 This post is going to be a little different. I’ve been thinking and that is always dangerous. I tend to wax a little philosophical when I think and that’s not always a good thing. However, it’s possible this time I might have stumbled onto something that I can actually pass along. I have discovered that I am WOMAN and that all other ladies are too. You may be asking at this moment whatever prompted me to this absolutely astounding discovery. And of course, you KNOW I’m going to tell you. Well, it started like this: Yesterday, I had the pleasure of entertaining some friends from Tennessee who were passing through on their way home from dropping off a military son at our nearby Army base. These are friends from wayyyy back and we’ve shared many jokes, hijinks and dinners over the years. The wife is mucho talented in sewing, embroidery and interior design. Her sense of color is just amazing. I’ve always been in awe of her seamstress abilities and have learned so much from her to apply to my own sewing projects.  This husband and wife entered the OPC™ digs and immediately noticed the row of freshly canned beef stew and dog food lined up on a towel from the soapy washing I had just put them through before storage. The first question was, “What’s that?” and then the second was, “Why?” I explained how I make stew and soup for the winter, as well as other tasty concoctions (this does NOT include the dog food) and we began talking canning and dehydrating which then led into grain grinding and bread baking. The long and the short of it is that, while my little group then visited with another friend on the same topics, the friend commented that I can do anything and my two friends from Tennessee nodded their heads in serious agreement, as if they could not. Now I know..I take that as a compliment. HOWEVER, I don’t do everything and the truth is that all of them and all of you can do anything you put your energies toward. The secret is having the desire to try. I have to say that it is so gratifying to hear this desire in so many of you readers and it excites me to no end. When I have an email from you with questions or with excited descriptions of your successes, it just makes me grin. You teach me too and I am discovering all kinds of wonderful projects compliments of readers. Each of us has unique talents, but all of us also have the ability to learn new things. When we branch out into new and out-of-our-comfort-zone adventures in homemaking, we add a whole new dimension to what others try to paint as “hum-drum”. To me, there is nothing more exciting than learning how to do things that provide for family and friends. And for me, in my walk with God, it is one of the ways that I can honor Him – by honoring other people through homemaking skills. There are two scriptures that are the basis of this particular desire in my life and those are Titus 2 and Proverbs 31. Titus 2:3-5 is easier for me because I’m older (check), I love to talk and teach (check), although I am quick to give my not-so-important opinion even when it isn’t wanted (not an attribute sanctioned by that particular scripture!), and I truly want to do for younger women what older women did for me when I was young. Proverbs 31, however, used to make me feel like the worst female on earth. The Proverbs 31 woman is Superwoman. Then I realized that I was looking at her the way my friends were looking at me the other day. I have all the makings of a Proverbs 31 woman and just have to be willing to let God guide me in trying all of those things that will make me His Proverbs 31 woman. I may not sell “purple” but I can paint a purple flower and sell it!! She is a guide – a map – not a checklist. So, put on those aprons, or pearls, or overalls or dresses and dive into something new. And be sure that after you learn to do that something new, pass the knowlege on to someone else. Teach, encourage and lift up! I am WOMAN! Hear me roar! I can hear you roaring too!! 🙂  And now I am going to do a shameless commercial. I’d like to introduce you to what can be done with my Aberdeen Shortbread Cookie Mix! You can find it at the shopping page.  All you add is melted butter to the mix  And mix it  I’m using ceramic molds here and have liberally oiled them. You can use cookie cutters or plastic molds to shape your cookies.  Then the ceramic molds are floured and the cookie dough is pressed into each one  After baking, the cookies are cooled and the edges gently smoothed  Decorate and give as gifts. Or purchase a bag of our Aberdeen Shortbreak Cookie Mix and tie a cookie cutter with a ribbon to it and give that as a cute gift. |
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Nice post Mary Beth! To pass on knowledge was the reason I started my own blog! 🙂
More than once I’ve been disappointed to report that I am a man. The first time was when I found out that men listen with only half of their brain… which means we don’t listen very well. I also don’t cook very well, or sew very well, etc. But I can move a heavy load (well, not TOO heavy). More brawn than brains I guess.
(:D) Best regards…
And I am definitely going to try the shrimp dish you posted too!!! 🙂
Hawkeye, we need you all around. We really do. What would we ever do when we can’t open a jar?? I mean, really!!