Sunday Sentiments: God is Working

 

Yesterday I went to a women’s conference – the same one I spoke at last year. My friend Michelle was the speaker this year, and she presented two beautiful sessions on the life of Esther. She said some wise things that made their way into my Bible notes, and I wanted to share one of them with you today.

            She reminded all of us that “God is working, even when we cannot see, hear, or feel Him.” She shared multiple examples from the book of Esther that showed how God was at work in Esther’s life and the lives of those whose stories intersected with hers.

            It wasn’t new information, of course, but it was a good word that I needed to be reminded of yesterday.

            She also said “There was no big miracle in the book of Esther, and yet the result was miraculous.” It’s true! The book doesn’t tell of healings or people raised from the dead or food multiplied. Seas didn’t part, plagues didn’t descend, and voices didn’t come from burning bushes. All the stuff of miracles we think of from the Bible didn’t exist in this book.

            And yet God was at work and the miraculous did result. Esther and her people were spared.

            And God is the same today as He was then – working when we cannot see, hear, or feel him. Working on miraculous results that may not appear through a singular, wild miracle.

            Maybe you need to hear that too?

Saturday Suggestions: Inspirations for Your Weekend

 

Good morning, friends! Hope you are having a great Saturday. I’m enjoying a women’s conference today. Excited to cheer on my friend, Michelle, who is speaking, and to learn from her! While I’m learning, I will share with you some of the things I ran across this week!

ONE. 

I loved this house tour of this cute little summer cottage!!! Books and lanterns everywhere, and the sweet little plant/flower pots outside. Adorable. BONUS: This house from Fixer Upper is on the market. Why can I not remember this episode??? Even so, it’s a beautiful house!

TWO. 

I was talking to my friend Kari about how fun it is to have a food bar. (She was just in charge of one last week…hence the conversation.) Taco bars…chili bars…potato bars…so much fun. But then I saw this one for a pancake taco bar, and I thought it looked delicious!! (Note…the pancake becomes the taco shell. These are not pancakes mixed with standard tacos. I think that might be too weird.) I kind of want to try it. Have you ever had one of these?

THREE. 

We have talked on here before about menu planning, and I’ve shared different resources for you to try in case you don’t have time to plan your own, but you need ideas for plans. I don’t think I’ve shared this one, though. There are a variety of plans here – both physical products and digital downloads. They include plans, shopping lists, recipes and everything you need (except the actual food on the plate). 😊 Just thought I’d share in case menu plans are causing you consternation right now!

FOUR. 

I have started thinking ahead to my fall capsule wardrobe, because next month, I’ll probably need to assemble it! September is such a weird month in Indiana. Is it summer? Is it fall? WHO KNOWS!?!?!?!?! Anyway. Found this sweatshirt and think it’s pretty perfect. What do you think?

FIVE. 

Whether or not you’re a picture-snapping nerd like I am, I think you can appreciate this story, about a guy who has been taking a picture a day since 1996 and just took his 10,000^th photo. I loved this story.

SIX. 

You know how we love a good roadside attraction. We’ve seen some of the “world’s largest” and other unusual sights on our travels around the US. Here’s a list of some new ideas if you, too, need some prompts on fun things to see while you’re out and about!

BONUS:

            And….here are this week’s capsule outfits:

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Monday, August 19, 2024

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Friday, August 23, 2024

Foodie Friday: Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

 

If you had told me five years ago (or really, even a year ago) that I would be telling you about a kale and Brussels sprouts salad, I would have quickly issued the “what you talkin’ about?” face.

            KALE??? BRUSSELS SPROUTS? TOGETHER? Stop it.

            And yet, here we are.

            Before you scroll on by, though, let me tell you a thing or two about why I’m sharing this one. First, let me say that I’d never eaten either one until well into my adult life. I think it was 2016, when Ryan and I were visiting friends in Wisconsin, that I tried my first Brussels sprout dish. Olivia roasted them with other vegetables for dinner on our first night with them, and I told myself I would eat them because it’s the polite thing to do when someone works hard to make something for you.

            Shockingly, I liked them. I absolutely could not believe it. I didn’t just like them. I had seconds. (Gasp.)

            I did learn, through trial and error, that I only like them fresh. We bought frozen ones once, and I roasted them, and they were slimy and awful. But fresh and roasted? Yes please!

            I’d never really had kale (to my knowledge) except in salad mixes that assembled every green possible in the same bowl.

            Earlier this year, I found this recipe on SkinnyTaste for a Brussels sprouts and kale salad. I was highly skeptical. HIGHLY. But I was in the mood to try new things, and my goodness, am I glad I tried this one. This truly reminds me of my beloved broccoli salad that I’ve made for so many years. It’s full of sugar and salad dressing, which makes it so yummy, but I have cut WAY back on both sugar and dressings, so I haven’t had broccoli salad for a while. The first time I made this salad, I told Ryan it reminded me of the broccoli salad, and he agreed.

            This comes together SO quickly and really is quite tasty. I know it sounds terrifying – but you never know! It might be a winner! And even if you don’t love cooked Brussels sprouts, you might like this one. They have a milder taste when not cooked.

            I’ve tweaked this one a little and here is our version:

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

½ Pound Brussels Sprouts, sliced
4 Cups Kale Leaves
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
½ Cup Chopped Pecans

Slice (or shred) the Brussels sprouts and combine with the kale in salad bowl. In separate dish, mix olive oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and salt. Mix very well and pour over vegetables. Toss until combined. Add grated cheese and pecans and serve.

Notes:

·         I buy my sprouts by the bag, and they come in one pound bags. I usually make this twice in a row, rather than doubling the recipe. We can’t eat it fast enough to keep a doubled recipe from getting a little soggy, so I just make it twice.

·         I buy organic kale because it seems to keep longer/better.

·         I grate my own Parmesan wedges and like it so much better than the standard grated Parmesan.

·         She recommends toasting the pecans. It would be really yummy, I’m sure, but I’m usually in too much of a hurry.

 

If you try it…enjoy!

Top Ten Memories of Summer 2024

 

            Summer isn’t over yet, and I’m not in a hurry to see it go away. I know we have another month, roughly, but I also know as we inch toward September, fall is making its way in. School is back in session, pumpkins are showing up on menu line items, and I’ve started wearing jeans more often than shorts.

            So while I welcome everything summer has left in it, I also celebrate the (some of the) best moments of the summer. Here they are in no particular order.

ONE. Serving at church during Pastor Jonathan’s sabbatical. 

This was one of my favorite memories from this entire year, so it clearly has to make the summer list, too. I loved this entire opportunity, as I’ve shared in this space already. I’ll always look back on this memory as a clarifying and defining moment of my summer, year, and even life.

TWO. Returning our home to “normal.” 

What is normal, anyway? So much of our summer was wrapped up in repairing some water damage, and I just wanted to cry with joy when we were able to put our living room back together and have our porch construction completed. It was a big undertaking, but we are so glad it’s finally done!

THREE. Going on vacation and enjoying new experiences! 

Yes, the whitewater rafting makes the list – possibly not in the favorites category, but in the I did it! category. But the whole trip was such fun! Mountains and farms and mansions…and so much good food. It was a wonderful getaway!

FOUR. Participating in our church’s groundbreaking ceremony. 

It was one of the most meaningful services I’ve ever been part of, and I am so thankful for what it meant to me! And this picture is my favorite from the entire year. Credit: Yellow Creek Photography.

FIVE. Trying pickleball. 

We both loved it more than we thought we would! Hoping we have more chances to play again soon.

SIX. Hosting my family for a lake day. 

It was fun to gather them here, serve lunch, enjoy a boat ride, and make some good memories. It was right after this that Mom’s heart issues came to light, so it was extra sweet to have this day together.

SEVEN. Enjoying sunsets and boat rides. 

Sunsets have been extra amazing this summer, and we’ve enjoyed our sunset cruises!

EIGHT. Having a great garden year! 

It’s still producing – wildly – and we are so thankful for everything we’ve gotten to enjoy along the way. Second year trying this, and it turned out really well!

NINE. Getting to see our friend Brent in concert. 

It was unexpected and last minute, but I’m so glad we got to hear him and talk to him for a while!

TEN. Seeing my niece for the first time in three years. 

So fun to have her here for a couple of days – and her mom came to visit this summer too! All the visitors!!!

            There was much more, of course. We were able to spend time with different friends, go out on date nights, and try new things. Super grateful for all of it! 

Celebrating 70 Years

 

Yesterday was Mom and Dad’s 70^th wedding anniversary, and we enjoyed a little celebration with them where they live!

            They’ve been receiving many cards over the last week, and it was so fun to get to see the giant stack of them! (I know some of you sent a card…thanks so much for helping to make their day!)

            My sisters and I went together to throw a little open house. It was simple – and it was fun watching Mom and Dad share this part of their life with their new friends where they live now.

            I shopped the house for table decorations. (Mom saw one of the flower arrangements and said, “Who are these from” I said, “Our bedroom!” I took that as a compliment to my faux flower arranging skills!) I did find a little wooden “70” at Hobby Lobby to add, but otherwise, I just brought pictures and flowers from home.

            Since they’re still so new where they live and many of their friends haven’t met much of the family, I brought in pictures of kids/in-laws/granddaughter/great-grandchildren so they could meet the family through pictures. I also brought the wedding album I’d made for their 50^th anniversary party – and Mom added her original wedding pictures. (People had such a fun time looking at them.)

            It’s not a party unless you have refreshments, right? I made chocolate chip cookies, mini-monster cookies, muddy buddy cookies, and then two cakes: chocolate poke cake and applesauce cake with caramel frosting.

            Their friends stopped by, brought cards, enjoyed some fellowship, and seemed to have a really good time!

            Tom and Julie came to be part of the celebration.

            Ryan was able to be there for part of it – while also still working.

            And here are the guests of honor! 

            As promised in yesterday’s post: the descriptions of clothing – though probably not as grand as the 1954 style you read yesterday:

            The bride wore a coral shirt with a coordinating coral knit cardigan, fastened at the top by a single button. She paired these with a khaki skirt and multi-colored slip-on shoes. The bridegroom wore khaki pants, shoes his wife prefers not to call attention to, and arrived in a light blue button-down dress shirt. As the party began, he removed that shirt in favor of the royal blue “Just Married…65 Years Ago” shirt he received…you guessed it…five years ago.

            Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad!

70 Years Ago...

 

            Miss Marilyn Kay Kesot, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Delmar Kesot, became the bride of David Eugene Freelan during a ceremony solemnized Friday at the South Marion Friends Church. The bridegroom is the son of Mrs. Adry Freelan, Modoc, and Eugene Freelan, Miami, Florida.

            The Rev. William A. Wagner, pastor of the Bethel Friends Church and a cousin of the bride, performed the single-ring rites at 8 p.m. before the altar, which was decorated with palms, two seven-branch candelabra and standards of white gladioli. Family pews were marked with white satin bows.

            Preceding the ceremony, Miss Janet Todd, organist, and Joseph Russell, violinist, presented several bridal selections. Miss Todd played “Ah Sweet Mystery of Life,” “O Promise Me,” “At Dawning,” “Because,” “Indian Love Call,” and Mr. Russell played “Traumerei,” “The Lord’s Prayer,” and “I Love You Truly” were sung by Harold Jackson.

            Given in marriage by her father, the bride was gowned in white Chantilly lace over taffeta. A sweetheart neckline accented the gown’s fitted bodice, which was trimmed with sequined medallions of the lace, and long lace sleeves ended in bridal points at the wrists. Her fingertip veil of imported illusion was held in place by a cap of lace and accordion pleated satin, studded with pearls and rhinestones. She carried a white Bible and a white orchid tied with white satin streamers in lover’s knots.

            A gown of raspberry red nylon net over satin and a matching stole and headband were worn by the maid of honor, Miss Jane Ann Wickham, Marion. Her flowers were a colonial arrangement of pink roses, blue carnations and daisy pompons.

            Bridesmaids were Mrs. Philip Haisley and Mrs. Rex Cassady, both of Marion. Their gowns were fashioned of orchid and yellow nylon net and satin, and they carried colonial bouquets of yellow roses, orchid carnations and daisy pompons. Each wore a headband and stole matching her gown.

            The taperlighters, Miss Beverly Kesot, sister of the bride, and Miss Gariselda Pefley, were attired in blue and lavender gowns of lace and net with matching lace boleros. Pink sweetheart roses formed their wrist corsages.

            Serving as best man was Russell Goff, Marion. Ushers included Larry Bricker and Robert Bradford, cousins of the bride, and Charles Heavilin, all of Marion and Kenneth Dickensheets, Sweetser.

            For her daughter’s wedding, Mrs. Kesot selected a dress of navy blue sheer, blue and white accessories, and a corsage of pink carnations. An aqua silk broadcloth costume with white accessories and a corsage of white roses was chosen by the mother of the bridegroom.

            Reception in honor of the couple was held in the Christian Education building of the church. A three-tiered wedding cake decorated in yellow and white and topped with the traditional bride and bridegroom centered the bridal table.

            Assisting with the serving were Mrs. Russell Goff, Miss Beverly Rice, Miss Rosemary Houk, Miss Carolyn Cain, Miss Phyllis Meredith, Miss Shirley Smith, and Miss Maralyn Higgins, all of Marion. Terry Bricker, cousin of the bride, served as usher, and Mrs. Norman Carter, Marion, was the pianist.

            For a wedding trip through the Midwest, the bride changed to a beige gabardine dress trimmed with rhinestones. Her accessories were red, and she wore a white orchid corsage.

            Mrs. Freelan is a graduate of the Marion High School. The bridegroom as graduated from Frankfort Pilgrim College High School in Frankfort and from Marion College. A member of Phi Delta Kappa and Pi Gamma Mu fraternities, he has done graduate work at Ball State Teachers College, Muncie. He is employed as a teacher in the Greene Township High School in St. Joseph County.

            The couple will reside in South Bend.

** Thanks, newspaper of 1954, for providing the content of today’s 70^th anniversary celebration. Also – can we agree that wedding coverage isn’t what it used to be?

            Enjoy these unintentionally recreated photos from our wedding and the original versions from Mom and Dad's. And...all our wedding photos in a collage!

            Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad. I will do my best to describe today’s outfits in great detail in tomorrow’s post. 😊