Female in Motion

January in Kansas is typically a dreary and long month, punctuated by bouts of ice, freezing drizzle and snowfalls. Last week, however, we were treated to temperatures in the 50s and 60s, accented by sunny skies. A lovely respite, I must say. The Hubster and I took advantage of this hiatus and kicked up our heels in the big city. On Thursday evening, after a trip to visit his doctor, The Hubster and I dined on Mexican fare at Jose Peppers. I had the Pollo Magnifico, which was basically a chicken chimichanga, drowned by a jalapeno cream cheese sauce. Decadent! The Hubster had his usual pork tamales, which were spicy and good. Both our plates had plenty left on them when we were done eating, so doggy bags were in order. We followed that up with a movie at the Warren Theater. "True Grit" is a film we had been promising ourselves to see before it left theaters. We were not disappointed. This Coen Brothers'-led tale starred Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and newcomer Hailee Steinfel...

Have you tried plugging yourself into the Scriptures? It's amazing! Personalizing the way you read the Bible really does make it come to life. Face it, if a book was written all about you and your life, you'd want to read it. John 3:16 (KJV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Now, plug in your name: "For God so loved "Carol", that he gave his only begotten son, that if "Carol" believeth in him "Carol" should not perish, but have everlasting life." Read it through a couple of times, plugging in your name. Then let it soak into your brain. Try it again: Psalm 23:1 (KJV) "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." "The LORD is "Carol's" shepherd; "Carol" shall not want." See what I mean? It's powerful stuff! I find myself plugging my name into Scriptures all the time now. When...

"It's a pretty good zoo," said young Gerald McGrew, "and the fellow who runs it seems proud of it, too. But if I ran the zoo,” said young Gerald McGrew, “I’d make a few changes. That’s just what I’d do.”--from "If I Ran the Zoo," by Dr. Seuss. I've had a few things to be in charge of, being a mom and running a household. Add in a few school and church projects and you've got the picture. I take a lot of pride in doing things well and keeping my house tidy. Wait a minute...who am I kidding? I am a control freak! I like to have things done just so, put away right and cleaned one way only. Living life as a Christ-follower, I know I must submit my life to His will. So how do I reconcile my controlling ways? I catch myself thinking, "I'll handle this one, God. Don't bother yourself over it." How audacious! This is dangerous thinking! Proverbs 28:26 (KJV) "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he sh...

I am sitting at the computer today, staring out the bedroom window while fat, white snowflakes fall out of the sky and make their lazy way into our backyard. I have to admit, the older I get, the more I hate the endless cold, gray Kansas winters. Daydreams of palm tree groves and white sand beaches interrupt my work. It is kind of pretty to watch the snowy landscape from a warm, snug home, though. As long as I don't have to step foot outside! *** Our daughter, Sarah, got married last weekend. Actually, she and Derek eloped to Las Vegas. The Hubster and I were completely supportive of this move, because we knew they were ready to be married and it wasn't all about the wedding. They wanted to have fun, though, and if the Facebook postings and pictures are any indication, they had a blast! One thing that was completely unique about Sarah and Derek's nuptials was the ceremony was broadcast on live, streaming video to the internet. Thus, all of their relatives and friends across...

During the Christmas holiday, our daughter and her husband came home to visit. We were all hustling around the kitchen on Christmas Eve, The Hubster and I assembling his famous Crab Enchiladas (a Christmas tradition), and Rachel stirring up a batch of her fabulous cookies. Our cottage kitchen is small but well-stocked, and if you add in several adults and a few cats, it gets pretty snug. It may sound odd, but these are some of my happiest moments in life. I would love nothing more than hanging out in the kitchen with my family and our pets, cooking together forever. Okay, maybe not forever, but at least during holidays. We laugh and talk and tell crazy stories and make divine dishes to savor later. I enjoy making memories with food. When my daughters were very small, we baked cookies together. I think our first batch was snickerdoodles, just like I did with my mom. Peanut butter soon became their favorite, followed closely by chocolate no-bake cookies. The girls would draw up chairs to...