The Couch

A week ago our living room couch looked like this: 

 

That’s what happens when you give your couch to a Great Dane. The appearance and reduced functionality of the couch had been greatly distressing me for some time. I was quietly asking God for a new couch to fall into our laps, but nothing was happening. It was the THING that made me cringe at inviting people over. It shed foam bits and who-knows-what and our son was starting to climb and play on it. I looked at Craigslist, but transportation was an issue so I didn’t make any calls. Then one night I told my husband that it had to go, even if there was no replacement. Maybe we could live without a couch. He said, wait ‘til the weekend and if you feel the same, then okey-dokey. Saturday came, and out went the couch! Yay! But the space was empty and awkward and felt wrong. All I had to put there was a skinny little rocking chair and the thought of the imbalance in the room made me feel dizzy. This room has enough dizzy in it with the floor slanting and all. So I made a call to some locals who were giving away a couch. It was still available! Then I called my parents, picked up their van, and dropped off the little one. After a bit of head scratching, prayer, and inspired angling, it fit through the door! Then back to swap van and baby and home in time to have friends over. Ahhh, it’s such a nice feeling to have a usable, respectable couch again. For free! I’ve said this before, but I think people who give things away are awesome, and I want to be more like them.God provided, I just needed to take action.

The colors actually match the wall behind it, but the white background is too bright for everything else in the room, hence the slipcover, which will also serve as protection from the new owner of the couch…our Great Dane.

Winning Ways—A Word of Warning

(Alliteration much?)

Why enter giveaways online? You will win. I promise you. Well, let me add a caveat: you will win if you enter A LOT of giveaways. For several months entering giveaways has been one of my hobbies and I have won some valuable prizes. Here are a few of my favorites:

            12 (!!!!) cloth diapers from Lotus Bumz

            3 skeins of hand died yarn

            A giant sampler pack of gourmet popcorn from Dale and Thomas

Even though an evil little thought wants to keep these giveaways to myself, I’m going to do a little series about entering giveaways and what I have learned. I’m going to start at the end:

Reasons NOT to enter giveaways:

-Its addicting

            There are lots of studies that show what gambling does to your brain. As reported here, the parts of the brain involved in anticipating a win show a similar response to cocaine or morphine. That is an extremely simplistic statement, but the bottom line is that anticipating a good outcome feels good. That good feeling may incent a person (cough, me, cough) to keep looking for that good feeling. Without limits, the losses pile up—not in money, but in time. There is NO WAY to enter All of the available giveaways. Set limits!

-It feeds the bottomless pit of materialism.

            I have always thought of myself as an anti-consumer. I rarely buy new things, shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, and Craigslist. But at the heart of consumerism is the desire for more, more, more! Having is not enough; the desire never ends. Since I always seem to be thinking about the next thing that I want or need, I guess I am a consumer. I just want my stuff to be free, or at least deeply discounted!

            We are designed to be completely fulfilled and whole in the presence of our Creator. Our never-ending longing is a signpost pointing to our need for God. Only His love will completely fulfill us and Jesus has already done everything necessary to restore our relationship. Our part is to trust Him and love Him. So when I feel frantic to enter the next giveaway for an apron I just NEED, or when I’ve finished eating and I want to think of the next thing to put in my mouth, I remember this:

           

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 4:19

            "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

            “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

            I’m grateful for the things I have won, and I find it fun to keep entering giveaways. But I want to remember that these things are temporary and that my Father has even better things in store for me that I can’t even imagine. How great is that!

Another thought about longing that points to God. I find when I hear a piece of beautiful music, or see something beautiful in nature or in the love of a child, I’m filled with wonder and, at the same time, a painful longing. C.S.Lewis talked about it in Surprised by Joy. That fleeting and painful joy leads me to worship the Author of all beauty. This morning in ’10 was like that for me.

Korean Beef Stir-Fry

I made this for company this weekend and it went over well! I adapted a recipe I found on food.com that was for Asian-flavored hamburgers. I turned it into a one-dish meal that can be ready in 30 minutes.  I might cut back on the soy sauce next time. Also, I went light on the red pepper flakes to please other tastes and then added garlic chili sauce to my portion. Mmm, hmm!

Korean Beef Stir-Fry

•  1 lb ground beef
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic , minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 c. onion, chopped
• 3 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 stalks celery sliced on the diagonal about ¼ inch thick

-Combine the first 8 ingredients and mix well.

-In a large frying pan, brown the beef on medium high heat until no longer pink. Remove to a plate

-Drain all but about ¼ cup liquid from the pan—enough to saute the vegetables. Turn heat to high and stir-fry until crisp-tender. The carrots will take the longest, so test them.

-Stir in the beef.

Enjoy with rice and maybe some boiled pot-stickers if there’s company :-)

Quick Enchilada Sauce Recipe

I made some delicious enchiladas from a Betty Crocker cookbook last night, but I whipped up my own sauce to put on it. I just threw some things together and it turned out great!

16 oz. tomato sauce

1 T. chili powder

1 t. Adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers

½ t. Cumin

½ t. Salt

½ t. Onion powder

½ t. Smoked paprika

¼ t. Garlic powder

¼ t. Freshly ground black pepper

Stir and use!

Today in the Garden is back!

Snow drops make me so happy. They are so brave and faithful and they have the advantage of being the only flower around to look at this time of year. They are closed up on this cold, rainy March first, but they still make me happy!