The Life of Mrs. Miles

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Wow – time flies when you are ... happily married! Some red, red roses, dinner in, gifts exchanged and an evening of romance. Sigh. Pinch me, already! (and thank you Melanie for the beautiful personalized beeswax candles – how sweet of you)

Photo Cube I made for my HUNNY
using Amy W's LoveLetters Kit
and Kim B's Lovable Kit
(candles made by our friend Melanie O)

And there's always a flipside. Whenever I find myself deleriously happy/excited about something, my heart tugs to the other side. Single moms, broken and hurting people. I don't take my blessings lightly, or not pay attention to the fact they are indeed, blessings. My mind and heart are turned to those who don't have someone to share their day with, their hopes and dreams, who will be there to hold them when they're hurting or share their joys and accomplishments. You know, with Valentines day just around the corner, its time for you to think of those who are alone. You have a terrific opportunity to bring a little love into their lives.

1 Timothy 5:3

Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.

It is so little I can do!

It is so little I can say!

Nay, but what God demands of you

Is just that little:

HEAR – OBEY

- J.L.M.W.

Know a lonely widower? Know a single mom or dad? Why not pick just one, and make up something special to help them know they're not alone/forgotton or unappreciated. Just because a single mom doesn't have (or even want or need) a man in her life does not mean she would not like to recieve something pretty and frilly to make her feel beautiful. Or something sweet and scented. A single dad would probably appreciate a cassarole, movie night basket or restaurant coupons. What widower wouldn't like to be taken out for a coffee and prompted to share memories of their loved ones & their own Valentines memories.

The power of prayer.

Thank you for praying for my friend Patricia B. I got the urge to call the hospital to check on her condition last Sunday before church (you know, one of those God-nudges on your heart)... I was afraid perhaps it was too early to be bothering her, but then again you know if you don't obey your urge NOW you may forget later and the opportunity is gone?

I phone and discover that she's been discharged. See, Patricia had been using that 'special' room most hospitals have. The one thats stocked like a nice motel, complete with a visiting area and other warm touches. This gives dignity and the ability to entertain – because the underlying message is, “you don't have long.” So, when I called to find she'd been sent home, I was wondering?

I decided, even at the early hour to phone her home. I'm so glad I did. The difference in prognosis between my last posting and this one, is now Patricia may have MONTHS, not weeks – perhaps (according to the doctors) a year. Hmmm... I don't know about you, and I don't know how this happened but I consider it an answer to prayer – a miricle. I've just seen it too many times. I've allowed myself to believe in asking for the BIG things from God, and I've also seen them answered. Please continue to pray for my friend... I'm thinking this will be a powerful year in her life!

Hitherto have you asked nothing in My name:

ask, and ye shall receive,

that your joy may be full.

John 16:24

Prayer is the door to God's treasury,

Faith is the key that opens it.

I had a wonderful visit Saturday night with some freinds, celebrating the birthdays of a one year old (cute, cute, CUTE) baby girl, and her auntie – who's twenty something? The gathering had grown from a few people to a spontaneous party of a dozen or so. Everything from Granny age and on down. Fun was had by all.

There are three very brave (specks) people out in the middle!
not me... :|

The lake is still nice and frozey. It changes every so often – at this point its all splotchy with bare patches of ice, which look black, then patterns of white where the snow has drifted. I saw a couple skating out there today – and three kids the other day, way out in the middle. I dunno, I'm too chicken to go out there, though I've been assured it should be fairly safe. Last I looked thats about where the eagles were picking off the woodhens, and it was the last big hole to freeze over. Whenever I even think about skating out in the middle I can see myself breaking through and plunging into the icy depths.

I get out several times a week to skate. It will be a bit tricky now with the patches of snow – I might take a snow shovel with me the next time and at least make a clear stretch so I get a good workout. I'm pretty clumsy and I fall at least once each session. I'm still sporting a 6 inch diameter bruise on my elbow, and several on my hip and legs. Not too sexy for my romantic valentines night... LOL! And then I get carried away with my camera sometimes, taking macro shots, laying on the ice. I swear one day they will find me frozen to the ice by the front of my legs melting in.

And another very cool thing about the lake. Because it's frozen over it makes these incredibly wild sounds as it shifts to fit into the bowl we call Osoyoos Lake. It makes all these amazing sounds as the ice creaks and groans and protests as it shifts to fit. The sounds rumble and grind all through the night, sounding like some sort of waterbeast that can't find rest. Do the fish 'hear' the sounds – or do they just feel vibrations. Do fish even have ears?

zebra patterns on our ice!

I learned a neat trick last week that you might find helpful. If you find the text too big or small to read online, just hit ctrl+ or ctrl- this makes the text you're reading bigger or smaller, in increments. I use this all the time now.

I forgot to share a recipe with you last journal entry. I attempted the roast recipe a second time, this time not with a Prime Rib, but with a round roast – and it turned out wonderful. My hunny got that little boy/puppy eyes and used his softest little voice to ask me if I would make him some Yorkshire Pudding to go with it. (silly boy, I'd love to do it even without all the cuteness!) I think both of us have fond memories of Sunday Roasts with our families as children. I was a little timid to make them, as my Mother In Law makes some wicked-good ones! But, being that I had a recent success with the meat part of the meal I decided to take the leap.

Again, even though I have a ton of corking cookbooks, the lure of finding something exotic and new on the internet won out. Of course, one of my key criteria for a recipe is that it is the 'BIG E' as in EASY. I settled on one that has few ingredients and can be adjusted by volume. Really, by volume. I thought that would be handy and interesting. I don't remember the exact website I found the recipe at, but the measurements are this: 1 cup eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, salt. Really. I used this amount and it made enough for more than a dozen puddings. I will half the recipe next time. I've just never seen a recipe which goes by volume, have you? They turned out exceptional. The other key thing to do, as you will read, is to heat the oil to as hot as possible, without actually setting it on fire – a fine art.

lonely leaf on the lake

If you are looking for a GOOD movie with a GOOD message I would highly recommend the movie Midnight Clear. You can read a review and see the trailer here.

My handy link for today is Cool Printables which is a site that will give you lots of great links to printable things. Enjoy, just click here to be transported.

I will leave you with this touching video about Mr. Rogers as he makes a pitch to the senate to have his show approved to be aired. I don't know about you, but it chokes me up. His sweet and good demeanor caused me to ask if he was a Believer - that goodness shines thru (or at least it should!) I did some research and discovered that Mr. Rogers was an ordained Presbytarian minister.