"Great, do it again. . .FOLLOW ME!

• 
  
• I was thinking of the day my son was shooting a video for a web page advertisement. He would tell me what to say, I would practice the line and then do it wrong. He would say don't look at me, look at the camera, and don't  roll your eyes. Don't do this. Don't do that.  I would say it again.. and mess it all up again, to the point of full-blown giggling and laughter. We actually had a great time trying to shoot the video.
• 
  As he would point out the things I did wrong, I would say yeah, okay,  I know, I'm sorry and we would try again. It never really got any better. 
• We had no idea that his correcting words were leading me to perform worse. Kind of like saying don't think of a pink elephant!  And a pink elephant becomes all you can think of. 
• Well, he finally gave up, saying, "I'll do the best I can with it." He edited the video. He really is a miracle worker with technology, but I still hated that video.
  
  Then the day came when I had to do a real shoot for a TV ad. She (the TV ad gal) sat close to the camera. She said, let's take one sentence at a time. I said the sentence and I found myself doing all the things I had done with my son's video shoot. But she never mentioned any of it, she just said "GREAT, do it again. 
• She tapped on the camera lens and said "GREAT..do it again" and she said that over and over until she said good.."GOT IT"
  
  And you know, God is saying the same thing to his children.
• "Great my child, just follow me. Great do it again."
• ."Great! I love you, follow me! Do it again!"
• Every deed, every action, every day, is a new chance to follow Him, to do it again. 
• He says follow me and  I WILL MAKE YOU.  —Matthew 4:19.
  
  "And Jesus saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
• 
  It is not "Follow me, because of what you are already."
  
  It is not "Follow me, that you may make something of yourselves;" 
• But it's "Follow Me, because of what I  will make you."
  
  So it is with each one of us, as soon as we are converted,
• we do not know what we shall be, if we will only FOLLOW HIM.
  
  1 John 3:2 a
• Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:
• Matthew 19:21b   "And come and follow me."

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Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saint, HOW I FELT!

Benjamin Watson who plays for the New Orleans Saints posted the following on his Facebook page. I was so touched by it that I shared it with my friends on facebook too. It has since gone viral. I wanted it saved forever so I am posting it here:

"At some point while I was playing or preparing to play Monday Night Football, the news broke about the Ferguson Decision. After trying to figure out how I felt, I decided to write it down. Here are my thoughts:

I'M ANGRY because the stories of injustice that have been passed down for generations seem to be continuing before our very eyes.

I'M FRUSTRATED, because pop culture, music and movies glorify these types of police citizen altercations and promote an invincible attitude that continues to get young men killed in real life, away from safety of movie sets and music studios.

I'M FEARFUL because in the back of my mind I know that although I'm a law abiding citizen I could still be looked upon as a "threat" to those who don't know me. So I will continue to have to go the extra mile to earn the benefit of the doubt.

I'M EMBARRASSED because the looting, violent protests, and law breaking only confirm, and in the minds of many, validate, the stereotypes and thus the inferior treatment.

I'M SAD, because another young life was lost from his family, the racial divide has widened, a community is in shambles, accusations, insensitivity hurt and hatred are boiling over, and we may never know the truth about what happened that day.

I'M SYMPATHETIC, because I wasn't there so I don't know exactly what happened. Maybe Darren Wilson acted within his rights and duty as an officer of the law and killed Michael Brown in self defense like any of us would in the circumstance. Now he has to fear the backlash against himself and his loved ones when he was only doing his job. What a horrible thing to endure. OR maybe he provoked Michael and ignited the series of events that led to him eventually murdering the young man to prove a point.

I'M OFFENDED, because of the insulting comments I've seen that are not only insensitive but dismissive to the painful experiences of others.

I'M CONFUSED, because I don't know why it's so hard to obey a policeman. You will not win!!! And I don't know why some policeman abuse their power. Power is a responsibility, not a weapon to brandish and lord over the populace.

I'M INTROSPECTIVE, because sometimes I want to take "our" side without looking at the facts in situations like these. Sometimes I feel like it's us against them. Sometimes I'm just as prejudiced as people I point fingers at. And that's not right. How can I look at white skin and make assumptions but not want assumptions made about me? That's not right.

I'M HOPELESS, because I've lived long enough to expect things like this to continue to happen. I'm not surprised and at some point my little children are going to inherit the weight of being a minority and all that it entails.

I'M HOPEFUL, because I know that while we still have race issues in America, we enjoy a much different normal than those of our parents and grandparents. I see it in my personal relationships with teammates, friends and mentors. And it's a beautiful thing.

I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope."

Here is the link to his Facebook page: http://tinyurl.com/oo9szxv

Thanksgiving~ Another Favorite Recipe~~Spinach Dip!

Spinach Dip!

Do not deviate.  Do this exactly this way, no substitutes.  No brand changes etc and you will be rewarded.  It's a cannot miss, never fail, starter.  

2 Pkgs Frozen Chopped Spinach (2 boxes).  I think they are 10 oz's a piece.  This you might have to deviate on and buy in a bag if they don't have the boxes.  It's fine as long as you use the right amount which is total 20 oz and it is chopped.  Canned spinach does not taste as good.  Not sure why, but think it's cooked. 

1 Pkg KNORR'S Vegetable Soup Mix. (NO OTHER BRAND)

2 Cups Sour Cream (NOT LOW FAT)

2 Cups Mayonaise ( I use Best Foods for this.but we southerners use Dukes.  I think a generic is fine but NO Miracle Whip.  It will ruin this dish).

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese.   (The kind in the shaker.  Not freshly ground etc.  Not for this).  

3 Green Onions, chopped. 

For the bread bowl and bread to spread it on, you may need to get creative.  As long as it is sour dough french bread, you're good.  I use a round loaf hollowed out to put the dip in (the night before so it soaks into the bread).  Then, I buy baguettes to slice and put the dip on to eat.  When the dip is gone, cut the bowl up like a pizza and eat that too!  If you can't find the round, just buy sour dough loaves.  If you can't find Sour Dough, don't make it. 

Thaw the spinach and squeeze all the water out.

Combine all the ingredients (except the bread).

Best if made the night prior, refrigerated but can do the same day.  Serve in a hollowed out, round, sourdough french bread bowl with bread cubes or slices of baquettes.  

Bon Apetite! My friend, Teri 

I was thinking about the 64 THANKSGIVINGS I have celebrated with the Banning Crew and all of them have been with my mother, Ruby Dubie.  I am her only offspring that never left home for destinations far and wide, so I have actually made every Banning Thanksgiving Feast. What wonderful times we had. 

Most of those gatherings including some spinach dip. Mama loved spinach any time and she especially loved spinach dip. My Friend Teri shared her recipe with me today, and in memory of my mom, I am sharing it with you now. It has a little twist to it. I hope you enjoy it.

We have decided the 2014 Thanksgiving will be spent with my brother in Columbia. It does seem weird 

having Thanksgiving dinner  any place other than Grannys. But with all the illness our family has endured lately, it is just easier on my brother's family to stay put. Mama's children will be together for Thanksgiving though, one more time. Mama certainly would have wanted that.

We will be back early and have planned an evening dessert party at Granny's house. Everyone will bring some yummy sweet thing  and we will have a blast tasting them all and visiting.  

Those who can come, will and those that can't come....well, we know they will be there in spirit.

So this year,  let's make sure our celebration of Thanksgiving includes the portrait of God's hand on our history as a country and a family.  He is always bringing His people together to accomplish specific purposes -- as well as learning the lesson of 1 Thessalonians 5:18: 

 "Be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances."

"My Freedom of Speech Rights"

Apparently, I do not have the same belief in MY rights to Freedom of Speech as many others do.

I have always believed my right to religious speech was protected. But I knew I could not walk in your business or home and demand that I get to speak my religious thoughts to you.

I have always thought I could speak freely about political issues, but somehow I also knew that I could pay a price for those words in ways that no government could protect me from. Once I spoke out in a local government office about a taxing policy, saying I thought I would speak to a couple state representatives about making some changes to the law. The employee at the counter then warned me that the last person she knew of that tried to change it, got a gift from the state, a tax audit. We should all know that words can have consequences and we should weigh the value of expressing those thoughts against the possible end result.

As an elected board member, I watched citizens interrupt board meetings. These government meetings were required by law to be conducted in public. There were published agendas with noted public participation instructions. Completely ignoring the rules of public participation, bold angry citizens would demand they be heard forcing everyone to allow them their 5 minutes of saying whatever they pleased to say while declaring they had freedom to speak.


I have attended graduation ceremonies where hundreds of graduates were to have their names called when they walked across the stage to receive their diploma after years of work to earn that privilege. Those in charge would request the attendees be respectful of all the graduates by holding the applause to the end. They also asked that there be no screaming and hollering as the next person's name could not be heard. They declared that law enforcement would remove anyone who did this. The officers stood everywhere, watching. Along with most, I followed the instructions.  But some folks did not comply with the request.  I believe they thought it was their "RIGHT" to speak, scream and holler  anytime, any place. I recently read where a mother was removed and arrested for disturbing the  peace at her son's graduation ceremony for this very thing. In court, she was found NOT guilty.


With all this in mind, I have been thinking  about the recent issues with law enforcement that have ended in the death of citizens in Missouri and New York. Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot and killed on Aug. 9, 2014 by Darren Wilson, a white police officer, in Ferguson, Mo. after the officer asked the man to get out of the street.  Eric Garner, a 43-year-old black man, died in July after an officer put him in a chokehold during an arrest in the borough of Staten Island, NY on suspicion of selling loose cigarettes.  It seemed both incidences began with a verbal confrontation.  Both men decided they had something to say and by gosh they were going to have their say. How different both cases would have been if these men had just closed their mouth. Could it be that we have so declared our "Freedom of Speech Rights" that naive folks have come to believe they have no responsibility with that right.  People actually think they have the right to shout fire in a crowded building, or interrupt any public meeting or ceremony, or holler and argue with an arresting officer without any consequence.

What are we teaching our children about the responsibility that comes with "FREEDOM?"

When my dad was teaching his teenage children to drive, he constantly pointed out the rules of the road. "Obey the rules and watch out for the other guy", he would say.  He regularly warned,"You can be DEAD right". According to dad, dead was never to be the consequence for learning to drive.  DEAD "right" was to be avoided at all cost.

Freedom of speech is not a license to abuse. It is a serious responsibility. We must return to teaching respect for authority.  Parents, grandparents, teachers and law enforcement are all authority figures deserving respect. May we all be examples of taking responsibility for our actions and our words. With humility, we should value others above yourselves.

Philippians 2:3(KJV) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Glenda's Green CHOW-CHOW (Mild) Recipe

It is a cold, clear, crisp autumn day in sunny Timmonsville, South Carolina and Thanksgiving day is on its way. We gals are all busy with plans for family gatherings and our minds are turned to cooking the feast.  Every recipe seems to be heavy with starches and plenty of butter or bacon grease. We will surely all gain ten pounds in one day. I was thinking about how I love green butter beans served over fluffy white rice with just a little pickle relish on the side...like Chow-Chow. It helps to cut the grease just like desserts do. My good friend Glenda shared her Chow-Chow recipe with me today and I decided to share it with you. Hope you enjoy and share as well. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Glenda's CHOW-CHOW (Mild)

Ingredients:
4 c chopped onions
4 cups chopped green peppers
4 c chopped cabbage
2 cups chopped red peppers
4 c chopped green tomatoes
Mix all together.

Sprinkle 1/2 c salt over the mixture and let stand overnight.

Drain, rinse, drain again.

Ingredients:
6 c sugar (white or brown)
1 1/2 Tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp celery seed
4 cups vinegar
2 Tbsp mustard seed
2 cups water
Mix together and bring to a boil.

Add the mixture of vegetables.
Bring back to a boil. Simmer 3 - 5min.

Pack in hot sterilized jars and seal.

Makes 10-12 pints.

In the Pickle Barrel 11/17/14 Show - US and Israel Relationship; Guest Craig Bergman: No Surrender on Immigration

11/17/2014 Show

Topics:

• Discussion of the relationship between the United States and Israel
• Recent conflict between Israel and Hamas - why the conflict is not over?
• Why is Israel so important to the United States?
• Then political insider and strategist, Carl Bergman, will join to discuss the expected move by President Obama to sign an Executive Order on "Immigration Reform"