Feb 19, 2017 |
Frankly, On Faith: This is the LORD’s Battle
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
Ever feel like you’re just not properly equipped to get through life? If only there was more money. If only I had someone to share the load. If only that person was nicer, or this person understood. If only we had more to give, we could give.
“If only.” Two of the most hurtful words in our vocabulary. They take away our incentive and our power. They limit us, hold us back from our potential.
I read the story of David and Goliath recently, and was touched by several key points:
- Don’t let how others see you dictate your life.
David was young and small, a gentler person. The soldiers thought he couldn’t do anything. But David was the one who slayed the giant.
- Their coping skills are not your own.
Saul dressed David in fine armor, but it didn’t work for David. He chose what he knew: His sling and a few stones.
- Keep going in the face of adversity.
His brothers, Saul, and the soldiers told him to stop. But David knew he was on the right path. He kept moving forward. Even when the giant came out to fight him.
- Let your faith be your light.
David knew God was with him. When the others tried to stop him, even through misguided protection and concern, David knew what he was doing was his calling. He didn’t doubt it for a second, and he didn’t let others take that from him.
- Give God room to work!
David only had his sling. He knew God would throw the stones. And it only took one.
“This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”
~1 Samuel 17:47
It’s okay to pick up the weapons God has given you, and take those small steps toward making things better. God is bigger than your giant, and He’ll always guide your stones.
“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: Give God room to work. David only had a slingshot.
With a slingshot and some peanuts,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: Give God room to work.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Feb 9, 2017 |
Jacqueline Patterson’s Key to Success
by Jacqueline Patterson @jacpatterson
Frankly, My Dear . . . Jacqueline Patterson’s Key to Success
“The more we work to help others,
the more we begin to enjoy the life we’re living.”
I raised my heavy-lidded gaze from the laptop screen and the quote on the coffee cup stared back at me. Like I really have time!
My eyes shifted to the blinking light on the phone, the sure indication that yet more messages were waiting for me.
I couldn’t take care of the rest of the world.
I turned my phone so I could no longer see the blinking light.
I had too much to do, too much to plan and consider and rewrite if I hoped to finish my book by my self-imposed deadline. After all, this was my story, my words, and that meant my work was most important, right?
Right.
And I wouldn’t let this distract me.
I turned back to my laptop, but my fingers were lead on the keyboard. I added a solitary word here, a phrase there, but my gaze continued to stray back to the quote.
“The more we work to help others . . .”
“No,” I said, and my voice was firm with resolve. “You will finish this story.” My friends would take care of themselves, the way they had a hundred times before. I would pray for them, then check up on them once I finished these edits. Surely things weren’t so severe they needed me right now.
I started at the half-empty page on the screen, and found myself rereading the words I had added since spotting the quote. Most were repetitions, rambling and distracted. How long had I been locked into this writing frenzy anyway? Days? Weeks? I couldn’t remember the last time I sought out contact with a friend other than with a quick writing question. I had simply burrowed away into my writing shell, where all that mattered was my story . . . and me.
As if friendship wasn’t even important.
But . . . Wasn’t it my duty to put my book first? After all, I was the one who went around reminding everyone they were the only ones who could write their story, and how would it look if I didn’t keep up my reputation for busyness? I shouldn’t step back from my writing. Even for an hour.
I had work to do.
I glanced between my laptop and my phone, my mind rebelling as I made my decision.
There would be time to work on my book later. I would always make time. There were no guarantees that all my friends would last until tomorrow.
The key to success was not to push myself forward, but to care for others. Even my writing was not for myself, as much as I wanted to hold to the comfort of that illusion. Why seek publication except to reach others?
It would be an empty journey without friendship. Without sharing dreams.
I closed my laptop and reached for my phone.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, My Dear: Jacqueline Patterson’s Key to Success.
Jacqueline Patterson
Jacqueline Patterson wrote her first book at the age of five: the tale of an assassin hen on the trail of a crafty fox. (OK, so the story wasn’t that epic, but the hen was mean.) That first story hooked her, and she hasn’t stopped since. She is currently editing Primate, the first book in her Forever in Time series, in the hope of publication . . . If she can ever convince herself that she’s found the perfect draft. Talk to Jacqueline about books, and she will be your friend forever. You can connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Feb 2, 2017 |
Recipe: Basic Slow Cooker Meatloaf
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Five simple ingredients. Three hours. Can’t-get-enough-of-it taste.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Basic Slow Cooker Meatloaf Recipe
So, last month I promised y’all a new meatloaf recipe every month in 2017. But here it is, February, and you’re thinking (I can tell), “Where’s my meatloaf?! Where’s my recipe?!” Am I right?
Well, first. Thanks for not, you know, yelling through the blogosphere. Much appreciated. Second, aren’t you lucky. You’re gonna have two ~ yup, count ’em ~ two meatloaf recipes this month. Before the end of February, and just in time for Mardi Gras, I’ll share my Creole Meatloaf recipe.
But today, it’s all about the basics. Let’s face it. After the rush and scurry of the holidays, and during the cold weather rains and storms, we don’t always want or have time for complicated. But we still want good. Hearty. Delicious.
Ladies and Gentlemen, today I give you my wonderfully easy-peasy, palate-pleasing, no muss no fuss January (or should have been) Meatloaf.
I can’t believe how easy it is to put this together, and how not dry the meatloaf is. How flavorful, how . . . Well, I could continue but let’s just say you and your taste buds are gonna thank me for this.
Recipe: Basic Slow Cooker Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 2 packets onion soup mix
- 16 Saltine cracker squares
- milk
Instructions
- Line slow cooker with foil. Spritz with cooking oil or nonstick spray.
- Crush crackers into small bowl. Add just enough milk to cover. Set aside.
- In separate mixing bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, and soup mix. Add crackers. Mix thoroughly.
- Shape into loaf and place in slow cooker.
- Reshape, keeping meatloaf away from sides of slow cooker.
- Cover. Set on high.
- Let cook at least three hours on high, or five to six hours on low.
- When ready, slice and serve.
3.1
https://franklymydearmojo.com/2017/02/02/recipe-basic-slow-cooker-meatloaf/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
Here’s a few tips:
- Shape the loaf into an oval. It will retain its shape while cooking.
- Crimp the foil around the edges of the slow cooker and gently press the lid into it.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Basic Slow Cooker Meatloaf
And that’s it. Simple, right? Delectable, yes? How stinkin’ excited are we for another recipe? So tell me: Do you cook your meatloaf in an oven or a slow cooker?
And do you let your family lick the plates clean?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Berry Sunshine enjoying the last licks
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, My Dear . . . : Recipe: Basic Slow Cooker Meatloaf.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Jan 29, 2017 |
Frankly, On Faith: Do All Things
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
So here’s something to prove my point: I’ve tried three times to write this post. The first two took a turn, so will be upcoming posts. But this one. I can’t seem to get it quite right.
Ridiculous, when you consider the topic.
All I’m trying to say is, God gives us what we need, when we need it.
Because we’re not God. We can’t do it all.
But He is. And He can.
And we’re in Him.
So, really, we can.
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
~Philippians 4:13, NLT
Just open the door, let Him in, take a deep breath, and let Him work.
Simple? Sometimes it’s not. Sometimes we want to hold on, or change the method, or the outcome. We’re control freaks like that. Am I right? We’re such control freaks that we wear ourselves out trying to not show weakness. And sometimes we wear ourselves out to the point that all anyone sees is a pile of I-don’t-care-anymore mush. A puddle of perkless blechiness.
We’re trying so hard to do it all that we end up not being able to do anything.
We live in a multi-tasking, SuperHero environment. We forget it’s okay to step back, say “no” or “not now,” and rest.
So letting Him be the project manager of our life is sometimes kinda hard to deal with. We don’t want another someone telling us what to do, even if we know we can’t do it alone. You with me?
The thing is, He’s been there. He can see on the other side of the wall, and He knows the best way to get us over it.
So for today, I’m taking that deep breath and letting Him lead. Because I don’t want to be that overwhelmed, coffee-addict, multi-tasker that barks at everyone when things don’t get done. I’d rather be the calm, sweet tea-drinking, enjoy-the-moment kinda girl.
Besides. He’s really the one who does it all, anyway.
Sometimes, doing everything through Christ doesn’t mean He helps us do it all. It means we filter everything we do through Him. And that sometimes means tossing out the pieces that no longer fit.
See? He’s already pruning away the weeds and all you did was take a breath.
Sometimes, doing everything means starting by doing nothing.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: Sometimes, doing everything means starting by doing nothing.
With a blank page and a peaceful heart,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: Do It All
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jan 22, 2017 |
Frankly, On Faith: How Important are You?
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
Do you often wonder if you matter? If anyone knows the real you? Or worse, if they discovered the real you, if you’d be discarded?
I’ve got Good News for you.
Are you ready?
Wait for it . . .
God knows you.
And you know what?
He’s sticking around.
Yup. That’s right. There’s nothing you’ve done or haven’t done, will do or won’t do, that can remove you from His love and care.
Know how I know?
The Bible tells me (and you) so.
“And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” ~Luke 12:7, NLT
“He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” ~ Psalm 147:4, NLT
“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!” ~Psalm 129:17-18, NLT
Imagine~ God loves you so much He pays attention to every atom of your being! Every. Single. Atom. I don’t know ’bout you, but I don’t count the hairs as they wash down the drain. I don’t number the grains of sand that are tracked into the house then swept up and tossed back outside.
But He does. If the littlest parts of you are so important, can you allow yourself to experience how great, how deep, how vast His love, care and attention is for all of you?
There’s no abacus big enough to count the smallest part of this equation.
Allow yourself to be surrounded by His greatness, as He allows you to grow into yours.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: How Important Are You? Ask God.
With some sweet tea and a beautiful sand castle,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: God Knows Your Importance
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
