On My Mind Today

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. How you cope with it is what makes the difference." ~ Virginia Satir As we go through each stage of life, we have visions of how we think they should be with expectations for a perfect, or almost perfect, outcome. What we find out is that very rarely do things go exactly as we imagine or how we may want them to. The twists and turns in life can throw us a curve that we could not possibly anticipate. The reality of what may lie in front of us is not something that we ever prepared ourselves for. These things happen to others, not to us. We had our life perfectly laid out with hopes for many good things in the years that lie ahead. When we face new and daunting challenges it may be easier to bury our heads in the sand, and pretend they do not exist; however, this does not make the challenge go away. All it does is postpone the inevitable task of confronting the issue at hand.  When difficult times are thrown in our...

Egg muffins are a healthy and quick grab and go breakfast for busy days. You can make a big batch in advance and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week. This recipe calls for turkey bacon, onion, peppers and spinach, but you could easily substitute your choice of meat and veggies. They could also be made with all veggies and no meat if you would prefer. Best Ever Egg Muffins Cooking spray 3 slices turkey bacon 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 2 cups chopped baby spinach 6 large eggs 3 tablespoons milk 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder salt ground black pepper 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook turkey bacon until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, then crumble. 2. Add onion and bell pepper to skillet and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, 2 minutes more. 3. In a s...

Today is my mother’s birthday and I feel extremely fortunate to still have her in my life. So many of my friends lost their mothers many years ago, and I know that they would give anything to spend one more day with them. Yesterday we went to spend a little time with my mother and to help her with a couple of things around the house. Considering the times we have been living in these past several months, it is not as carefree and easy a visit as in the past. Most of the time we wear masks to protect her and it seems so sterile and impersonal, but better to be safe than sorry. Who would have ever imagined we would be experiencing this? We brought a birthday lunch for her and enjoyed it while we sat far enough apart to converse without the masks; almost makes it seem like a “normal” visit. It is so nice to catch up and talk about what we have been doing, and about things from the past. Sharing a few laughs is so good for us all with the limited amount of time we have been able to see one...

When we are faced with circumstances that we never expected in life they can come at us like a freight train. We may feel like the wind has been knocked out of us, and also saddened by what will never be again. In the midst of it all we try to make sense of what lies ahead and gather the strength to move forward, as it is in moving forward that we will once gain see all in our life that is good. Below is a blog I wrote a few years ago that I stumbled upon today. It appeared at the right moment, and is a reminder that sometimes we need to step back and remember that strength and courage always come when we need them to show us how fortunate we are. We all have those moments in our lives where we feel overwhelmed or just plain tired. In these moments there can be an urge to run away from it all. Where another place or life seems appealing. We wouldn't be human if we didn't. During times of struggle it's easy to look at someone else and think their life is more exciting or les...

From the MarthaStewart.com website, these oatmeal-raisin bars are moist and delicious. Made with ingredients most of us have in our cupboards, and ready for the oven in less than 15 minutes. Hand-held and easy to take along, they are a great snack or dessert for family and friends as summer cookouts begin.  Oatmeal-Raisin Bars 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking) 1 cup raisins 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper. (I did not use the parchment paper and they came out of the pan fine.) 2. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, sugars, egg, salt and cinnamon until smooth. Add flour, oats, and raisins; fold in just until combined. 3. Spread batter in pre...

We don’t realize how important human touch is until circumstances prevent us from having it. The past several months have placed a heavy burden on our hearts and souls. We have been unable to have contact with family and friends, and this physical separation has left us feeling empty. It certainly has been an eye opener when it comes to understanding the effects from lack of human touch. When we go for any length of time without physical contact with others, the side effects we can experience include: · Loneliness · High Stress Levels · Depression · Fear of attachment · Aggressive Behavior It is extremely difficult to remain positive and in a good mood when daily life isolates us so much. Not only does this impact us negatively, but all of these side effects spread like vines out into the world around us. Under normal circumstances our lives are filled with daily interaction and physical contact with others. We all know that having this everyday contact plays a big role in how we inter...

Three years ago I wrote this blog with great hopes that society would take steps forward in the years to come, recognizing that we are all in this together and unity is the only way to a better world. Unfortunately, as witnessed by current events, that is not the case. Sadly things are worse so once again I will share this with a hopeful heart that three years from now our world will look a little brighter. "If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?" ~ William Shakespeare - The Merchant of Venice Strip away race, color, religion, politics, gender, etc., and underneath it all we are the same. We are human beings. We have the same needs, wants and desires. We want a good life for our families; a good community to live in; friends and neighbors we can trust. We want to be treated with dignity and respect, and to feel comfortable voicing an opinion, without the threat of being attacked by someone who happens to have a di...

From the pages of Taste of Home, and contributed by Rhonda McKee of Greensburg, Kansas, this taco casserole recipe is quick and easy to prepare. The combination of spicy meat, refried beans, onions, peppers and more creates an explosion of flavor in your mouth. You can make it as spicy as you like by using mild or hot taco seasoning and picante sauce. We topped ours off with sliced jalapeno peppers for an extra kick.  Taco salad Casserole 1 pound ground beef 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped green pepper 1 envelope taco seasoning (mild or hot) 1/2 cup water 1 cup crushed tortilla chips 1 can (16 oz.) refried beans 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Toppings: chopped lettuce and tomatoes, sliced ripe olives, sour cream, picante sauce and sliced jalapeno peppers. In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Cook and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes; set aside. Place chips in a greased...