along with more cheese, bacon bits, and green onion. It really is a very pretty dish to serve.

Smart Girl

I forget the name of this game...kind of like scrabble but without the board. I didn't do very well, but Braeya was very interested in participating.

Bits for Sunday, November 9, 2008

Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Psalm 119:89

I opened my Bible this evening to do my stanza study in Psalm 119, and that was the first verse awaiting me. How appropriate that this verse should immediately follow the weekend I just experienced.

People often ask me if I intend to pursue my master’s degree, and my standard response is I haven’t yet recovered from undergrad, and until I do, I will not be seeking any further degree. I’ve watched many of my friends earn a graduate degree and quite frankly – they exhausted me. Watching them try to juggle work and family and “having a life” with homework and class did not look in any way appealing.

While I cannot be persuaded (presently, anyway) to receive more letters behind my name, I was willing to at least pour more learning into this brain of mine. Therefore, Friday and Saturday I treated myself to a getaway at a writer’s conference. These sorts of events stretch me, because I’m not one to rush (alone) into a mass of people I don’t know and spend a concentrated amount of time learning to fit in with them. Perhaps this is why I write. That can be done alone in a corner of the house with a cup of coffee on the desk and the TV running in the background.

Nevertheless, I loaded the car with a pile of my writing, my day planner, and a large sweet tea and braved an hour on the interstate to attend the conference. I texted one of my friends partway through the weekend, saying something like, “We writers are a strange lot.” She responded that it must be the artist in us. Probably true. The young and the old, the laptop junkies and the prefer-pen-and-paper traditionalists, the oft published and those who wanted to see if this whole writing thing was really for them, the suits and the sweatpants, the coffee drinkers and the bottled-water-only health nuts. We converged in hopes of, as they say in writing land, “honing our craft.”

I sat through six workshops, four general sessions, and one panel discussion, all the while taking notes in the day planner and handouts issued. I found myself as excited to hear what I was doing right as a writer as I was to learn new things.

Most exciting to me was the chance to meet with an editor. I told one of my friends that this sort of thing feels like the American Idol of the writing world. Trying to make those connections with someone who might know someone who might know someone…well, it isn’t easy. I had exactly fifteen minutes to sit at a table with a woman whose name I had chosen at random, praying (literally) that she was the best fit for the type of writing I do. As I waited in line for her to finish the appointment before me, I worried about my outfit – since it suddenly occurred to me that this was a job interview of sorts and I felt dreadfully underdressed for the occasion. I scrambled to think of words to say that would leave a positive impression.

Fortunately my moment arrived before I had a chance to fall apart completely. I sat down, listened to her tell about her role in the industry and then shared with her the type of writing I do. A bit hesitantly, I pulled out my binder of sample writing and tried not to look too pained as I watched for her reaction.

She liked it!

If I’d learned nothing the entire weekend, that moment of approval was worth every moment on the interstate and every dollar of the conference fee. I have no idea what will happen from here – but if you’re interested in praying for me about it – I will not turn you away. I have been invited to send her a sample of my work for further review, and that is an incredible opportunity. I’ve been thinking all weekend about which sample I should choose, and I think I have a pretty good idea of what I want to send.

In the final workshop I attended, the facilitator closed with this quote by Lee Roddy:

Write so Heaven will be different.

As the verse in Psalm 119 says, the only Word that stands forever is the Word of the Lord. No matter how much labor I put into the words I write, I know they will one day be gone. But my goal is that the words I write about the Word will fit in with Lee Roddy’s quote.

Pastor Brian, This One is Especially for You

Pastor Brian is especially fond of the story When Bekah Turned Her Hair Neon Orange. Actually maybe he doesn't like the story, but he does like the picture.

So today I have a new hair story. (And yes, I do realize these things should bring me enough embarrassment that I should not share them, but I figure if I can bring a laugh to someone's day, then that is a good thing. And since my ENTIRE OFFICE has laughed, I share....)

Since you already know this anyway, I'll admit it out loud. I'm too vain for my own good. It's one of my flaws, yet also part of my charm. (Or so I like to say.) I think you all know that I am, as my boss likes to say, "chemically dependant" when it comes to hair. I've been dyeing my hair since the grays got out of control about five years ago. And I've been having it professionally altered ever since the great orange fiasco of 2006.

I am five days away from my next "treatment." That is about fifteen days too late. The hair has gone from gray to silver to flat out white in the very front. I am TOO YOUNG to be sporting a white patch right in the front of my head.

So last night I um...colored it with a marker. A stamping marker. Close to Cocoa was the exact color. It worked out just fine.

This morning I came to work without having rewashed it (every other day for my hair) - and my friend Tammy said "Girl, you got some punk red going on in your hair." I rushed to the mirror. Yes. The Close to Cocoa had morphed into Ronald McDonald red overnight and in the NON-fluorescent lights of my home, I had not known this.

Oh BROTHER.

So I stood in the Business Office while one of the girls recolored it with a brown (scented, no less) magic marker. It isn't perfect, but it's better.

Until my supervisor came in. (I'd told him the story) and he said, "Hey your hair matches your lipstick." Great. Raisinberry hair.

Not All About the Cats

Chris, I know that I talk about the cats all the time. I know that I over-defend the feline population - especially when they seem to be under-defended.

BUT.

I wanted to show you that I do genuinely like dogs too. Case in point:

No, she's not mine. She belongs to one of my friends, but when I showed up at the apartment, she promptly sat. ON me. And just in case you weren't sure - she's not little! But I just loved her. She was a lot of fun.

I hope this redeems me at least a tiny bit from all the excessive defense of the cats.

The Official Election Day Post

I normally leave all the political chat to those who can speak with more eloquence on the subject than I...

...but it is election day, so I'll throw in my story.

Last night when I decided to work out at the gym, I dug through my purse for my driver's license, so I wouldn't have to lug my whole purse to the gym. No license. I freaked out. A.) How long had I been driving around without it in my wallet? 2.) Where was it? C.) I VOTE IN LESS THAN TWELVE HOURS!!!!!

Found it. It was with the stack of prayer cards I take to the gym to count my laps. Apparently it had been there since last week when I went to the gym. Good thing I didn't get pulled over recently! And a blessed good thing I decided to go to the gym last night - when I almost didn't. Can you just imagine me getting in line to vote and discovering I was license-less?

I woke up (by the sheer force of multiple alarms) at 5:40, ate two pieces of toast, and went to vote at six on the dot - in my pajamas, sporting my bedhead, smeary masacara and all.

I'm not fond of my voting location - for safety reasons. This is the first time I've had to go there by myself. Wren, if you're reading this, can you convince your husband to move back here so we can continue our tradition of voting together for safety in numbers?? For a few years the location changed to a better spot and now it's back to scary-ville. You can imagine my joy at the prospect of waiting in the dark, outside, in my jammies. But fortunately my outside wait was only about fifteen minutes.

Add another hour to the inside wait. I was three people up in line from my friend Amber, and as I approached the sign-in table, I leaned around and said, "HEY! Watch this. When I get up here, this lady is going to ask me if I'm related to Dave and tell me that her sons had him in school." She took my license, told me where to sign (after looking for my name in a variety of creative-yet-wrong spellings of my last name) and said to me, "Are you related to Dave? My sons had him for a teacher!" I could hear Amber cracking up behind me.

But at last, after winding my way around tables in the little room and listening to people call to report that their spouse would need to find alternate transportation for the kids...or that they'd be late to work...I voted.

And I was only 3 minutes late to work. I thought that was pretty excellent considering I'd not even STARTED getting ready.

My only comment on the whole thing is that this is a huge shame. (NOTE - the link doesn't work anymore, but the story was about 3 firefighters who lost their chance to vote because they had already signed in when they received a fire call and they left the line to go to the fire. When they came back, they were told they could not vote, because Indiana law says once you sign in, you vote or you forfeit.)

Bits for Sunday, November 2, 2008

This morning in our Sunday School class we talked about ways to keep that “vine and branch” connection with God. We went over all of the seemingly obvious patterns that keep the relationship going…reading the Bible, praying, going to church. And then we went on to talk about the things that get in the way of those patterns.

You know that I love to read and study the Bible, but this year I’d found myself getting in a bit of a rut with some of the methods of study I’d determined to use. Because I’m pretty disciplined, I did a great job of showing up and going through the motions, but I became less and less impacted by what I read. And I began to miss that connection.

I read through a blog a few weeks ago in which the author mentioned that she’d recently studied Psalm 119. Having read through the Old Testament twice, I knew I had read the Psalm at least two times, but I had never really studied it in depth. But before I just jumped in and started reading, I asked one of my friends if she would be interested in reading it too. She agreed, and now we study a few verses each day and talk about them the next day. It has been one of the biggest blessings in my Bible study all year! I love hearing her thoughts on each verse, seeing things from her perspective, and picking up on nuggets of wisdom that would have probably remained hidden to me on my own. Plus, knowing that we’ll need to chat makes for great accountability to keep on track!

I love the big margins in Psalms, because it gives me a chance to scratch notes and word studies out to the side, mark up the cross reference column, and really “live” in the words of the Word.

Besides just studying the words themselves, I’ve also been reading from Matthew Henry’s commentary, and some of his insights on this Psalm have caused me to stop and ponder the words of the verses just a bit more carefully.

One of my favorite things about studying the Bible is the way the right verses seem to pop up at the right time. One evening last week, I had a lot going on in my mind, and I just happened to be ready for verses 49-56. I sat, pencil in hand, drawing arrows and making notes in the margin of the Bible, when I hit the last two verses of that section:

In the night I remember your name, O Lord, and I will keep your law. This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.

When I looked up the word “night” – the word study said it meant “gloom.” In the moments of sadness or even despair – my job is to remember my commitment to God and to be obedient to what He asks of me. That doesn’t come easily to me, but it was a very good and necessary reminder to me that this needs to be my focus when times are any version of tough.

And when I went on to read that second part…This has been my practice: I obey your precepts…what an awesome legacy to leave! What would it be like to live life in such a way that this verse could be said of me when I’m gone? I’ve been chewing on that one ever since I read it.

I could write for pages and pages (and believe me, I have) about the things I’ve been learning, but I just wanted to share that tiny bit with you in hopes that it might make you think. And who knows…maybe after a few more days of study, I’ll have more to share.