Tag: Life

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Faith Life

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Peach says: “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” – John 10:10

While ‘godliness with contentment is great gain’. 1 Timothy 6:6, it is ALSO something He desires, greatly desires, you to know, that is — He is your GOOD Father, when you are in relationship, in right standing with Him, through your reliance on the perfect sacrifice of Christ Jesus on your behalf. He desires not only to work out good things for you, in you and through you, but He has goodness in store for you and WANTS you to get to know Him in these ways.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.“- Jeremiah 29:11.

“I will give you the treasures of darkness

And hidden riches of secret places,

That you may know that I, the Lord,

Who call you by your name,

Am the God of Israel.” – Isaiah 45:3 (this literally came across the TV as I was typing out this message, as the preacher was explaining ‘He is ALWAYS the God of the double portion, of more than enough’!! This coming on after the end of an entirely different message I had just watched).

“Oh, how great is Your goodness,

Which You have laid up for those who fear You,

Which You have prepared for those who trust in You…!” – Psalm 31:19 (a FAVORITE of mine!)

“6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a REWARDER of those who diligently seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” – Psalm 34:8

In 2001 the Lord impressed on my heart “Trust me to do you good”. Since then I have learned of His goodness to us, in us, and that He lets us be part of. About 4 or 5 years ago, He impressed on me to make my effort to help people know of His goodness. “Oh taste and see that the Lord is GOOD;”

Today I could tell you many things, many ways He has proven Himself true and faithful over and over. But, you likely have your own stories, your own experiences! I simply want to shine a spotlight on Him, on His goodness. He desires to express that goodness, that love, that rich grace, mercy, purpose and plan for you. This world we live in is designed to distract us, hopes to overwhelm us, that we may lose heart, forget, lose our upward focus! All runners must keep focused upward and forward! All mountain climbers must focus upward and forward. JESUS IS OUR UPWARD! OUR FORWARD!

I hope you feel exhilarated and encouraged. Taste and SEE! The Lord, He IS good!!

Categories
family food life styles

Food Experiment

Batman says:

I have a tendency to goof off in the kitchen whilst Peach is out working. I plunder through the cabinets and freezer, drawers and fridge searching for some unknown super food that is both filling, salty, sweet, not so bad for you (not to good for you either). I usually end up making a mess and sometimes the resulting amassed pile of ingredients results in something tasty (sometimes turkey vultures would turn their noses up at it) and a bit ago I made this concoction:

Jerry’s Apple roasted chicken with Apple honey glaze

3 chicken breasts cubed

Baking dish

Creole seasoning

Garlic salt

Beer chicken spice

Cayenne pepper

Apple cider

Apple jelly

Honey

Cube chicken put in baking dish

Sprinkle with creole seasoning, garlic salt, beer chicken spice, cayenne pepper. Add Apple cider to moisten. Bake in 400 pre-heated oven 10 minutes, turn, another 10 minutes

In small sauce pan combine 2 large spoonfuls of apple jelly and 2-3 squirts honey, heat to thin

Remove chicken, baste with Apple honey mix, back in oven on broil middle rack 7 minutes

Oven to 400 and bake another 7 minutes

Ok, the baking times differ with your oven, just be careful not to over cook the chicken.

It was actually pretty tasty and not very complicated to make. I’m sure some fancy chef someplace has already done this in some fashion and if so I give u your accolades, I’ve never heard of it or had anything like it before so I gave it the name you see.

Anyways, Peach liked it (or pretended to)

Have a great day y’all

Categories
family food life styles

Linner

Batman says:

Linner (lunch/dinner for the uneducated) is a kinda in between meal for working families. Peach and I love to (at least she says she loves to…sometimes I’m not sure) cook together in the kitchen. Linner is our meal we make when one or the other may not have the night off, we try and make it kinda healthy (not foolin anyone it’s healthy or not we’re gonna eat it) when we can and if not I will not lose and sleep. Today it was shrimp drenched in eggs and milk, dredged in ‘Jiffy Muffin’ mix and fried at 325 till golden brown and delicious along with Brussel sprouts cooked in salt and pepper and when done topped with a half stick of butter and allowed to melt. The muffin mix adds a sweet and crispy texture and flavor to the shrimp and the butter of course makes Brussel sprouts melt in your mouth. Total time, 15 minutes?? And freakin yummy..

Take time to experiment, and don’t forget Linner, the unused meal…don’t forget the dishes Peach 🙂

Categories
family life styles

End of People Connecting

Batman says:

Struck me today, we have reached a point in history where we no longer talk “to” a person we talk “at” a person. Texting, blogging, news etc, all talk at people. There is no human interaction, no tremble in the voice when upset, no visible smile when happy. There are just typed words or talking heads on a television screen (substitute with phone screen or computer monitor).

As I get older I tend to look back a bit at how things were (just like everyone does eventually) when people actually talked to each other, either face to face or on the phone, even on Ham radio. I believe we have traveled half way down a road that eventually leads to us just not ever having to speak to a human being in person. Just take a look around you pretty much anywhere you are at the moment (yes even in cars, which is stupid and will get you or someone hurt or killed if your driving) and I would be willing to bet there is someone with their face glued to a phone screen or computer monitor (don’t fib, you know there is someone).

The art of communication is one we should try and keep, it helps make meaningful contact, establishes life long friendships, works out issues and it’s just plain better than any form of communication.

Read an article someplace recently that said Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban don’t text, they actually call so they can speak to each other, remember the concept of that? Have when gotten so far down the path that we can’t go back? I for one hope not and will make a conscious effort to actually talk face to face with whoever I need to communicate with from now on, I may be old fashioned but I’ve never really liked even phones, I prefer face to face, it’s more “human” and leaves a better impression I think.

Anyways that’s my two cents, don’t text me I won’t get it anyways, and take the time today to find a person and just say hello, bet your surprised at the result.

Categories
family life styles

Ready for Bed

Batman says:

What is it with getting ready for bed that takes some people so long? I mean, brush teeth, take medicine (if required) say prayers, get happy tuckus (rear, butt, bottom) in bed. Should be that simple, but no, some people (nope I ain’t pointing a finger so don’t even ask) take forever to actually get into bed. They find ways to make going to bed a crazy time consuming adventure and it leaves one wondering if they are ever really coming to bed. The bathroom portion takes at a minimum 10 minutes to get everything done. Then they come out and remember something they forgot and go back to the bathroom again.

Then of course they remember that they need to go to the kitchen to get a drink or family room to retrieve something they forgot, all the while the patient other half is in bed trying either to stay awake so they kinda go to bed ‘together’ or trying to fall asleep because they have to get up early and go to work.

Going to bed together as a couple is keen to a relationship, but apparently that doesn’t mean going to bed at he same time.

Love ya Peach

Categories
Faith family life styles

Sleep?

Batman says:

Here I am, 00:14 hours (12:14 at nite for u non 24hr peeps) and wide awake again. Insomnia?nope just a victim of shift-work for over 23 years, currently I’m keyed on working nights. End of a 56 day rotation and Monday I’m back to day-shift. It’s a wonder people with this kind of schedule ever get good sleep and therefore good rest.

Exercise is supposed to help, but so far I’ve proved that to be hit and miss, spent 3+ hours with peach cutting grass today, was exhausted, hot and sweaty, had a good supper, watched a very small amount of television, and was in bed by 22:30. Tossed and turned and flopped like a fish out of water until I figured I would write about my misfortune at not being sleepy. Reading helps at times but I have read every book in the house at least twice, and did my bible reading for the evening when we hit the sack (Ester 9-10 if you must know).

So here I lay, awake and trying to be still so I don’t wake Peach who is finally resting (sleeping) peacefully after wrestling whatever one wrestles in ones dreams. Thoughts bombarding my brain like so many rain drops in a summer storm, ‘should I get the new pool liner?’, ‘it would be cool to get the antenna mast pretty soon’, ‘gotta get back to studying for that test’ and so on.

Then I take a breath and think how lucky I am, I’m home, I have a loving wife and great kids and grandkids. I have a roof over my head, a pretty good job and friends I can count on in a pinch, and I finally start to relax. I remember these are my days off, I should have a clear mind and enjoy what Gods given me. I lay here quietly typing out these words randomly as the thoughts appear in my head, no order, no chaos, just relaxed thoughts.

No, none of this has helped me get sleep, but it has reminded me that I am lucky and I’m being watched over by God, who in the long run, will assure I get the sleep I need and the peace I hope for.

Sometimes like the saying goes “sleep is overrated” in the great scheme of things.

Night all, rest peacefully knowing there are guardians out there every night seeking the evil most people pretend doesn’t exist. And like my fellow guardians, with gods help, that evil will not find you and yours on our watch.

Now you know why Peach named the blog “Adventures and Musings….

Cause sometimes Batman rambles aimlessly

Categories
life styles Music

Bob Seger

72AC3B69-2AE5-42A7-A4B6-AF6666A50996.jpegWinter of 1981, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. I was 16 and in a Bob Segar, Alabama, Bette Midler mode. Alabama was all me. I remember when I heard them for the first time. Music is so powerful, it just resonated with me. Bob Seger and Bette Midler were my parents jams, that I took as my own. Played all three records over and over. Fortunately my parents work schedule allowed me plenty of time to turn the music up to 9 o’clock and rock the house out!

In spring of 1982 I met Batman, and my music jam moved on to .38 Special and Billy Squiers. Because of how the river of life flowed I did not hear one of the Bob Seger songs probably since that winter, it wasn’t a big air play song on the radio. Little Victories. With the passage of time my brain had boiled down this song into a few crystallized lines, chiefly, Little Victories, it was a common thought to me to always celebrate the tiny victories often overlooked on the way to ultimate success! Let there be joy in the journey by learning to find the dew in the grass as joy comes in the morning.

Something brought it to mind yesterday and I looked it up, first the lyrics. They surprised me by their sheer lonesomeness. Then I listened to the song, maybe for the first time since winter of 1981. So good. I still get why I liked his music so much. And I could still get the lines that were the ones that stood out to my youthful mind way back then.

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“As you step out in the night take a lesson from the trees
Watch the way they learn to bend with each breeze
Little victories
Everytime you make it through
It’s another little victory
Day by day minute by minute
Little victories”

Categories
Faith family life styles

What’s behind me

Batman says:

“What’s behind me doesn’t matter” interesting quote I saw on a movie when I was young (never you mind when that was) about a race car driver I think. He was talking about cars he passed as he ripped off the rear view mirror, but if we think about it, it fits life.We should not spend time worrying about what’s behind us, or ‘in the past’ because we cannot change it. We learn from our past and continually strive to improve and move forward. If we don’t, we are likely to live miserable ‘I should have’ lives in which all we can do is constantly think about how we should have or could have done something different or better.

Remembering past parts of our lives is normal and even healthy (no I’m by no means one of those head doctors) I think, it should help us learn about ourselves and how we have changed.

Dwelling (no not the place you live) on the past cannot be healthy, it tends to hold us back and keeps us from moving forward to get better and stronger. By all means, remember the past, relish the memories of childhood and youth, all the fun things, as well as the fun things that you did and happened. Then, look forward to where you are now and see how much you have grown, and how the things in the past (behind you) don’t really matter in the long run. Another quote I saw or heard in a movie a long time ago “son, remember this, God doesn’t care who you were, he cares about who you are now”.

See? “What’s behind me, doesn’t matter”

Categories
Faith family life styles

Don’t Believe ALL the Bad News You Hear! (only some of it) and HAPPY Father’s Day!!

Peach says: First of all, I want to SHOUT OUT to my Batman for EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL rising to the occasion to be a father to our sons. No matter the weariness or obstacles, no matter, even once, what he ‘felt like’, he has every day, every moment rallied to the occasion to provide, set the example, and love unconditionally. He has loved with grace and with gruffness and with discipline (because love does that, read your Bible 😉) and with humor! He has loved with his presence and with his provision, and with his WORK! Thank You, Lord for such a man of Yours for my very own husband to do parenting, and all of life with!! May he be extra blessed today and throughout this coming year!!! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!!

And now, some Father’s Day observations. I work in retail and today I saw such an interesting phenomena. Over and over into our store came families, with Daddy, most were young families, but there were a few older families.  Every one of them happy to be there humbly and graciously providing the cute clothes, sunglasses, shoes, and bathing suits for their kids.

Might not sound like much to you, but on the ONE day out of the year designated to honor and celebrate our Dads, I think it speaks volumes to their quality of charachter to be out shoping and providing, doing the fun and the ‘extra’ for their children and their wives.

It’s all too common to hear such divisive talk between our two genders. Male and female. But, don’t believe everything you hear in the news and social media. We sure do need a bunch more JESUS, but there are STILL good people out there everywhere you go!! Look around, and you will see them! Every time I could remember to tell one of the Dads ‘Happy Father’s Day’, they lit up like a Christmas Tree! Such a simple thing!!

Father God, thank You for being our Daddy! Thank You for making a way for us to be adopted into Your family!! Thank You for the GIFT 🎁 of Family!!! Please do Your work today, this week and this year in our families!! Strengthen, realign, heal, give clear vision and purpose, let there be proper order and sweetness of life in our families all across our land, transform America one life, one relationship, one family at a time!! And let all the Daddies rise up!! In Jesus’ Name! Amen!!

Categories
Faith life styles

Closed on Sunday

Batman says:

Three words, profound implications. Closed on Sunday, where did this habit go? More proof that the masses of people are getting farther and farther from Gods Law and walking in Grace.

I remember the time when it was more common Not to be able to find a shop open on Sunday than it was to find one open. People would gather at Church or just gather someplace for fellowship and then return to their homes and be a family for the rest of the day. Now it’s more common for no one to be home on Sunday because everyone is out shopping or at a movie or eating out. We are being driven by the need to make money, spend money, and go have fun, instead of the need to give God his due and follow his rules and keep Sunday as the Sabbath and do no work. Seeing the sign “Closed on Sunday” on more places of business would return us to a better time and place.

Society today is failing in all aspects and mainly in religion. I truly believe if we more closely followed (or at least tried to) the law as written in the Bible, the world would be a better place.

“Closed on Sunday”

What a concept, thousands of years old, wise well ahead of its time.