This was a country of faith before the first settlers arrived. Atheists are welcome to stay… but if you think you’re going to eliminate faith from American life, you’re more than welcome to move to a country that’s more in line with your way of thinking.
Super Easy Bok Choy “Stir Fry”
Bok choy is my new favorite vegetable. Add a little garlic, ginger and vinegar and you’ve got a great summer side in 15 minutes.
Mix a few tablespoons each olive oil, minced garlic and minced ginger in a cool dutch oven. Just let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
Remove any wilted leaves from 8 or 10 stalks of bok choy. Cut off and discard the root end; cut the rest into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Leave the little center heart in tact.
Cut 6 to 8 shiitake mushrooms into bite-sized chunks and coarsely chop a red bell pepper.
Warm the oil in the dutch oven over medium high heat until it starts to sizzle. Toss in the red pepper and cook for 1 minute. Toss in the shiitake and cook for another minute. Pour in a few tablespoons of lime-flavored Kikkoman Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Dressing & Sauce, 1 to 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, toss it around and simmer for another minute.
Add the bok choy and stir well. Make sure it’s coated with the garlic infused oil and vinegar. Cover the dutch oven, cut the heat back to medium and let everything steam for a few minutes — 3 minutes will give you cooked but still crunchy bok choy.
If you want to make it a complete meal, toss in thinly slice grilled steak tips and serve it with sweet (aka sticky) rice.
Guiltless Dessert
1 regular size package instant sugar free vanilla pudding mix (100 calories)
1 regular size package sugar free lemon jello (40 calories)
2 cups water
1 cup fat-free whipped topping (120 calories)
2 medium bananas, sliced (210 calories)
Extra whipped topping for garnish (15 calories per tablespoon)
Boil water, add jello, stir until dissolved and cool.
Whisk in the dry pudding mix until smooth.
Whisk in the whipped topping until smooth.
Stir in the sliced bananas and chill until set.
Serve in chilled custard cups with 1-2 tablespoons of whipped topping on top.
Serves 6 — about 100 calories each.
Mother’s Day 2012
If roses grow in Heaven Lord, please pick a small bouquet.
Place them in my mother’ arms and tell her they’re from me.
Tell her that I love and miss her, and when she turns to smile,
Place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for awhile.
Remembering her is easy, I do it everyday,
But there’s an ache within my hear that will never go away.
The Debt
They say that God doesn’t ask us for more than we can bear. I hope that’s true because I have one coming due and it’s bound to be a whopper.
A few weeks ago, I discovered that I had misplaced some of my best jewelry — for the third time. This isn’t stuff I buy for myself. My husband has been slowly filling my coffer over the course of fifteen birthdays, anniversaries and Valentines Days and every time I lose a piece, we go through this cycle where I get stressed, he goes into a panic because I won’t tell him what’s wrong until I finally break down. He’s always relieved because in the back of his mind he’s been thinking there’s some pending disaster — jewelry can always be replaced — but I know that deep down he’s disappointed because some commemorative ornament is gone forever.
For days on end, I’ve been slowly tearing the house apart making myself sicker and sicker — to the point where I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, I’ve ground Lord knows how much enamel off my teeth and there’s not enough Zantac in the entire county to hold my stomach pains down to a dull roar.
When I got up this morning, I knew today was the day I was going to have to come clean and the first words out of my mouth as my feet hit the floor were “God, help me”. Not the sort of “God, help me” that you utter without thinking about it. This was the serious kind of “God, help me” that’s best repeated down on your knees with your Bible clutched to your heart and a good, healthy “Amen” at the end.
I decided to work up my courage as I got a few chores out of the way. Being that it’s Superbowl Sunday, that included making a big pot of chili to take down to the neighbors when we go to watch the game. A few of my spice tins needed a refill so I hit the pantry where I keep the overflow of bulk spices I buy on the Internet.
I grab the box off the shelf, look inside and see a smaller box that isn’t supposed to be there. The small jewelry box that my Christmas present was wrapped in. The box I had taken with me when we spent the night in Boston to see The Nutcracker. The box I had thrown in there to cart it upstairs along with my latest spice order I hadn’t put away yet. The box that didn’t quite make it all the way to the bedroom safe — presumably because of some minor distraction. The box with the earrings Tom gave me for our first Christmas, the tennis bracelet he gave me for our fifth anniversary and the ring he gave me for my fiftieth birthday.
I don’t believe in coincidence. I’m in awe when I think about the fact that what I was searching for was the courage to tell the truth, but God went beyond that and changed the truth for me instead. As I sit and wonder what my bill will be, I’m confident that paying up won’t be nearly as difficult as what I’ve just gone through. If I happen to be wrong, there’s always another “God, help me” waiting to be said.
How do you spend your dash?
Every once in a while I come across a phrase or story or poem that just sends a jolt through me. The Dash by Linda Ellis is at the top of my list.
Read The Dash: http://lindaellis.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/11/the-dash.html