Let's Get STARTED!

Yes, I still love some reality show and watching real people achieve real success because of their God-given abilities, survival skills, ingenuity, creativity and good old hard work. One of those shows is "America's Got Talent". Most impressive this year were the extraordinary young people who competed. They were just normal kids, but they took what they had to a level of remarkable abiities. One of my favorite acts was the magic show provided by a 10-year old boy and his younger sister who performed in ways that boggled the judges and viewers. A 14-year old contortionist had perfected her inate abilities to a performance beyond description. There was a 13-year old stand-up comedian who bowled the crowd over with her hilarious comedy routines. Amongst the many talented adult and young performers, the one who won it it all was a pint-size, 12-year old singer, songwriter and ukulele player, Grace VanderWaal, who stunned judges and viewers alike, singing in a style of her own. She won $1 million and the opportunity to perform in a Las Vegas Show, which, by the way, is already sold out. Can you even imagine? That young girl beat out the likes of years of experienced talents.

Each one of those kids and adults started somewhere. Maybe the kids who were magicians watched their dad, who is a magician, perfect his routines. They caught the desire to do the same. The comedian girl started her routines when her dad was suffering from cancer, and she wanted to make him laugh. The contortionist was self-taught in perfecting her abilities -- she started and didn't stop until she was an incredible talent on the show. Grace was just 4 years old when she started singing. She saw a friend play the ukulele. With her own saved money, she bought herself a ukulele.

All those kids AND adults STARTED......and didn't stop. The most significant decision they made was to START. What is it that we would really like to achieve? Maybe be an accomplished musician? START by taking lessons. An artist? START by buying paints and a canvas. A writer? START by blogging. A doctor? START by going to school. A great cook? To be a great cook....one has to START cooking. Denise Gerrich, my daughter's friend, "sister", assistant, household everything -- didn't cook at all in the beginning of her 22 years with the Wallace Family. But she STARTED....trying new recipes, experimented, practiced, trained, and is now a Master Chef in her own right. My goodness, yesterday, I enjoyed one of her incredible gourmet meals -- Red Thai Curry Chicken. So yummy! She STARTED.

The point in my today's post is to encourage us all to move from Point A to Point B. Point A being the place of "want to" or "I wish I could" to Point B....GET STARTED. That's what I did today here in Frisco, TX. I STARTED my quest to find a home here. I had written out my vision, made plans for when, pondered the location (between Tulsa where my mother-in-law, other family and friends are and Austin where my son and family lives), decided on Frisco Lakes -- a 55+ community like my Tulsa community. Lots of thinking and pondering and looking at properties on the internet. I've been in Point A for quite some time -- but there comes the time to leave Point A and GET STARTED in Point B!!

What are you thinking about accomplishing today? Something as simple as cleaning the house? Get STARTED. It all starts with one step, one pushing the button, one getting up and moving. Let's GET STARTED! On your mark, get set.....GO!

Be the Chocolate Chip!

I'll admit it. Of the many foods I hold near and dear to my heart, one of my favorites is a chocolate chip cookie. In fact, I'm a connoisseur of chocolate chip cookies. I've tasted many -- store-bought and homemade. Still the winner for me, is Hilton's Doubletree Hotel ones. If you go to the Doubletree Hotel to stay for a night, you'll be indulged with their scrumptuous, fresh, warm cookies. Since you can only buy them at their hotel, or order them online, someone came up with a cloned version, that I can barely tell the difference. So you know what I mean, I've included the cloned recipe here. You're welcome!

But this post is more than just about chocolate chip cookies. In a chocolate chip cookie recipe, the first ingredients are flour, salt, brown sugar, butter, baking soda. Once you beat those ingredients all up, you can't tell which ingredient is which. They've all blended together. But, chocolate chips added into those ingredients -- you can always tell it apart from the rest. That's why I pick the chocolate chip cookie that has the most yummy chocolate chips in it!!

Jan Brewer and Amy Stucky wrote a book called "Be the Chocolate Chip". Here's a paragraph from their book: "You can be the chocolate chip. You can choose to be 'in the cookie, but not of the cookie'. Just as the chocolate chip made the cookie better by retaining its true nature, you can make the world better by retaining your true nature as a follower of Christ. You don't have to be something or someone else. You don't have to melt into the crowd; you can be the chocolate chip! You will get noticed for being different. You will stand out. That is what makes all the difference, and is what makes a chocolate chip cookie so great. What good would it be without the chocolate chip? Be you. Be different. Be better. Be the chocolate chip!"

I love that! I don't think I can add to those words except for God's Word that says in Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Isn't it time we are the chocolate chip cookie that draws others to our taste, our look, our smile, our light, our warmth and our aroma! Sure we'll be different than ALL the OTHER COOKIES in the store (world), but standing out as different than all the rest, sure brings God's favor and blessings to us!

Here's that yummy, cloned version recipe that I promised! It's a cloned version. DoubleTree seems to hold a tight rein on their version, but this one is as close as can be expected!

DOUBLE TREE COOKIES (cloned version)
Be sure to get the cookies out of the oven when they are turning light brown. This way they'll stay soft in the middle when cool. For even better results, you can chill the dough overnight before you commence with the ceremonial baking.
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grind oats in a food processor or blender until fine. Combine the ground oats with the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
3. Cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and lemon juice in another medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and mix until smooth.
4. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture and blend well. Add the chocolate chips and nuts to the dough and mix by hand until ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Spoon rounded 1/4-cup portions onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place the scoops about 2 inches apart. You don't need to press the dough flat. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until cookies are light brown and soft in the middle. Store in a sealed container when cool to keep soft. For the best results, chill the dough overnight in the refrigerator before baking the cookies.

Date Nut Loaf -- What Are Your Constants?

Day 20 -- Photo Inspiration:  Mom's (aka Granny) Date Nut Loaf.
I stopped in to see Mom (my Mother-in-Law) yesterday.  She had just finished pouring her famous Date Nut Loaf batter into the pan and the tin can.  Yes, tin cans make for the perfect individual size loaf pan.  And, for ease of removal of the "cooked" loaf -- she always lines her pans with wax paper. (Tips of the day for you!)

Mom's always been known for her baking -- best pie crusts ever (apple pie is her specialty), best chocolate cake ever, best kuchen (German cake -- Mom is German), best chocolate chip cookies, matrimonial cake, shortbread cookies, and, of course, the best Date Nut Loaf EVER.  Here's the thing about yesterday's baking.....it was, typically, done before Christmas, but this year....it's happening the middle of January -- perhaps, her NEW normal.

She's 92 and her new "normal" is very different than years past.  This is a lady that has been the epitome of the energizer bunny.  Now, she walks slower, doesn't stand for long periods of time, On cold days, she stays in because the cold causes her knees to hurt too much.  She doesn't cook much anymore.  She doesn't entertain much anymore.  She asked me to bring her mail in for her today.  She told me the slight incline on her sidewalk is too much for her now. She doesn't walk outside too much at all anymore.  She doesn't go shopping anymore.

But here are her constants -- her weekly hair appointments, her great granddaughter visiting her every Monday, sleeping well at night, her daily devotions, her prayer time, her attendance at church and giving to her church  Those are her priorities and those are her constants.  I know it's hard for us to relate to her because our lives are so busy and full -- but one day.....we'll be there, and we'll understand how important "constants" are.  As I continue to mature....I'm appreciating each of these seasons that we come to in our lives and I pray that my constants will include those that are so important to her.

And I think, she would be most pleased with me if I GAVE you her best EVER Date Nut Loaf Recipe -- direct from our family's recipe book.  BTW -- the recipe says run (rum) or orange juice.  Mom always used orange juice -- never rum -- she was a straight-laced pastor's wife for over 50 years, and she toed the line in more ways than one!