Crazy4Canning

This was written in April 2008. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It is a Jewish practice to put mezzuzahs up on every doorpost as a reminder that Adonnai watches over us and keeps us. In the Christian world, the equivalent would be to anoint or pray over something or spiritually cleanse a house or property. I recently learned a very tangible lesson regarding this. Last spring we began having drain issues. The problem would come and go, and we thought we had it licked until last August when I found literal inches of standing water in the basement. This was dirty wash water, so I wasn't too freaked out. However, the next flood mere hours later was sewage. Raw sewage. Then I freaked. The smell permeated EVERYTHING. The house smelled not only of sewage but also of the rank, fetid, stale air of summertime in an old house. After weeks of this smell, hundreds of dollars in home drain augers and professional plumber consultation, my heart sank as I realized that it could cost us potentially well over $10,000 dollars to re-dig our sewer drain. Thankfully, the neighbor man needed to do sewer hookups for new apartments as well, so we were able to split the cost of a backhoe delivery and they just billed us straight labor and parts. With a grateful heart, I paid the bill that was thousands of dollars rather than TENS of thousands. Since then, our yard has been a pile of dirt. Literally. The workmen had to rip up a portion of the driveway, back yard sidewalk, 80% of the front yard and 70% of the back yard. Since then, construction crews and neighbors have been crossing our yards – both back and front – to save from walking around the properties, since our house is between them. I found this irking me because a person's yard is supposed to be private, even when there isn't a fence…. also at the same time, ironically, I couldn't place my finger on why my soul was not at rest. After talking with a wise friend, she reminded me we have a spiritual connection to Hashem's (G-d's) creation - that anytime ground was disturbed, it usually had a ripple effect, and she wasn't talking about a torn up lawn or missing flowers. She was talking about a covenant – a binding agreement between two parties, usually G-d and humans. I remembered classic examples – Abraham and Isaac, Moshe and Aaron, David and Jonathan . . . and particularly when the nation of Israel took land, they had the Cohanim (high priests) come in and do an offering that consecrated the space. I remembered when we were newly married, my husband and I walked around our property and prayed, prayed over our home, and put up our mezzuzas as a sign of commitment to Hashem and His Presence and Protection. I realized that through all the construction, not only had I taken down our outdoor mezuzahs (we repaired the doors), but that with the ground disturbance, I had a feeling of unrest and invasion. So, I took an afternoon, set aside a couple of hours, and prayed. I didn't just pray, I PRAYED. When I pray, it's not like a trite mealtime grace, it's more a cross between the fervor of a Pentecostal woman, yet with the grace and beauty of Jewish tradition. I took time, prayed some Tehillim (Psalms) and was receptive to Hashem and the Ruach ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit). After prayer, I felt strongly that I was to anoint not only the house, but also the land. Yes, the land. All of our land had been disturbed - yes, every bit, on each side, with the exception of a small tree line in the back corner. I went outside, walked the perimeter, prayed, and I felt strongly that I was to do as the priests did and pour out oil into the ground as a form of dedication and sacrifice to Adonnai. I wasn't to grab cheap salad oil either – I was to use anointing oil – the expensive, heavily scented, and consecrated anointing oil. I hesitated for only a fraction of a moment, but poured four fluid ounces of anointing oil into a small zippie, trimmed off the corner and began to walk and pray. I drizzled that oil all around our lot – down the property lines, across the driveway, even behind the garage and places I couldn't walk, with a fling of the oil bag, every part of our ground had oil on it. As I did so, I felt something begin to happen. I felt as if I was taking back something that had been lost. I felt peace, joy, and a sense of rest come. I walked back into the house and was taking off my coat. I watched as some work crews came, the very ones who had been careless about walking across our back yard inspite of requests to be respectful and walk around. I observed the one who didn't care skid to a halt at the edge of our property line as if he had hit a brick wall and try to cut through our back yard. He froze for a few seconds, did it again, and on the third time, shrugged his shoulders, headed back to his truck and ended up walking around using the sidewalks, to the property on our other side. I smiled and blinked, and in that moment, in my spirit, I saw a protecting angel, larger than our house, standing, picking his sword out of the ground where the workman had just stood, with a huge smile on his face. Now you might think I'm crazy, and there are ways in which I will admit I am, but this is not one of them. Angels are real - in many forms. As I sat and basked in the Presence, I realized that Adonnai loves us and protects us. All we have to do is ask for guidance and protection and we will receive it, for it is His pleasure to look after His children. Later that night, when my husband came home, I noticed that when he drove up, he let out a huge sigh, and was no longer as irritated as he had been. He happily put up our mezzuzahs and got a good night's sleep. So did I, for that matter.

This was written last March, but it remains as poignant as ever. ~ ~ ~ ~ This weekend I had two vendor tables at a benefit for a local organization which supports Israel. It was a lovely thing, great dancing, a lovely lunch, but it was not held where the Jewish population normally resides – it was held across town in a Christian building, for it was intended to be an 'inter-faith' outreach/ benefit, and the building rental was free. Vendors were asked to donate a percentage of their earnings, which we gladly did. The building housing this benefit was the very definition of a "mega-church". Rivaling big-box marts and wholesale food clubs in size, this building dwarfed churches of traditional proportions. With a sanctuary to easily seat 2,000 – 3,000 and 'fellowship rooms' that could house a few hundred; the enormity of it stunned me. Another thing that stood out was that even though it was relatively new (it had been built within the past five years), everything was pristine and spoke of grandeur. There were marble floors, posh upholstered chairs in the halls, a coffee bistro in the lobby, and paper towels soft enough to clean babies' faces in the restrooms. Mind you, cleanliness and class is something that should befit a house of worship. But the building, grounds, and touches were beyond pristine. Not that spotless is a bad thing, but in Congregations where there is much use, even the 'newness' begins to look 'loved' after a few years. This building didn't appear to see regular use it was so well taken care of. Mind you, I was grateful that this church had donated the use of their building. It was indeed a lovely and spacious room, one that met our needs nicely. However, I was told that instead of using restrooms right across the hall from our room, everyone would need to walk about 500 feet across the marble-tiled lobby to where the restrooms were located. The rooms that were off-limits were marked "staff" and we were not 'staff' at the church. Being a younger person, I didn't mind walking the distance. It was inconvenient, but not debilitating. However, when a small group of elderly people attended (walkers and canes were present), and were told they had to walk the 500 feet across polished marble-slick flooring to find the restrooms, I was appalled. I was further shocked to find the 'elderly friendly' seats in the back of the restroom, as if they were an after-thought, not accessible for most in walkers or wheelchairs. What bothered me the most however, was not this form of disrespect, nor was it the fact that the elderly people in need were Shoah (Holocaust) Survivors. They had been through the worst treatment imaginable in their youth and survived to have a family and belong to a safe community. It is only whereupon they visit a 'christian' church that they are made to feel like a third class citizen again. What bothered me was the way this obvious and tangible need was treated by people in this community. When I told one of the maintenance people of this issue, they blinked a few times and said that unless they were under strict orders not to open those rooms unless there was a celebrity or staff. I couldn't find an available minister to help. I found myself thinking, what could be so special about a locked bathroom? Were there gold sinks, imported mineral water in the porcelain, what? I was so disturbed by this blatant lack of respect, I was talking with my husband about it later that night. Working for the largest tv broadcaster in the world, he shared with me the construct behind these 'box-mart' churches. They are so huge, the ministers are equated with celebrity status (like Hollywood stars or presidents of nations) and are therefore untouchable. The 'average' person does not rub elbows with them, nor do many other people. Within these communities, there are classes of belonging, much like a kingdom or fiefdom. Should you require a minister, your name is checked against a database. If you are a 'member' or 'attendee', tithing records are frequently referenced to see what sort of service you get. My mouth hung open as he shared this, for I thought, where is the community, respect for humanity, the personality, the relationship building? How can a congregational leader be on the same level as his congregants, encourage them to growth, share in their pain and joys if he doesn't know them? How can a person's needs be met if the leadership is so far removed from the people they can't remember what it's like to NOT have every bill paid completely at the end of the month? How can a minister relate to the single mom driving a beater car when their Jaguar was paid for in cash? What happens when a congregant needs something and can't leave a message? How does one connect with others on a personal level? How can a person freely learn and grow when a house of worship is designed like a five star hotel? I called up a friend who was familiar with this church, hoping to understand a bit better about how this community was constructed. She confirmed the database and tithing records, stating that there were different levels of leadership, small home groups, and many volunteers. As she described it, it reminded me of a corporate business, a top-down design. I was wordless – how can a church – something designed to help, comfort, and encourage spiritual growth - be ran like a business? True, my experience with Congregations has been as large as a few hundred and as few as twenty. I have seen old churches that are falling apart, inner city churches in need of paint, wealthy congregations that prefer to give money rather than service, and other congregations with support from their denomination to ensure everything is neat and in good repair. I've even traveled to churches overseas and seen multi-use buildings that have met many needs. So why is this bothering me??? Perhaps because I've never been the sort to treat one person different from another based on their economic standing. Possibly, I've got too many old fashioned values – I respect elders, treat people politely, and treat others the way I want to be treated. With great certainty, I can state that blatant wealth bothers me because as a teacher, I see so many people who need things – things that churches can provide – and don't because it's easier to polish a floor than visit the sick; more convenient to write a check than volunteer time at a shelter, easier to stay healthy when you're not mentoring families in transition. I found myself turning to a devotional book in an effort to help me understand. I found some writings of Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sosov (1745 – 1807). He was a third generation Chassidic Rabbi who was known for his great love of Jews. I greatly appreciated what he said regarding wealth…" How easy it is for a poor man to depend on God! What else has he to depend on? And how hard it is for a rich man to depend on God! All his possessions call out to him, "Depend on us! Depend on us!" This helped me realize that in living my life, why I was completely flummoxed when faced with blatant wealth. In my humble living, I had nothing that called "depend on me!" No possession called out in complete conspicuous consumption or extreme self-adoration. I have a small car that gets me where I need to go in an economical way. My mortgage payments are very affordable. My clothes are neat and in good repair, my hair is trimmed, I am healthy. In reading this, I was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude that I am not rich and have to maintain marble floors. I read further and Rabbi Moshe said, "To know the needs of men and to bear the burdens of their sorrow – that is the true love of man." I found myself again grateful that in my poverty, I have gotten to know people and become friends with individuals I might not otherwise get to know. I know what it means to live in the inner city from paycheck to paycheck. I know how your soul rips apart over the unexpected death of a loved one. I can rejoice when a friend pays off their car and is debt free. I can dance with great joy at a friend's wedding, or cry with happiness over the birth of a child. I am blessed that I have been able to help bear the burdens of my friends. As I have thought about this, I realize that I'm not angry about the lack of respect to elders, but I am more sorrowful that people can't reach beyond themselves to grow and learn, and somehow leave the world a bit better for having lived and experienced another person's sorrow and joy. Perhaps this writing will cause you to take a second look at how you treat people and examine how you can ease a bit of the world's suffering. It has certainly caused me reflection.

This was actually written a year ago, but I found it. It seemed appropriate to post here. Blessings! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Over the past week, I've been dealing with some pretty intense things. I've had to file legal papers, deal with attorneys, and get ready for a major conference. I've also had to wrestle with words and writing things that will become part of public record and influence someone's life for some time, perhaps forever. As I was reflecting and writing this week, I knew my words needed something, for I found myself being far too condemning and harsh. I didn't want to be, but my feelings of betrayal and hurt were obvious. My dear friend Mary reminded me that everyone needs hope. The dictionary defines hope as: (v) anticipation, something to look forward to, to wait, faith, an expectation of something, (n) a desire, a dream or aspiration, an expectation, a plan, a chance. Think about it - during dark times, when our world is crashing in on us, what makes us reach out for something, anything to get us through? There is a place in every human soul that hates to give up, give in, or admit defeat. When we give up hope, we are accepting condemnation, darkness, and stagnation. Likewise, there is also something within us that forces us to admit that within the shadows are flickers of light. There is a part of us than intrinsically knows we have something to look forward to, something to do, finish, or become. Our soul knows that there is life that needs living. This is hope. As I was doing my own soul-searching, I was forced to remember where my hope was placed. Were it not for the grace of Adonnai, I would be an absolute wreck and I realized that perhaps for some, and one person in particular, I would be the only tangible form of Adonnai and His hope that they might see or experience. So, I did a short verse search on hope. The Psalmist said it well, "We wait and hope in the L-rd, He is our strength and shield." (Psalms 33:20) Our strength is never our own. We are mortal and tire easily. When we rest and allow Him, Adonnai can become our strength. What about those times of exhaustion and torment when even praying seems to take too much energy? In the middle of his torment, King David spoke to his own soul, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and Shield." (Psalms 42:5, 42:11, 43:5) As we do this, we are reminded where our hope comes from. We should encourage our souls to, "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." (Psalms 62:5) As I layed my burden down, my soul began to calm down. I began to move through a range of emotions I realized I had to let go of. My soul needed rest so I could move on and begin to heal. I found my solace in Isaiah 40:28-31, "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the L-RD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." I was reminded that every individual could have strength and hope in Adonnai for wherever their journey in life takes them, but for many they had to start somewhere, and for one person, I was that place. As I chose to change words of my writing, I felt the missing pieces fall into place. Suddenly, the tone of my writing shifted. As I changed words of absolute condemnation into grace and tones of alienation into hope and love, I found myself smiling. I was reminded of Emily Dickinson's words: "Hope is a thing with feathers That perches in the soul; And sings the tune without words And never stops at all." As long as we can extend hope to someone, allow them to grasp at Adonnai's eternal love, we are encouraging their soul. In their dark time, we can help combat despair and begin to speak life. In speaking life, we are also taking time to allow the Holy Spirit to begin to restore places in a soul that we as humans are incapable of reaching. It is humbling that we can be used in times of darkness to help others. It is even more humbling to know that our characters are being shaped and molded after Adonnai's own heart. May your own heart be encouraged and strengthened, may you renew your own hope this week. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I've found that CGA's method works well. My DH is a picky eater for many reasons. Mostly, if the spices aren't too strong and the dinner is yummy, he will eat it. A couple of times early in our marriage he didn't like the idea of my entree and pulled the "Oh, well, I'll just eat cereal" thing. That did NOT go over well. I politely explained to him that I went to great efforts to make a healthy meal - he wasn't allergic to anything in the meal and didn't have bad associations with it. I explained how important it was to me that he respect my work in cooking and serving healthy meals. He quickly saw that he was behaving like a spoiled child and discovered that the meal was terrific. I've also had to try the same meal a few different times and call it different things. Sometimes on the third or fourth try, he'll really discover he likes it. Also, I've discovered that DH's mom was a very PLAIN cook. Nothing above the welfare level of the food chain until he was in middle school. This has adversely affected his palate as an adult. I also have to be very careful about feeding him leftovers. I can't use the word. I have to say, "I made some of that soup we enjoyed last week." Which is not false, I did. It came from the freezer. Also, involve him in the cooking. Let him do more than hand you a spoon. I've listed ingredients and recipies on the fridge and forced him to cook. When I was blind for two weeks due to an eye injury, he HAD to cook. Some nights it was eggs and toast, others it was tuna salad. The point was, he had to get into the pantry and TRY. Praise the efforts. Tell him what you do to make it special. If he's a Star Wars fan, quote Yoda, "Do or do not, there is no try." Also, my mom would trick us into thinking something ordinary was special by switching up the plates we were using. Sometimes we would forget we were eating BORING and feel special we were using 'company' dishes.

CoM, I understand the laundry battle. We had to this experience in May. Only despite the book, tools, and engineer experience, ours was DEAD. RIP. No CPR available. I do hope yours is as simple as replacing a belt! Praying for you and your machine!

Food fatigue, it's name is DH! I know, it's always difficult trying to come up with new menu ideas. BUT in a crisis or busy time, I'm always glad I've kept a list!

Oh Babysteps, my soul-sister! I did the same thing! I would even leave my 'top 3' picks and pray somehow there was money. Our neighborhood librarian knew me by name. I was a frequent visitor at least twice a week. Re-reading books is like a long visit with a good friend. So familar, comforting and yet I always see something in a new way. My husband says that I am still too hard on books, hence I am one of those people who adore hard-backs. I think the mere thought of listing ALL our books was what sent the server into shock.

Oh Babysteps, my soul-sister! I did the same thing! I would even leave my 'top 3' picks and pray somehow there was money. Our neighborhood librarian knew me by name. I was a frequent visitor at least twice a week. Re-reading books is like a long visit with a good friend. So familar, comforting and yet I always see something in a new way. My husband says that I am still too hard on books, hence I am one of those people who adore hard-backs. I think the mere thought of listing ALL our books was what sent the server into shock.

Oh I forgot about the Saggy Baggy Elephant! I loved that as a kid!

I don't remember if I read it. I'll have to search for it. I do remember I got that book with my very own hard-earned allowance money from the Scholastic catalogue. I still have it. It's an adorable story. Glad to see that some of the books made you smile. I find that re-reading books is like visiting old friends - they're comfortable, familiar, and comforting.

Oh gosh, you would have a list...All my books were stored for summer shelf making...darn it anyway...the list is MUCH longer Laura Ingalls Wilder - I liked the books outside the series best that documented her life. Lucy Maude Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables Series CS Lewis - Narnia series Louisa May Alcott - all of her books Heidi Series Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Sugar Creek Gang, Mandi, Boxcar Children Dr. Seuss Sarah Plain & Tall Trilogy EB White - Charlotte's Web, The Swan, etc Turkey Red Black Beauty, Misty Series Beatrix Potter Herbert the Lion (adorable story) Encyclopedia Brown Danny Dunn Science Series The Happy Hollisters Little Golden Books (Tawny Scrawny Lion!) Louis L'Amour Johnny Tremaine Janette Oke (all her books) Jane Eyre, Great Expectations, Jane Austin Shakespeare, Tennyson, Whittier, ee cummings, Biographies: Helen Keller, Ben Franklin, Louis Braille, Babe Ruth, A. Lincoln, Madame Curie, Golda Muir, Einstien, Elie Wiesel, etc. White Fang, Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, Never-Ending Journey, Swiss Family Robinson My current favorite Children's book is "The King of the Trees" by local author Bill Burt. An allegory like no other! www.kotbooks.com I also have an entire list of Jewish children's books I adore that are still readily in print and some that are NOT that I won't add here.

Are you making new towels or a pillow of sorts? I get the weave but I'm not sure what you're making....

Ok, I'll pitch in. I'll confess, I got this off the wrapper of a can of Libby's pumpkin. It is TO DIE FOR. Seriously. Best of all, it makes up REALLY FAST and is not only serious eye candy, but also a crowd pleaser. You can do this while doing other things in the kitchen and make it look like no effort at all. Kids really love to help. Pumpkin Cake Roll CAKE 3/4 C flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp cloves 1/4 tsp salt 3 large eggs 1 C white sugar 2/3 C pumpkin 1 C chopped walnuts (optional) Loose powdered sugar for rolling cake Large cotton tea towel FILLING/ Icing 1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese (soft and NOT low fat) 1 C sifted powdered sugar 6 tbsp butter or margarine 1 tsp vanilla Loose powdered sugar for dusting on top CAKE: Preheat oven to 375. Grease (YES, use CRISCO!) 10x15 jelly roll pan with rolled edge. Line bottom with wax paper. Sprinkle a large cotton tea towel with powdered sugar. Combine flour, dry ingredients and spices (I often add more spices than the recipe says for a deeper flavor). Beat eggs and butter until thick. Add pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture by hand. Sprinkle with nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen cake and turn out onto towel, top down. Carefully peel of wax paper. Starting from narrow end, carefully roll up cake and cool on wire rack at least an hour. FILLING: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Carefully unroll cooled cake and remove towel. Spread mixture over cake, carefully re-roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, unwrap, place seam side down. Frost with left-over filling or dust with powdered sugar. Can double this recipe. 2 1/2 C of batter will be needed for each pan. 1 3/4 filling for each roll. Bake time is the same. Do not add raisins or cranberries. These are too big and will crack the cake as it rolls. Enjoy. This wonderful cake is one of the things that caused my MIL to hate me during the holidays. With 2 hours notice I produced this cake, a veggie tray, and some rolls I had from the freezer. Totally wow-ed everyone.

And here I thought the dryer lint & egg cartons was MY original idea... I love doing this.

Oh Wormie, I *knew* there was something I liked about you. I love my spreadsheets. I too, track all sorts of lists. I have Costco, grocery, and lots of prep lists and storage lists. This might sound silly, but recently, I'm doing lists for the clothing & linens I have in storage, so I don't FORGET what I have. Like this summer - I knew I had 3 linen skirts but only 2 made it out...I had 2 nice summer dresses and neither one was unpacked...hmmm. So on a different line of thought...from a psychiatric perspective, a friend of mine who is a shrink has been heckling me about 'ordering my psyche'. She noted that when things were in chaos, often people would make a list, plan and then NEVER follow the list. The list ended up being more 'subconscious' and a way of calming yourself down and taking order on the inside to cope with the chaos outside. I laughed and said that I must be a bonafide nutcase, for I did both...and what's more, I KNEW it. See all the money I saved on a shrink? Prayer, a group of good friends, and coffee/tea go a long way in ordering my psyche. Do I have an Amen?! So non-$$$ prepping? I like to clean out closets, purge stuff, organize cabinets. Purge stuff. I'm cleaning out the bottom shelf of my pantry tomorrow because I got pasta on sale and need a place for it. I'm using old vintage jars simply because I have them and I can (no pun intended). I love using up old fabric stashes, yarn, in practical ways - hotpads, quilts, etc. I put these aside and when I something really gets torn up, I go 'shopping' in a drawer and feel like I've spent money when I really haven't. I've recently been able to bless my mom with a bunch of clothes I had in stock because due to some physical therapy she is unable to wear certain clothes for a while. She was so tickled that I had kept some blouses and sweaters over the years that were passed back and forth between her, my sister and I. I must be seriously disturbed but Non-$$$ prepping can also include practical planning. I glory in that few cups of fruit that can be turned into a special jelly or conserve and adore it when I can have a day to cook meals ahead and store in the freezer.

Westie, Thanks for the recipe for cream of soup base. One thing that concerns me though is the cornstarch. My husband is very sensitive to it, being diabetic. I've gotten around cornstarch by using Wondra in gravies and soups as a thickener. I rarely use cornstarch anymore. Is there anything else I can use besides cornstarch?

Stress relief ?!?! Well, I try to get to the gym. It really helps to beat a treadmill and work out the tension in my shoulders that always seems to be present. Grounding for me is always practical activities - like laundry or ironing. I know it's crazy, but it's very satisfying to hum, sing, and DO something where I can see immediate gratification. I will also organize something...bake, clean, or if I'm truly stressed, play some deliciously mind-numbing game like a object search, crossword puzzle, or word game. I also will sew, plan a project, or try to chat with a friend.

Once I finish my doctorate, I could be a Dr. Prepper ... oh my! I think black would be cool... but I would love a pink one... we need some dancing stick people... that would put it over the top. Here are some.... Be Prepared for Anything MrsSurvival.com CANNING It's not just for old ladies anymore! MrsSurvival.com

One of my first postings on here I think was about hiding places...I had an auntie who was a jeweler and at any given time would need to do a bank run. She used an old bra and put pockets in the under-cup, along the straps and band. Between that and a 'support' (i.e. girdle) She could easily and safely stash around $10,000 *on her person*. My dad said she always carried the bank bag with a few hundred in it and then used the restroom to 'withdrawal' the rest when she arrived at the bank. In her home, she had envelopes taped to the back of paintings for cash, envelopes in certain books, in a collection of salt & pepper shakers, taped envelopes to the back of drawers in the kitchen and bath and bureau, and left cash in pockets of old coats and purses. After she died, we found a few thousand in her closet alone. Many like to hollow out furniture legs the size of a film canister and store cash there.

Dee, Before I left on my trip, I had canned almost 80 pints of applesauce myself...I'm looking forward to doing more when I get home!

That's the one I was looking for! Thanks BisMkr for sharing it! My friend had this posted in her kitchen and I LOVED it...

One for us canners composed just for this auspicious occasion: A Canner's Prayer (By Crazy4Canning) Bless my crazy kitchen, Lord, The messy counters and sticky floor; The jars everywhere And overflowing produce even more. Send your angels to watch As I use the pressure canner; So that I am always processing In a safe and careful manner. Please help my jars be perfect, Pristine in color and delight And the cuts from using mandolines & knives, May they heal with your power and might. But most of all, Lord Please let every jar 'ping' So that in their glorious bounty Your provision they may sing.

A poem from my grandma's kitchen plaque: A Kitchen Prayer Bless my pretty kitchen, Lord And light it with thy love. Help me plan and cook my meals From thy heavenly home above. Bless our meals with thy Presence And warm them with thy grace; Watch over me as I do my work Washing pots and pans and plates. The service which I am trying to do Is to make my family content, So bless my eager efforts Lord And make them heaven sent.

Originally Posted By: mrszouave A Great tip i was taught...from HERE i think........if you use a electric food dehydrator....like i do......go to sewing section of ANY STORE and buy the White Plastic Needlepoint/craft mesh... each sheet is around 60 cents....and all you have to do is Cut it to fit your trays....it stops the smaller foods from going through.....is washable and works like a charm.......the only thing i've found is if you do red peppers.....the color stains....but who cares right? I just wanted to remind everyone that the plastic needlepoint mesh is NOT foodsafe, therefore it CAN leak 'nasties' into your food. My grandpa and even my mom has used these in a pinch, but it is DEFINETELY worth the extra money to buy the food grade ones from your dehydrator manufacturer or a cooking store.

I scored on two - and you CAN do this. Depending on home or work, I can be either INFJ or INTJ. However, the I and N are 48% and the J is 47%. I've taken this test MANY times over 10 years and it ALWAYS comes out the same. So many shrinks/counselors have wanted to put me in ONE category or the other, or have me PICK ONE. I always say, NOPE, you're never gonna put me in a box. These things are great for understanding how people think and how they might be wired. What I always like to remember is how these are TOOLS, not pigeonholes. NOTHING can explain or capture the uniqueness of EACH and EVERY human being. Just because I've got a similar personality to Marie Curie doesn't mean I have the same intense focus and tunnel vision and would starve myself for my work... get the point? Basically, I gain energy from being alone, can be a good leader, but let others also have a say. I can be LOUD, DEMANDING, and act immediately, but like to explore all options first. It takes all sorts to make a world.