Learning to Love...Better Late than Never

                                                                  {five generations}

There is no doubt about it, everybody has a different definition of what love is, how it acts, how it should work and maybe more than anything...it seems to be summed up better in one's mind as to what LOVE isn't!!

With life full of disappointments, trials, seasons of pain and of bitterness and frustration, real love can take a backseat and become all about what is in it for us. Love, as God intended it to be, is to be willing to give everything while expecting nothing in return.

It wasn't too long ago that I read this quote, "LOVE your parents.  We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old."  {author unknown}  For some strange reason, it went right through my heart like a sharp knife stinging at the thought of how selfish I can get in very little time.
We have a tendency to get overly busy with our lives, our families, our children, our vacations, our jobs, our responsibilities, our friends, our...our...OUR.  YES, it is easy  to assume our parents would rather be alone, watch their evening shows, go to bed at 7pm, not be bothered with our craziness, our drama and everything else that has been methodically filed away in our pre-conceived ideas of the elderly.

It took me a few minutes to gather my thoughts and to have a "COME to JESUS MEETING" with myself.
Why is it so easy to love feeling loved and yet so difficult to take the extra steps to make others feel exactly how we thrive on being treated?
If you are wondering how on earth to love, just think about the ways others love you and if you are feeling unloved, insignificant and have no idea where to start...think about how you would like to be cared for and find somebody who needs it.

It just so happens that over the last little bit, my momma tank has been filled to the tippy top, to the point of overflowing. Our children have been stopping in to just check on me when my sweetie has been on long work shifts, calling to chat, inviting me to dinner, bringing the new grand puppy over for some grammy cuddles and the list goes on.  I have felt so loved.so needed,so valuable. I asked God to really slow my heart down and have asked Him to nudge me to be more sensitive to my parents and to my in.laws. because, as young as they are, they are getting older and they need their children to contribute to them feeling LOVED.NEEDED.VALUED.

It has taken me a long time to really get it and I am far from mastering this, but somehow, through the extra tlc, I have been shown, it makes me long to really love.  More importantly, I want to clear some of the "busy" and make a concerted effort to bless them by saying "yes" to tea on Saturday, "yes" to Sunday night family dinners, taking them dinner and taking a nap on their recliner {because my momma loves when I relax in their home!!} baking them cookies, taking them to doctor appointments, helping with extra housework, helping organize their garage, taking things they no longer need to goodwill, taking the mommas flowers just because, taking them on field trips to see the Christmas lights, helping them with celebrations in their homes...It is a simple act of "washing their feet".  Jesus set the example:

"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet." John 13:14

{four generations}

With this week being Thanksgiving, thank God for your parents...and if they are no longer with you, maybe you can find a special somebody who is GROWING OLDER who needs to feel loved, valued and needed.  How can you encourage them?

I am already excited about the next time my momma offers to spend the night when my sweetie is working...and we will cuddle in our big.ole.bed and fall asleep talking til our speech slows down as we drift to sleep...because this busy girl wants their growing older years to be THE BEST years of their lives. 

Share

Auntie Laura's Yam Rolls

The holidays are right around the corner, and I feel the need for things to s.l.o.w. way down as opposed to accepting the rush and all the bustle that undoubtedly comes along with this time of year.

One of my favorite things to do is to bake bread.  There is just something about the smell that greets those who stop by for a cup of tea or for those who join us for dinner.  When I take bread out of the oven, it is almost like our home beckons for guests to come in, sit, get cozy and stay for awhile!!

Thank you, twinsie for making these for me...they are my favorite!!

Auntie Laura’s Yam Rolls

HEAT:

½ cup milk                 

¼ cup butter

ADD:

¼ cup sugar               

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. nutmeg...freshly grated

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup cool water

1 tbsp. yeast

ADD:

¾ cup mashed yams         

1 egg

3 ½ cups flour

Heat butter in milk until butter is “melty”

Add the rest of the ingredients into the milk in a stand mixer bowl.  Mix.

Form into rolls with oiled hands.  Let rise until rolls are fluffy.

Bake at 375* for about 23 minutes or until rolls are golden.

This makes one pan of about 9 rolls.

Variation:  Use this dough for cinnamon rolls.  Simply roll out into a rectangle.  Spread dough with softened butter and add lots of cinnamon sugar.  Roll up like a snake and cut into pinwheels.  Bake in greased pan and bake for about 25 minutes.  Frost with cream cheese buttercream and ENJOY!!

Share

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Scones

Thanksgiving is sneaking up on us!!  Are you all ready for the holidays to start?  We are!!

There is something comforting about everyone bringing their favorite dish to Thanksgiving...but if you are like me, it is always fun to bring something new or something old with a twist of "new" and unexpected to keep things a bit exciting.  Whatever you do, DO NOT skip the GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE...just ask our children!!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Scones
Lisa Pearson

2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or 1 tsp. ginger and 1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 Tbsp. soy flour...available in  the Winco bulk section or at Whole Foods

1/2 cup cold Earth Balance, cut into little pieces

1/4 to 1/3 cup soured vanilla soymilk {sour with a tad bit of lemon juice or vinegar}

1/2 cup pure pumpkin {no spices added}


*Whisk together dry ingredients.

*Add Earth Balance and blend with pastry cutter or with flat beater in stand mixer.

*Add all wet ingredients together to flour mixture.

*Blend until ingredients come together.

*Transfer to lightly floured surface or ROULPAT.

*Pat into a disc about the size of your hand spread out.

*Cut into 8 triangles.

*Place scones on SILPAT or onto a lined baking sheet.

*Brush with soymilk.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

*Bake at 425* for 13 to 14 minutes…or until golden.  Don't over bake.  You want moist scones,   not hockey pucks!

Remove to wire rack and drizzle or SPOON on glaze while scones are hot.

Orange Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp. soymilk

Zest from 1 orange or 1 tsp. pure Orange extract {optional info...my friends like it better with the zest IN the scone...not in the glaze...}  I add my zest to the glaze...because I think it looks nice!

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth and “drizzly”. {Not a word, but you know what I mean, right?}


BLAH.BLAH.BLAH...

Variations: Add ½ cup mini chocolate chips OR GHIRARADELLI ALL NATURAL
CLASSIC WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS...BE CAREFUL IF YOU HAVE
PEANUT allergies.
May make mini scones
May be rolled out and cut with biscuit cutter for dinner biscuits. No pumpkin pie spice or glaze…just ½ tsp of cinnamon for a bit of flavor

If you aren't a huge cinnamon fan...you may want to skip the cinnamon sugar...if you are adding the glaze.

For the holidays: Mix up several batches of the dry ingredients at the same time and freeze until you are ready to make them!

Okay. I think I am done going on and on with this recipe.

{If this is not your thing...be sure to check out my regular Pumpkin Pie Scone recipe}

Share