After a bit of a hiatus and some sincere badgering by my lovely wife Tammy, I return to the blogging world. It has been too long I admit, but it is much more tough to write when you have a job...not that I am complaining after being unemployed for 4 months, but I have missed writing.
So let's see! A lot has happened since my last post. The swine flu is still making itself around the world, celebrities are dropping like flies, and my beloved Cubs suck, but lucky for them though the rest of their division does too, so they still have a chance for the playoffs.
From a personal standpoint a lot has happened as well. The summer has been chock-full of activities. (Sidenote: Using 'chock-full' in a sentence was number 999 on my list of 1001 things to do before I die! Check! ;). My gardening has been a wonderful way to stay outdoors. My tomatoes have really done well and they taste amazing. Our friends Jon and Kelsey stayed with us for about 5 weeks and that was great to have housemates! We were happy to open our house to them as they returned from Jerusalem. Also I started a new job after being unemployed for a time. It isn't necessarily what I wanted, but I feel blessed to have a job and to be able to bring an income into the house. Regardless of how long I am at Lowe's, God has me there to learn something that will be valuable down the road.
With the busyness of the summer and now a new job I definitely have had my moments of being stretched thin. That always brings vulnerability in my emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. June was a tough month. Tammy and I barely saw each other due to work schedules. I was adjusting to the new job plus trying to deal with the fact that it was a major paycut. I felt so isolated even from God. Prayer didn't seem to matter. Needless to say my mind was assaulted with negative thoughts that were pulling me away from the Grace of God. I was even letting it affect my marriage. The turning point came when I began to wrestle and get angry with God for allowing these demons to creep into my life. There is nothing like trying to fight with someone you can never defeat that will bring you to your knees and humble you like a little child. It wasn't God letting this happen at all. It was because of my lack of focus on Heavenly matters that I found myself apart from God. My worries, my insecurities, and my pride had begun to corrupt me.
The good news is that like always God showed up!! The permanency of God is a gift that should never be overlooked. When we find ourselves apart from God we can be sure that it was us, not God that moved. God shows up in a variety of ways...through the Holy Spirit, through friends and family, circumstances, and prayer. He wants the best for His children and like a good Father he corrects our mistakes and embraces us when we need Him most.
In a world that can be turned upside down by pandemic fears, deaths of people we respect and grew up with, and economic turmoil, just remember the permanency of God in your life!! It will never fail you!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Pig Suey
It seems that the good ol' pig just can't catch a break. First it was the Jews and their Kosher laws that forbid eating pork. Then the Muslims came along with their Halal laws that also forbid eating pork. Now the WHO (World Health Organization) is calling out the pigs by labeling the newest influenza strain "Swine Flu."
**Sidenote: Christians might want to take a hard look at the whole pork-eating debate. Jews and Muslims don't agree on much of anything, so when they agree on anything it is worth an investigation. I don't know how many Jews and Muslims die of heart disease, but Americans, who are predominantly Christian, are dropping like flies because of it. Looks like another reason to pick on the pig to me. I'm just saying!!
Technically this new strain is actually called the "H1N1 Virus"...for whatever that means to my scientifically inept mind. It is a combination of the human flu, bird flu, and swine flu, yet it was the pigs that took the full blame. Poor pigs!
According to the WHO, a worldwide pandemic is imminent. I haven't decided yet whether to go all "Michael Jackson" and buy some surgical masks or whether I'll take my chances. Lucky for me I have a wife who is a nurse and knows what to do in these situations. Plus she can always sneak a few surgical masks out of the ER at her hospital for me. Being unemployed I am always looking to save a few pennies!
What is so ludicrous to me about this whole mess, as well as, all the other "imminent pandemics" (i.e. SARS, Bird Flu, et al.) is that the media takes on the role of "Chicken Little" and creates mass hysteria. We never see anyone come on the news and rationally inform the public as to why the "Swine Flu" is any worse than the "Common Flu." According to the WHO website, between 250,000 and 500,000 people around the world die from influenza each year. The elderly are the most susceptible to death by influenza. I am not sure what the definition of pandemic is, but 250,000-500,000 people seems a lot to me. Is the "Swine Flu" going to kill more than this? Are we talking millions of people? Hospitals are being overrun by hypochondriacs believing that eating pork results in the "Swine Flu." Without intelligent reporting and educational information, the public is left to fend for itself. I used to have a lot of confidence in people in general, but that has changed over the past few years. In truth I believe the vast majority of the public will believe anything and everything that is spewed from the mouths of the newscasters. If the government and these health agencies can't give us the truth about "Swine Flu," how can we be sure we are getting the truth when it comes to terrorism, economic meltdowns, and anything else that impacts our lives so deeply??
All this ranting has made me hungry. I think I'll get off my soapbox and eat some leftover pulled-pork BBQ...then off to the ER to get tested!!
**Sidenote: Christians might want to take a hard look at the whole pork-eating debate. Jews and Muslims don't agree on much of anything, so when they agree on anything it is worth an investigation. I don't know how many Jews and Muslims die of heart disease, but Americans, who are predominantly Christian, are dropping like flies because of it. Looks like another reason to pick on the pig to me. I'm just saying!!
Technically this new strain is actually called the "H1N1 Virus"...for whatever that means to my scientifically inept mind. It is a combination of the human flu, bird flu, and swine flu, yet it was the pigs that took the full blame. Poor pigs!
According to the WHO, a worldwide pandemic is imminent. I haven't decided yet whether to go all "Michael Jackson" and buy some surgical masks or whether I'll take my chances. Lucky for me I have a wife who is a nurse and knows what to do in these situations. Plus she can always sneak a few surgical masks out of the ER at her hospital for me. Being unemployed I am always looking to save a few pennies!
What is so ludicrous to me about this whole mess, as well as, all the other "imminent pandemics" (i.e. SARS, Bird Flu, et al.) is that the media takes on the role of "Chicken Little" and creates mass hysteria. We never see anyone come on the news and rationally inform the public as to why the "Swine Flu" is any worse than the "Common Flu." According to the WHO website, between 250,000 and 500,000 people around the world die from influenza each year. The elderly are the most susceptible to death by influenza. I am not sure what the definition of pandemic is, but 250,000-500,000 people seems a lot to me. Is the "Swine Flu" going to kill more than this? Are we talking millions of people? Hospitals are being overrun by hypochondriacs believing that eating pork results in the "Swine Flu." Without intelligent reporting and educational information, the public is left to fend for itself. I used to have a lot of confidence in people in general, but that has changed over the past few years. In truth I believe the vast majority of the public will believe anything and everything that is spewed from the mouths of the newscasters. If the government and these health agencies can't give us the truth about "Swine Flu," how can we be sure we are getting the truth when it comes to terrorism, economic meltdowns, and anything else that impacts our lives so deeply??
All this ranting has made me hungry. I think I'll get off my soapbox and eat some leftover pulled-pork BBQ...then off to the ER to get tested!!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Thankful
A day after one of the worst tornadoes to hit Murfreesboro a community picks up the pieces of a life, once complete, that is now strewn all over the city streets. Houses, vehicles, and mementos destroyed. A mother and her nine-week old baby dead and many more people injured. Millions of dollars of damages. The list goes on. After the tornadoes made their way east across the state I felt blessed by the fact that my house was still standing and my electricity and water still worked. But for me to feel blessed, in my mind, implies that those whose homes were completely leveled were not blessed. So maybe I am just thankful. Thankful that Tammy, our friends and I are alive. Thankful that I live in a community that has rallied to support those in need. Thankful that on a weekend where we celebrate our resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ, I live in a community that by the grace of God will rise from the rubble and be renewed! 
The pictures posted are from the local newspaper Daily News Journal.
Friday, March 13, 2009
When the Moon Hits Your Eye, Like a Big Pizza Pie...
That's Amore!!!
This is a great classic lovesong sung by the late, great Dean Martin. The song just makes you happy, especially if the one you love is standing right next to you. What makes this song so great though is that the songwriter incorporated love and pizza into the song! The only thing that goes better with pizza is a nice cold beer!
Eating pizza is one of the best things about living. A great tasting pizza can make a crappy day become the best day ever!! Sharing pizza with family and friends strengthens bonds and makes bellies fatter. The only problem with pizza, at least here in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is that it is really hard to find a great pizza. I am a snob when it comes to pizza. I will not eat Domino's, Papa John's or Pizza Hut unless all other options have been exhausted or its free! I do like Papa Murphy's, but I have to drive too far to get one. I think I've finally found the answer!! I've decided to start making my own pizza. Thanks to my uncle Price who gave me a video, book, and starter flour I am now in business.
So today I tried my hand at making my first-ever homemade pizza! Those of you that know me know that I can find my way around a kitchen. I love to cook and I really love pleasing the palate of those who are eating my food creations. I am usually not intimidated by the challenges a recipe or process can throw at me, but a pizza is very manual in the creation process. I am used to kitchen appliances giving me a hand. Pizza making all starts with the dough. On Wednesday I actually began the process by creating the dough with flour, water and yeast. I kneaded the dough into a ball for 10 minutes and then slid it into a bag to chill in the fridge for 2 days. (Needless to say, if you are craving pizza really badly making it may not be the best option!!)
Working the dough was an adventure! My thoughts were, "how do I get a stretched out dough crust from this blob that is staring back at me?" Like I said, this is the first homemade pizza ever for me. I started working the dough out into a disc-like shape, but the fun part was still to come! Next I had to start slapping/throwing the dough between by hands. There is a rhythm to this that I will someday master...I hope!! I am sure if you could see me doing this you would be reminded of a white person dancing...absolutely no rhythm or coordination was involved!! But after about 5-10 minutes of stretching this dough out I finally had what looked like a pizza pie crust!! I was proud that it resembled a pizza and did not have holes in it!!
Now that the hard part was done and the pizza stone was in the oven heating to 550 degrees. I was ready to throw some toppings on this bad boy! I went pretty traditional with italian sausage, black olives, onions, 'shrooms, and of course loads of mozzarella! Once that stone reached 550 degrees the pizza went in for 9 minutes. That 9 minutes seemed quite a long period of time. I was ready to test the fruits of my labor. More importantly I was excited for Tammy to sink her teeth into this pizza. Between the two of us, she is the pizza connossieur. Quite frankly, I am one of the only people I know who gets burned out on pizza pretty quickly. Tammy and her sister Becky I believe would eat pizza everyday for every meal! Suffice it to say, Tammy's favorable opinion of my pizza was of the utmost importance if I hope to continue with the homemade pizza making.
As Tammy took her first bite I wasn't sure of what to make of the face she was making. Thoughts of disaster filled my brain. She took her sweet, prescious time chewing. "Do you like it or not?" I was thinking. Finally she swallowed the pizza and proceeded to tell me it was probably the best pizza she's ever had!! "Wow," I remarked. Tammy can lay it on pretty thick when she is encouraging me, but she said she was serious. I had my first bite, and I thought much the same. Some of you may not know, but I do not care to brag about my food when it is really good. Just ask Tammy!! While I don't truly know if this pizza was really the best Tammy or I have ever had (I am still partial to Giordano's in Chicago), but my pizza definitely ranks right up there. All I do know is it tasted a heck of a lot better than Domino's, Papa John's, or Pizza Hut which is all I wanted to accomplish anyway.
I felt like a "King of the Kitchen" today. I tackled a challenging process with relative ease and the product came out beautiful and tasty. I got to enjoy my masterpiece (see pic below
) with my beautiful wife and strengthen the bond that we share. If only I had had a cold beer!!!
Now that would've been AMORE!!
This is a great classic lovesong sung by the late, great Dean Martin. The song just makes you happy, especially if the one you love is standing right next to you. What makes this song so great though is that the songwriter incorporated love and pizza into the song! The only thing that goes better with pizza is a nice cold beer!
Eating pizza is one of the best things about living. A great tasting pizza can make a crappy day become the best day ever!! Sharing pizza with family and friends strengthens bonds and makes bellies fatter. The only problem with pizza, at least here in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is that it is really hard to find a great pizza. I am a snob when it comes to pizza. I will not eat Domino's, Papa John's or Pizza Hut unless all other options have been exhausted or its free! I do like Papa Murphy's, but I have to drive too far to get one. I think I've finally found the answer!! I've decided to start making my own pizza. Thanks to my uncle Price who gave me a video, book, and starter flour I am now in business.
So today I tried my hand at making my first-ever homemade pizza! Those of you that know me know that I can find my way around a kitchen. I love to cook and I really love pleasing the palate of those who are eating my food creations. I am usually not intimidated by the challenges a recipe or process can throw at me, but a pizza is very manual in the creation process. I am used to kitchen appliances giving me a hand. Pizza making all starts with the dough. On Wednesday I actually began the process by creating the dough with flour, water and yeast. I kneaded the dough into a ball for 10 minutes and then slid it into a bag to chill in the fridge for 2 days. (Needless to say, if you are craving pizza really badly making it may not be the best option!!)
Working the dough was an adventure! My thoughts were, "how do I get a stretched out dough crust from this blob that is staring back at me?" Like I said, this is the first homemade pizza ever for me. I started working the dough out into a disc-like shape, but the fun part was still to come! Next I had to start slapping/throwing the dough between by hands. There is a rhythm to this that I will someday master...I hope!! I am sure if you could see me doing this you would be reminded of a white person dancing...absolutely no rhythm or coordination was involved!! But after about 5-10 minutes of stretching this dough out I finally had what looked like a pizza pie crust!! I was proud that it resembled a pizza and did not have holes in it!!
Now that the hard part was done and the pizza stone was in the oven heating to 550 degrees. I was ready to throw some toppings on this bad boy! I went pretty traditional with italian sausage, black olives, onions, 'shrooms, and of course loads of mozzarella! Once that stone reached 550 degrees the pizza went in for 9 minutes. That 9 minutes seemed quite a long period of time. I was ready to test the fruits of my labor. More importantly I was excited for Tammy to sink her teeth into this pizza. Between the two of us, she is the pizza connossieur. Quite frankly, I am one of the only people I know who gets burned out on pizza pretty quickly. Tammy and her sister Becky I believe would eat pizza everyday for every meal! Suffice it to say, Tammy's favorable opinion of my pizza was of the utmost importance if I hope to continue with the homemade pizza making.
As Tammy took her first bite I wasn't sure of what to make of the face she was making. Thoughts of disaster filled my brain. She took her sweet, prescious time chewing. "Do you like it or not?" I was thinking. Finally she swallowed the pizza and proceeded to tell me it was probably the best pizza she's ever had!! "Wow," I remarked. Tammy can lay it on pretty thick when she is encouraging me, but she said she was serious. I had my first bite, and I thought much the same. Some of you may not know, but I do not care to brag about my food when it is really good. Just ask Tammy!! While I don't truly know if this pizza was really the best Tammy or I have ever had (I am still partial to Giordano's in Chicago), but my pizza definitely ranks right up there. All I do know is it tasted a heck of a lot better than Domino's, Papa John's, or Pizza Hut which is all I wanted to accomplish anyway.
I felt like a "King of the Kitchen" today. I tackled a challenging process with relative ease and the product came out beautiful and tasty. I got to enjoy my masterpiece (see pic below
) with my beautiful wife and strengthen the bond that we share. If only I had had a cold beer!!!Now that would've been AMORE!!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
For My Friend Cathy
What is it about the word "cancer" that strikes fear into the hearts of many? Is it the fact there is no known cure? Is it the chemotherapy and losing your hair? Is it...?...well you know. I personally do not know and honestly hope I never have to find out. But my outlook isn't so positive. According to the American Cancer Society a man has a 1 in 2 chance of developing cancer over the course of a lifetime and a woman has a 1 in 3 chance. I definitely do not like those odds. I'd rather take those odds to a horse racetrack and win some money. At least that activity is enjoyable...win or lose!
Recently, Tammy and I have had the displeasure of seeing cancer a bit closer than we'd prefer. My father had skin cancer removed from his nose in January. A friend, Barb, from Florida that Tammy worked with has a daughter who battled cancer in 2008 and is now in remission. Barb also has a husband who is now valiantly fighting cancer. And just today, one of mine and Tammy's best friends, Cathy, was diagnosed with colon cancer. The cancer news just doesn't seem to go away!!
It is such a shock to the mind when a cancer diagnosis is announced. You are not really sure of what to say. Inside my heart is breaking, yet I want to remain strong in the presence of my friend. I want to say sorry, but first of all I didn't cause it, and second, my friend doesn't want my pity! And then for the rest of the family, Larry and the boys, my heart breaks as well. What do I say?
It is times like these that I am humbled by God! I am reminded that my words do not matter, but my actions and my faith do. God's wonderous glory is about to be seen through my friend Cathy. You see, this isn't Cathy's "first rodeo" when it comes to cancer. Joe, one of her 16-year old twins (Josh being the other), was diagnosed with cancer a few years back. Through the grace of God he is cancer-free, but I truly believe this only prepared Cathy for this day. Her determination in the face of fear is exemplary. God works in such awesome ways and I am excited to see The Great Physician at work through this. Cancer is no match for the strength, grace, and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So take that cancer!! No longer will you strike fear in the hearts of many. You can continue to afflict over half of the population, but you will not conquer us. When you've afflicted just one person you've afflicted all those in direct contact with that person. And cancer, those are a lot of people willing to fight back and to kick your butt!! So Cathy we share your illness. Maybe not physically, but spiritually! We are all part of the Body of Christ and we will be there to support and encourage you during this time of challenge and growth! On behalf of everyone we call mutual friends, we Love you and we will be there to celebrate God's glory as He defeats this cancer!!
Psalm 121:1-2
I raise my eyes toward the mountains --
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
Recently, Tammy and I have had the displeasure of seeing cancer a bit closer than we'd prefer. My father had skin cancer removed from his nose in January. A friend, Barb, from Florida that Tammy worked with has a daughter who battled cancer in 2008 and is now in remission. Barb also has a husband who is now valiantly fighting cancer. And just today, one of mine and Tammy's best friends, Cathy, was diagnosed with colon cancer. The cancer news just doesn't seem to go away!!
It is such a shock to the mind when a cancer diagnosis is announced. You are not really sure of what to say. Inside my heart is breaking, yet I want to remain strong in the presence of my friend. I want to say sorry, but first of all I didn't cause it, and second, my friend doesn't want my pity! And then for the rest of the family, Larry and the boys, my heart breaks as well. What do I say?
It is times like these that I am humbled by God! I am reminded that my words do not matter, but my actions and my faith do. God's wonderous glory is about to be seen through my friend Cathy. You see, this isn't Cathy's "first rodeo" when it comes to cancer. Joe, one of her 16-year old twins (Josh being the other), was diagnosed with cancer a few years back. Through the grace of God he is cancer-free, but I truly believe this only prepared Cathy for this day. Her determination in the face of fear is exemplary. God works in such awesome ways and I am excited to see The Great Physician at work through this. Cancer is no match for the strength, grace, and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So take that cancer!! No longer will you strike fear in the hearts of many. You can continue to afflict over half of the population, but you will not conquer us. When you've afflicted just one person you've afflicted all those in direct contact with that person. And cancer, those are a lot of people willing to fight back and to kick your butt!! So Cathy we share your illness. Maybe not physically, but spiritually! We are all part of the Body of Christ and we will be there to support and encourage you during this time of challenge and growth! On behalf of everyone we call mutual friends, we Love you and we will be there to celebrate God's glory as He defeats this cancer!!
Psalm 121:1-2
I raise my eyes toward the mountains --
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The World's Most Perfect Food Comes to Life
In the past week I was with my wife Tammy while she was checking her Facebook. I got to see something that absolutely made me LOL. And I don't mean just a normal laugh. I mean a laugh like a three-year old giggling at someone as they play peek-a-boo!! Sometimes those are the best laughs. Something that can let you be a child again if only for a second or two.
I like to share things like this with my friends so that maybe you too can experience a good laugh.
So without further adieu......Here's NANERPUS!!!!
I like to share things like this with my friends so that maybe you too can experience a good laugh.
So without further adieu......Here's NANERPUS!!!!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Easy Persuasion
Greetings! So I finally decided to create a blog. The idea has been there for awhile, but the actual moving and clicking of the mouse plus a few keystrokes needed to enter information some how eluded me. Maybe it was that I was more elusive...or lazy, although I prefer the elusive label. Why now you may ask? Because I am so easily persuaded to do just about anything including putting my thoughts, observations, and opinions in an open forum for just about anyone to read who-so chooses. To show how easily persuaded I can be, my friends who are 8 or 9 time zones ahead in Jerusalem expressed their desire for me to start a blog. They thought I would be good at it. I don't know about that, but I thought "What the heck! Let's give it a go!" That is all I needed to end up here writing this first blog. BTW, thanks Jon and Kelsey!! I truly mean it! I sometimes need coaxing to actually get up and do something. Call me a pushover if you will. I just call it being adventuresome! How else will you know if you like or dislike something??
So what do I hope to do with this blog? Well the title of it sums it up for me. I've always prided myself on knowing "a lot about a little," although many times I wish I could go as deep in my knowledge on most things as I am able to with Chicago Cubs baseball. The Northsiders look good this year and I gotta believe that in this 101st year since the last World Series Championship, the Cubs will win it all, but I digress. Back to what I want to do with this blog. Sometimes it will be opinions. Sometimes it will be just the facts, ma'am (a little homage to Dragnet). It will definitely sway from opinions to facts, news to sports, liberal to conservative, and current events to personal stories. For those of you who choose to read I thank you and feel free to leave comments! I like to discuss. I love to disagree, I just don't handle hot-headed comments very well...so be warned!
So to wrap it up...Welcome to a slice of Jeremy's mind!!
So what do I hope to do with this blog? Well the title of it sums it up for me. I've always prided myself on knowing "a lot about a little," although many times I wish I could go as deep in my knowledge on most things as I am able to with Chicago Cubs baseball. The Northsiders look good this year and I gotta believe that in this 101st year since the last World Series Championship, the Cubs will win it all, but I digress. Back to what I want to do with this blog. Sometimes it will be opinions. Sometimes it will be just the facts, ma'am (a little homage to Dragnet). It will definitely sway from opinions to facts, news to sports, liberal to conservative, and current events to personal stories. For those of you who choose to read I thank you and feel free to leave comments! I like to discuss. I love to disagree, I just don't handle hot-headed comments very well...so be warned!
So to wrap it up...Welcome to a slice of Jeremy's mind!!
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