A Sunday I Will Never Forget

I finished Ree Drummond's "The Pioneer Woman Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - A Love Story" It was a fun read. There were several spots that I found myself laughing out loud at her stories, most which I could identify with in some way. Like her, I am a city-lovin and livin' gal and like Marlboro Man, Darryl is was a small town guy. Although we are opposites in many ways, it is our common belief in Jesus Christ that has united us in love and a successful marriage, it certainly wasn't my cooking. When it comes to love stories, I am a sucker. I love to hear how people have met and fallen in love and even more so when they’ve been married for years and they still have a twinkle in their eye for each other.

In the back of the book she listed some of her favorite recipes. Sunday I made my first Pioneer Woman's recipe, the Chicken Spaghetti. It is said to “soothes the soul…and warms a cowboy”. It was only a 50/50 hit at our house, I suppose because I was missing seasoned salt, cayenne pepper and a cowboy. She did say the key was seasoning it adequately, which I guess I did not accomplish. The kids tried it, but said, “it don’t taste good”. I couldn’t pry anything out past that description. I guess they will not ever be paid food critics.

On the other taste bud, Darryl and I loved it. As mentioned, I didn’t follow the recipe to a T. Since I didn’t have seasoned salt and cayenne pepper so I used Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb and Lemon Pepper instead, then I forgot to use the reserved 2 cups of broth from the chicken until the end. You are supposed to mix it in with all the ingredients, but I missed that, so instead I poured about 1 cup over the top after I had already topped it with cheese. I also choose to use the fat free version of the cream of mushroom soup and chicken breast instead of the cut-up fyer.

Cut up Chicken Breast, yum-o!

This is where I forgot to add the 2 cups of reserved broth

I realize that cut up fryers are cheaper and you get the full flavor of white and dark meat, but I just can’t cut up or tear apart a chicken, just doesn’t seem right hearing the bones crack and joints pop. When I have cooked a whole chicken guess who gets to debone it? Yep you guessed it…Darryl. In my opinion that is a man’s job. I can’t imagine having grown up in the days when you had to catch the chicken and ring it’s neck, we would have starved or just been vegetarians.

This is the point I remembered the broth, so I poured only one cup on top.

The kids were certainly fascinated that their Go-Go (grandma) took part in this activity of “ringing a chicken’s neck”, Darryl shared how his Aunt would chop the head off and that is were we get the term “running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off”. As you can see we had some valuable education going on at our house this weekend, it’s our policy!

Final product!! Doesn't it look FAB-U-LOS-US!?

Sunday night was discipleship training with our young women in the youth. We’ve been on Bible Intake for some time and last night we looked at prayer as a discipline in a Christian’s life.

I wanted to do an activity with the girls that would get them up and moving since we had just sat through the PM service. I know when you think about prayer you probably think about either corporate or personal prayer time. Most believers participate in corporate prayer time but not really personal prayer time, so we looked at that. Why is that? We also looked at why we should discipline ourselves in personal prayer time. I know a lot of times prayer is only viewed as something to do when you are in a fix, when you need something, but prayer is much more than us and meeting our needs. Sure our Father wants to give us the desires of our heart according to His will and we can petition for those things. Personal prayer time can also include praying for and on behalf of others, seeking wisdom and guidance, seek forgiveness, mercy and grace, to gain strength and comfort, but personal prayer time is ultimately about my relationship with God, with His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. It isn’t just repeating words or following formulas, God is looking for that heartfelt one-on-one relationship with us. Personal prayer time doesn’t come easy that is why it is one of the spiritual disciplines, it takes devotion, effort and time.

So to facilitate and bring an introduction to prayer, we did an activity. One of our girls volunteered to stand in the middle of our circle. The rest of us each held two squishy pool balls to toss to her at the same time for her to catch (12 balls in all). The only instructions on round one was that nobody could talk and that on the count of three we were all to toss them to her. End of round one, she caught one ball. My next question to her was did she have any new ideas on how to catch more balls? She did. She elected to use her shirt to catch more. On the count of three we all tossed our balls to her and she caught four! Round three, I asked those tossing the balls if they had any advice for her to try and catch more balls. They were so funny and cute. They said, FOCUS!! Another said, say a prayer! In the end she developed a plan to use a bag, lie down on the floor and ask us to aim and throw them in the bag. End of round three – she caught five! After the activity I asked her how she felt about the process of trying to catch all the balls and having never done it before and she said it was a little bit overwhelming and was able to catch more balls each time. Prayer is the same way in the beginning, it can be overwhelming and difficult, may even feel awkward, but the more we pray the more comfortable we become, personal prayer time becomes easier and we begin to reap the benefits of that discipline. The other take away lesson was to have a plan. When we fail to plan, we plan to fail. So set a time, find a quiet and uninterrupted location to spend time in prayer.

Round Three!!

As you might know, Jayden was able to get a full size GI Joe and sand cruiser to play with, but everyone knows you can’t make an Army of one GI Joe. We looked on Ebay and found many full size GI Joes, most of them started at about $15 each plus shipping. The vehicles were more expensive and then you have the accessories to purchase. Jayden was ready to hit that bid or buy it now button, but I was not so ready. I told Jayden we had not even prayed about the purchase and that if we will pray and ask God that God was able to provide exceedingly and abundantly above all we could ask or think. So with that promise, Jayden asked God if it would be alright for us to make the purchase and if we would bless us with a good deal. After Jayden said amen, he begins to clarify the process with me talking with his hands. It was so cute. I learned that he understood that he may or may not be able to get more GI Joes.

The SMILE of an answered prayer. See the guy on the hood of the vehicle?
Jayden has determine he is called "Veteran", he lost a leg in battle.

The next day Darryl looked on Craigslist and found 6 full size GI Joes, two Army trucks and a trailer, plus accessories for $50 and no shipping! I am so thankful God choose to answer that prayer for Jayden increasing his faith in the power of prayer and our God. My lesson is I, too, need to learn to pray about everything, even the small stuff because I don’t want to be out of His will or protection and because I know my God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that I can ask or think! That night I just prayed and in that prayer I asked God to keep us all safe as we left and traveled to our homes. I believe God answered that prayer.

We finished up the evening discipleship class. Most all of the girls, except Syd, left together to go to their vehicles. Then Syd, Darya and I left together. Syd was parked down at the far end of our church parking lot. She said, “don’t leave without me” I assured her that I would make sure she got in her vehicle and left before I left. She did. After Syd pulled out and left another vehicle pulled into the church parking lot. A truck. The rest I am about to tell you happened so fast, but I know without a doubt my prayers for protection that evening as well as the love of my heavenly father protected Darya and I.

I thought I would wait for it to pass and then I would back out and leave. I thought it was probably a church member that rode with someone else to eat dinner and was being brought back to church, but the vehicle stopped so I proceeded to back out and leave. As I backed out and started moving forward, the truck came towards us blinding us with the headlights. Darya thought it was Darryl. I wasn’t sure, I thought it may be another church member. The driver got out of the vehicle and came towards us waving his arms. It wasn’t until he got right up on us that I could tell it was no one I knew. I had already locked my doors, I rolled my window down a little bit and he asked if the church was closed. I thought, uh – yeah, I mean it was dark there were no other cars in the parking lot the lights were out. I told him, yes it is closed. He begins to tell us that he was hoping to ask for some gas money to help him get to work tomorrow. Again I told him the church was closed. He asked if I had any money I could spare. I typically never have any cash on me. That night I had four dollars. So I turned around to reach in the backseat to grab my purse and look for the money. When I turned away he went back to his truck on the passenger side and opened the passenger door and was digging around for something. I didn’t see him leave and go over there, but Darya did. Next thing I know Darya says, “there’s another car coming in” and I looked up and that guy closed that passenger door and came back to my vehicle, I handed him the money and a gospel tract and took off. As I pulled out of the parking lot, he remained there. The vehicle that drove in and passed us was the Williams’ family. As I left I noticed that the truck was still there so I turned back in and went to the side where the Williams’ family was and told them. I didn’t know what that guy was going to do, but after I told them, Lisa saw the truck leave. I was soooo shaken up over that whole thing, thinking and wondering what would have happened to Darya and I if the Williams’ family had not shown up. Why did he go back to his truck on the passenger side? What was he getting? All those questions ran through my mind that night. It certainly was terrifying for me and I am so thankful and grateful that God put a hedge of protection around us, that the guy did not show up earlier when our teenage girls were leaving and I was still inside, so thankful that God brought the Williams’ family to the church at that appointed time and that because His eye is on the sparrow, I know He is watching over me, protecting me from harm.

“He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man.” (Psalm 18:48)

If anything would have happened to us, I would have missed seeing
Jayden's creation and impersonation of his new reality TV show called "Fat Biscuit"

Holey Socks and Un-manicured Toes

After preparing lunch for my family which happened to be Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti I spend most of my Sunday afternoon reading my new book, “Black Heels to Tractor Wheels” by Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. I found myself laughing out loud and reflecting back on when Darryl and I met. I then took a short nap which I haven’t done since Jay Ray was a baby and boy did it feel good, but it left me feeling a bit groggy. I would love to have a cup of joe, but I know that would cause me not to sleep well tonight. I need my sleep especially since I have to put together a presentation for Tucson and it probably should make some sense.

Where I spend most of my Sunday afternoon, doing something I love to do
but don't get to do too often. I love my crushed velvet green chair!

As you may know, Ree refers to her husband as “Marlboro Man” I don’t think he smokes Marlboros but because he is a Rancher Dude. When I think of Marlboro, I think ewwww nasty cigarettes and I think about the Marlboro waterfall advertisement as you begin entering the suburbs of Dallas that marked the spot of “almost to grandma’s house” to me.

It’s true opposites attract. It is true with Ree and Marlboro Man, with Darryl and I, and I am sure many other couples out there; but the beauty of opposites is they complement each other. What the one doesn’t have the other has and often times it can drive you insane!

Take for instance; there is some setting on the TV that drives Darryl crazy if it isn’t right. Something to do with the screen size. I can watch it any old way, but Darryl has to fix it “to fit”. Then there is the way we shop. He has a methodical way about shopping, it is a chore to be managed. For me it is a whole experience of highs and lows and sometimes even flashing lights and now coupons! Driving is just crazy. Our travel paths would never cross because his way of getting to a location and my way are polar opposites so it’s better that he drives and I go along for the ride and just appreciate being chauffeured. Who says you can’t get no satisfaction?

How can two people so different collide in a relationship that lasts? That strives? That overcomes obstacles, setbacks and differences? For us it is simply - God. Being equally yoked one to another through the love of and for Christ. One thing I know: God makes no mistakes. It was no mistake that when I first meet Darryl we went bowling and to my horror and I am sure his I showed up in holey socks and un-manicured toes! But hey, I drove a red hot Mustang! Christmas was not far away can you guess what I received? Yup! New socks! Now I am married to the man who washes my socks! And they are no longer holey. Yes! And Amen!

Reading “Black Heels & Tractor Wheels” is a timely encouragement to me that opposites do attract, but God brings unity. One flesh. Despite the fact that the early years of marriage at times where exhausting and overwhelming it was God that transitioned us both from being selfish to being selfless. No, we haven’t arrived, we are still a work in progress, but it is indeed progress. Each day, each year, married life gets better.

This upcoming week we are going to go to a Sunday School fellowship that will be talking about the Five Love Languages. It is good we know each other’s love language. Darryl’s are Words of Affirmation and mine is Starbucks. Partly teasing, mine being Acts of Worship…okay, seriously…mine is actually Act of Service. It took him 12 years to find it, but it was a day worth celebrating! Since he discovered my love language I have had my uniforms ironed, coffee ready, car warmed up, clothes washed, etc..it is those endless acts of service that he does that make me feel especially loved. As we go again and attend this Love Language fellowship, may we both learn a new dialect of speaking each other’s love language so that we grow together in unity and love and may I never have holey socks and un-manicured toes ever again! Amen!

Part Rancher - Part Money Saving Queen

As I traveled home from work yesterday evening there was a guy standing in the middle of I-35 in the median, waiting to finish crossing the interstate. While we have lots of snow and slush, people still drive fast and it was rush hour – I wonder how long he stood there before he actually made it across. Even more so, I wondered why he didn’t walk over the bridge to cross over the interstate. Gee, maybe that would be the smart and safe thing to do and Oklahomans don’t always pick smart and safe. When I see things like that I keep wondering, here it is Saturday and I wonder if he made it, I guess it is the public safety and injury prevention side of my brain that keeps me reflecting on that image.

However the stupidities of people don’t keep me from my sleep. I slept hard last night, waking up energized and boy am I glad because I needed that as I faced a day of shopping, which requires great skill and agility when facing 50,000 other stir crazy sufferin’ from cabin fever Oklahomans, these people are serious about gettin’ their eggs and milk. Darryl drove and I tucked and rolled out the passenger door and into the stores. We make a great team!

We spend the day sloshing from store to store with pants legs tucked into our boots, cashing in coupons and replenishing our supplies. I felt part rancher and part money saving queen with my jeans tucked into my cowboy boots and toting my coupon box. We got a lot of good deals, but the purchase I am most excited about is a love story…Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by the Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond.

I actually didn't mean to wear my pants like this, but once I stepped out in the slosh I was glad I did!

Shopping can work up a mighty appetite so we went to Sandro’s in Norman, this time to try something other than the pizza. I had a chicken dish, Jayden pizza and Darryl a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich and they were deeeelish! I highly recommend the pasta and sandwiches. Pizza. Well my favorite still is Pizza Hut, but the pizza at Sandro’s is good too. You should check it out, the owner is super friendly, great food at a great price but don’t go on a Sunday, they are closed. They are on Main Street in Norman right across the street from the high school. Let me know if you do!

Chicken Sandro! Enough for two meals or two people! We say it is better than Olive Garden.

Darryl's Philly Cheese Steak Sub, that I personally thought was better than those from Philadelphia.
Any way I say cheese whiz doesn't belong on sandwiches.

I love Saturdays and working from home, not just for the comfy clothes and PJs but because I get to spend time together in prayer with my husband. Today was no different. First thing is first before starting our day and that is stepping into the throne room of God. Have you been there? It is full of love, compassion and mercy! Today as my husband prayed he thanked our Heavenly Father for the snow. I know most people are tired and complaining and are dreading the next storm expected to roll in on Wednesday. There are pleas for summer, sand and sun; but you won’t hear my husband complaining. He truly exhibits the life of Christ, not for show or pats on the back, but because he truly has opened himself to be controlled by the Spirit of God. He loves me as Christ loves the church. He is content, rejoicing in all things, and always points me to Christ even through the Snowpocalypse. As you look at the white snow may it turn your thoughts to the glorious news that though our sins be as scarlet because of Jesus they are white as snow!

My Introduction to Pioneer Woman

Okay, this Pioneer Woman has been showing up every where I look and go! Today at work she showed up at our staff meeting! The first I heard of her was just a couple of weeks ago through Laura Atterberry’s “Just A Little Happy” blog, next at the grocery store and on Facebook and now at my staff meeting? Seriously? A pioneer woman at Indian Health Service? No, we did not hold her captive, tie her to a tree or make her do the round dance with us. I would have liked to feed her some traditional corn soup and grape dumplings though! The reality is she wasn’t physically there, but her name keeps popping up like a rock star! So when I got some time tonight I decided to do what any intelligent person would do, I googled her!

I have always been the last to know things and by looking at the amount of her followers I am again the last to know. I think Dr. Phil was on TV for two or three years before I heard of him. So it doesn’t surprise me a bit that everyone knows of Pioneer Woman, but me. I haven’t had much time to look through her blog yet, but anyone that can document 10 reasons why she loves Sonic, is a favorite of mine! However, one article on the side bar did catch my eye, “Ten Important Things I’ve Learned About Blogging”. Since I am new to the blogworld and still have a ton to learn it piqued my interest. As I have read through the list I asked myself

They are:

1. Be Yourself. ~ Well I can do that. I am actually much more chatty on paper than I am in person, especially in large groups. So many people don’t really get to know me, unless we spend one on one time together. I work with a lot of doctors, nurses, pharmacist, dentist, nurse practitioners; behavioral health specialist and the list of professionals go on. Of course, they all have something very important to say, so I tend just to sit, listen and analyze. Not to mention in person my voice always gets lost, but on paper, I can express myself uncumbered. Thus I will shut up about being myself now!
2. Blog Often ~ I try too. Not because I have something important to say, but it is therapy to me, probably because I don’t get my 20,000 words a day that is estimated for each women.
3. Be Varied ~ I just starting venturing out of what I call my living parable posts, where God shows me truth through everyday life. I actually just recently posted pictures of a new recipe I tried from one of our Diabetic Cooking magazines at work. Although, I failed, pretty miserably in that I didn’t take pictures of about 2 or 3 steps! The only topic I hope you ever see me blog on more than once is my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, He is my strength, my comfort, my hope, my all.
4. Exercise More ~ Wow, we just made a visit to look at a recumbent bike off of Craigslist here in Moore, because I do have a pretty sedentary job. I am very excited to get the bike. We’ve been looking for about two months, knowing that being patient God would bring the right one at the right price. We pick up tomorrow!
5. Allow your boundaries to set themselves naturally ~ Up to this one I was quite impressed that she used only two words! I, too, will not share about any “hanky panky” stuff. I agree with her sister, “Okay, gross” This one is a bit more difficult in that often times I want to blog about work stuff, but being a United States Public Health Officer there are many things we are not allowed to do. So I will set my boundary here and stop this point.
6. Bring back retro phrases like “hanky panky ~ I love this one! Not sure I can do that with my blog, because my memory fails me! If I do I expect to hear a “Cool Beans!” from you! I know I am old.
7. Don’t be afraid to embarrass yourself. ~ That is an easy one, I’m pretty good at this! In fact, I am attempting to start using coupons again. Seeing all the website helps out there and knowing a lot of the work is done, I’d be crazy not to give it a try. Well yesterday, I went shopping with coupons in hand! Checked out. Arrived home. Put up the groceries and felt “hunky dory” (retro phrase). Then today at work when I opened my purse guess what was there? Yup! All my coupons!
8. Try your best to spell words correctly and use proper grammar ~ Gee, do I have to? I love not having to live by all those rules put on me by the government. Oh, she said, try. I can do that, but to be honest proper grammar slows me down and cramps my style.
9. If you have writer’s block, push through and blog anyway ~ Not sure I have encountered that block yet. I have found that I think of things often to blog about, but then I don’t have the time to write and then when I do finally get to sit down, I have forgotten what it is about. I told you I was getting old.
10. Value every person who takes time out of their day to stop by your blog ~ she says to tell you that I love you! It’s that love thing that I still struggle with. I am still working on understanding the width and length and depth and height of the love of Christ (Eph 3:18-19). I can agree with this one too; after all, we are taught by God to love one another. So as the Pioneer Woman says, I too say…
11. I love ya…~ and thanks for stopping by! Come back, ya’ hear?

I think it is funny that on her page it says: “My Name Is Ree. I'm a desperate housewife. I live in the country. I channel Lucille Ball, Vivien Leigh, and Ethel Merman. Welcome to my frontier!” Simply because this past week, Jayden told me I was a “desperate housewife”! Darya whose ears are always open, looking to shoot down anything her little brother says said, “No she’s not!” Jayden replied, “Yes, she is!” Darya concluded, “She used to be a desperate housewife, but she isn’t any more because now she has a husband!”

My name is Dione. I’m an Urban American Indian. I don’t live on a reservation. I channel TLC, HGTV and A&E, the other channeling I don’t do! Welcome to my life on concrete!

Divine Intervention for the Hulk

A believer's spiritual maturity can be measured by what it takes to steal his joy.

~Dr. John MacArthur

Yes, Dr. MacArthur, I failed (again). When will I learn how to not give into the flesh? When will I learn to not allow things and people to steal my joy? I am obviously still spiritually immature. I can totally relate to Paul, when he talks about how he does what he doesn’t want to do, but yet he does it.

So here’s the story: I am out of the pain pills from my knee replacement surgery. The doctor gives me another prescription and when we went to get it filled, we were informed that specific medication had been pulled off the shelves by the FDA. The other pain pill options have made me sick in the past, so they sent in a new prescription to our local CVS. When we went to pick it up they said it was never send in, so I called the doctor’s office back and they said they would call again and fax it. So we went back to CVS and they still said they had not received it. While Darryl was standing there waiting I was calling the doctor again after 5 pm, knowing full well they weren’t going to be there. I was hoping for after hours contact number because I was down to my last pill and facing the Thanksgiving weekend. During this time the CVS Pharmacy folks finally found it! I was so upset that we had made two trips there, the doctor’s office had made multiple calls, and they overlooked the script several times. I’d like to report that I was calm, that I rejoiced or I prayed for divine intervention, but nope I had a full blown melt down like those drug addicts on Intervention. I told Darryl to tell them they are idiots! I said it again, IDIOTS!! Now if you know my husband, you would know that he did not do as I asked.

Just call me the Hulk! I turned green and puffed up it was really ugly, but I was so angry that they had overlooked my prescription not just once, but several times. I was a little overwhelmed at the thought of facing the weekend without something to help with the pain that starts to show its ugly head about every 5 hours. On top of that I was trying to cook some items for our Thanksgiving meal. As I sat at the dinner table contemplating my fate Darya walks in and asks me what was wrong because my face looked white. Well at least it wasn’t green!

Mistakes happen. Mishaps comes. Anger comes. What will we do with it? I obviously don’t have the answer; certainly I have not achieved turning the other cheek, trusting Him completing to take care of my needs, casting my anxiety on Him, rejoicing in all things

Here is the Truth to which I find I must learn to cling to when mishaps happen, when anger creeps in to steal my joy:

Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.1 Pet. 5:7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 3:6-7

When will I learn that my “Father knows what I need...” Matt. 6:8 I must purposely live today how I want to be remembered tomorrow. When I pass from this world to the next I hope others can look back on my life here and say:

That girl loved Jesus with everything in her. Her passion was to live each moment reflecting of the Savior who died for her and although she failed many times, she always looked to the Lord for correcting, for help and by His Spirit within her she begin to succeed, bringing glory to God.

Now may I purposely try to live like it…again.

Waiting and wondering when my next test will be and maybe then I can report that I have matured spiritually.