THE BOOK OF ROMANS ~Chapter 13

Everyone must obey the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from Elohei, and the existing authorities exist as having been appointed by Him. If anyone sets himself against the authority over him, he really seta himself against a plan that Elohei has ordained, and those who resist will bring down judgement upon themselves.

Rulers are not a terror to those who do good, but to those who do evil. So, if you want to live without fear of the authorities, do good and you will get praise for so doing. The ruler is Elohei’s servant, for your good. Then if you do wrong you have reason to fear, for he does not carry a sword just for show. No, as a servant of God, he has to inflict just punishment on the evil-doer. One must, therefore, be subject to the authorities, not only to avoid Elohei’s wrath but also to one’s conscience.

For the same reason you pay taxes, too, because the authorities are Elohei’s servants who attend to this very thing. So pay all of them their dues – taxes to whom taxes are due, tariff to whom tariff is due, respect to those who should be respected, honor to those entitled to it.

Owe no one anything except to love them, for those who love their neighbor has fulfilled The Law. The Commandments, “You shall not omit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not covet …” and other commandments are all summed up in one statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love works no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love the fulfilling of The Law.

And one thing more, since we know that the ties are critical, it is high time for you to wake up from sleep, for final deliverance is now nearer to us than when we first became Believers. The night is far gone and dawn is at hand. Let us, therefore, cast off the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave ourselves properly, as in the light of day. Let us not carry on in carousing and drunkenness, in immorality and excesses, in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the armor of Adonai Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, and do not think of gratifying the lusts of the flesh.

**ROMANS 12: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-book-of-romans-chapter-12.html

FACING THE FILTER BEAST

Today while sweeping the plaster dust that is still floating through the air and collecting on the dark wood floor making breathing difficult for me when it is stirred up – as it is when I walk across the floor a thousand times a day, I noticed also that the dust bunny population was proliferating: time to change the heater filter.

Which was a big problem:

But …

There was no way to get around changing that filter.

There was also no way of getting around that the responsibility for switching it out was up to me – I can’t keep calling Kerry away from his Mt. St. Helen’s mountain retreat, or Alex up from his home in Salem, OR to come do it for me every other month when it needs doing.

So.

I tried to remember what Bob showed we since we moved in here 20 months ago, and what Kerry and Alex have shown me since Bob stepped off this planet in December 2018. I took a deep breath and bit the bullet, praying to Elohim that if I got the panel pulled down, I could fit it back into it's niche and secure it without too much trauma drama:

Dust bunny multiplier - I think the filter wasso packed with plaster dust too. It NEEDED cleaning. This filter was just changed out in February and should be good for 3 months before switching it out again ... Alex did it for me.

I called Alex at one point during the solo process ... the filter wasn’t quite snug against the lower edge of the panel no matter how much I shoved and prodded it in that direction, so I called Alex to ask if it was snug enough. It was. Thank YOU Yeshua for helping me do this without stress or tears.

SUCCESS! Bob would be proud of me :-D One thing he did say to me before he was shifted to OHSU and we were facing the possibility of his death, was, “Baby, I know you can do whatever you set your mind to do: you may kick it around for a while trying to decide how to get it done, but once your mind is made up, it is as good as done.” He always did have faith in me. He always encouraged me with his optimism.

Walking back to the livingroom after that dreaded chore was successfully completed, I notice a red headed visitor to the feeder Bob built for me a few years ago …

Purple Finch couple. They are happy to have feed in the feeder again.

Noting that everything was fine with my corner of the world today, I settled into my recliner and contentedly wove in/tied off the end piece of yarn on the Pink and Purple Lapghan I edged last night at Craft Meet. And into the donation bag it went.

Tonight I will work on a variegated blue shoulder wrap that will join the laid away lapghan later this week.

I can’t stand to have idle hands ;-)

BUTTERMILK HONEY BREAD Recipe

Today is laundry/bread making day, and I thought that since Spring is in the air, I would make a Spring type bread ;-)

So I dug around in my recipe collection and found this tasty bread. The texture is excellent, and the sweet smell of honey that greets your nose with the first cut of the knife after the bread cools will have your taste buds screaming for a bite.

I bake my bread on laundry day because after it is kneaded and placed in a bowl to rise, I put it under an overturned laundry basket atop my dryer, covered with a bath sheet towel or a small blanket. Easy-peasy-no-fail way to raise the dough.

Buttermillk Honey Bread is perfect for sandwiches. This bread also make tasty toast ;-) You can also change the flavor of this bread by using different flavored honeys.

BUTTERMILK HONEY BREAD ~Makes 2 oval loaves

1 envelope dry Yeast or 1 cake fresh Yeast * ¾  c. lukewarm Water (105-degrees F to 115-degrees F) * 1 tsp. Honey * 5-1/4 to 6-1/4 c. unbleached Flour or Bread Flour * 1-1/2 c. lukewarm Buttermilk (95-degrees F) * 3 TBS. Honey * 2 TBS. unsalted Butter (1/4 stick), melted & cooled * 1 TBS Salt (I used Pink Himalayan)

Sprinkle dry yeast over warm water in small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon honey & stir to dissolve. If using cake yeast, crumble into small bowl; stir in lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon honey: let stand until foamy – about 10 minutes.

Combine 2 cups flour, buttermilk, 3 tablespoons honey, butter, and salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and beat until smooth – about 3 minutes. Mix in enough remaining flour half a cup at a time until dough is too stiff to mix. Knead on a floured surface until dough is smooth and satiny looking; kneading in more flour if sticky, about 10 minutes.

Grease a large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat entire surface. Cover bowl with plastic and let rise in a warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

Grease 2 baking sheets. Gently knead dough on a lightly floured surface until deflated. Cut dough in half. Knead each piece into a round and then pull 2 opposite sides under to form an oval shape. Place on prepared sheets, seam side down. Cover with towel; let rise in a warm draft-free area until doubled in shape – about 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375-degrees.

Bake loaves 45 minutes … or until brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottoms. Immediately transfer to racks to cool. Cool completely before slicing.

MONDAY, MONDAY …

My Monday is extremely b.u.s.y. today – there is LOT going on.

And I’m okay with that.

I need to stay busy and keep my mind occupied with things in the present.

And tonight is Craft Meet night ... I can unwind as my yarn unwinds and my project takes shape. So around 6:30 p.m. tonight, the busyness will start to wind down :-D

Early this morning I had to run into town to drop something off, so while I was downtown I made several stops at various stores to make purchases I have been putting off – it is still hard for me to do things without Bob being beside me. We did everything together for so long that I just can’t work up the want to do what we used to do together … but after watching the birds time and time again over the months come to the empty feeder and fly off with a WTHeck look on their faces – and at least 1 bird family is being set up in the birdhouse, I decided today was the day to face what needs to be done and then DO IT.

So I did.

First off after dropping off the papers that catapulted me into town in the first place, I stopped at Winco to grab some groceries – and walked out with more than intended; oh well, I needed to do stockpile shopping anyway. Today was as good a day as any.

Then, with the backend of the car practically dragging, I drove across the border and nipped into Wilco where I bought a variety of bird seed to satisfy every disgruntled bird that has been on a starvation diet at our pad since October … I have been feeling guilty because they have literally been singing for their Supper and I have been ignoring them: that was not very nice of me since they faithfully serenade me with soothing tunes. But they will be well fed and happy tonight ;-)

Car sufficiently stocked with provisions for me and my feathered friends, I whisked over to the grocery warehouse by the airstrip airport and spent way too much there too; I only intended to nip some freezer bags, but came out with cookathon containers – which really are needed. I enjoy cooking, and I need to clean last year’s harvest out of the freezer to make way for this year’s bounty: and I want to get to the butcher in Yelm too, to restock the meat provisions; which Bob and I would have done already. Yelm is a 2 hour trip 1 way, so it will be pretty much an all day event when I get to it - and I will be doing it solo this year; I need to be sure I can get there and back without having a meltdown. Not quite ready to do it on my own yet … but soon.

If I say that out loud enough it may actually get done.

Anyway.

Getting back to “in the present” happenings of today …

Recrossing the border and driving Industrial Way heading home the long way home, I realized that with all the moohlah I dropped at Winco earlier I still forgot the eggs! So I nipped into Wal*Mart – and came out with 7 skeins yarn too (not on sale; this was Wal*Mart, not Joanne's). To justify the expenditure I really do have to make hospital shoulder shawls for the cancer ward: I made a lot of baby and child things through February and March, and now it is time to make adult items.

That is my justification and I’m sticking to it.

If there is time at Craft Meet tonight after I put the edging on the Pink n’ Purple Lapghan, I will start on a variegated blue shoulder shawl for a male. It may sound strange, but male patients actually use shoulder shawls when the chills start, so I want to make a type of prayer shawl wrap a male will feel comfortable using, and one light enough that it won’t cause them discomfort due to weight issues.

After I got back home and the groceries were put away, I got busy sterilizing all the bird seed so it won’t sprout under the feeder; it is an aching pain in the lower back to pick the growth out of the lava rock once it gets established – and the famous and constant PNW rains always seem to help that chore along. So, this year I am solving that problem before it has a chance to catch fire.

As soon as I had some cooled seed buffet mixes, I filled the feeder ... and noted how shabby the front steps are looking - the previous owners did not use quality paint when they painted the house, and the construction crew that remodeled the kitchen in 2017 after we purchased this house tore the stairs up hauling kitchen appliances in and out: if for no other reason, the stairs alone would be what Candy would focus on when she does her maintenance walkaround this month. Bob and I already knew we would have to paint the house sooner rather than later, so I am glad Shaun will be coming around the end of the month to paint the exterior of our home - I kinda beat Candy to the punch on this issue ;-)

After the constant busyness of this Monday, I am sooooo looking forward to the Craft Meet tonight where I can actually sit for a little while and do nothing but relax with my crafts and listen to the chatter of the other crafters ;-)

I HAD TOO MUCH TO DREAM LAST NIGHT

I am up at the ungodly hour of 4:29 a.m. this morning because I had too much to dream last night.

It was a beautiful dream.

It was a painful dream.

I woke up in a cold sweat.

Missing my husband.

Facing the finality of a physical death in the stark cold dawn ...

COWBOY COOKIES Recipe

I love cookies, and I love cowboys. So this recipe is the perfect cookie for me :-D

I make these cookies using an ice cream scoop to drop them on the baking sheet. That significantly decreases the output, but to me it is worth it to have a larger cookie ;-) An ice cream scoop will make about 4 dozen cookies – significantly smaller output than the original recipe promises.

If you stick to the recipe, you will get a larger batch of smaller sized cookies.

COWBOY COOKIES Recipe ~ Makes 11 dozen cookies

2 c. sifted Flour * 1 tsp. baking Soda * ½ tsp. Salt * ½ tsp. Baking Powder * 1 c. Shortening * 1 c. granulated Sugar * 1 c. Brown Sugar (firmly packed) * 2 Eggs * 2 c. rolled Oats * 1 tsp. Vanilla * 1 pkg. semisweet Chocolate Chips

Sift flour, soda, salt, and baking powder together; set aside.

Blend shortening and sugars together:

Add eggs – beat until light and fluffy.

Add flour mixture, oats, vanilla, and chips. Blend well:

Dough will be crumbly. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet:

I baked a dozen, and put the rest in the freezer to solidify before bagging/freezing them in dozen size portions for future enjoyment.

If you use an ice cream scoop be sure to space the cookies pretty far apart on the baking sheet – they will spread.

Bake at 350-degrees for 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

THUNDERBUMPERS

 This morning I woke up feeling ambitious, and a little repentant too, so I called my sister Iris just to see how she is doing, say "Hi - I love you", and to get the call into action before my day got away from me again. I had been meaning to call her for the past 2 weeks, but life crowded that out with the plumber and construction stuff going on and the guys coming and going whenever they pleased with no set schedule - kinda puts a kabash on your days and forces you to put everything else on a back burner while you sit around twiddling your thumbs hoping they show: sometimes they do, more often than not, they don't. But what are you gonna do? You wait. And wait; and wait some more before they finally show and do the jobs they were hired weeks ago to do.

And most currently I intended to call her Wednesday, but my ex-SIL, who is still a close friend, and her cousin Pam, who is also an old friend, schemed to get me out of the house and back into the social world ... and that ate up Wednesday. But it was necessary, and it was a fun time.

Yesterday, as soon as I woke up and poured my 1st cup of coffee, I set to work plotting my garden bed plantings, and that literally took all day. I do rotation gardening because I do organic gardening - no pesticides, no 'extra' anythings ... just garden soil, seeds and/or organic transplants, and soil building practices. I have gardened this way for 40 years, and it works for me. I also do companion planting, so my garden beds are planned very carefully and charted every year. It is time consuming, but having a healthy and productive garden is worth it. This is what I charted for this season; the seeds and transplants have been ordered, and as soon as they start arriving the plans will be set in motion.

And our grave stones arrived yesterday - Bob's being set in place in August. So yesterday was not a good day to call anyone; I was on shaky ground most of yesterday anticipating the emotional upheaval of the stones' arrival ...

But this morning, before I even got out of bed, I reached for the phone and called Iris. I like Iris - I have known about her most of my life, but it wasn't until recently that I have been able to actually talk to her and get to know her: this would make Bob happy for me because I have talked about her and wondered about her our entire married life. If Bob were here, he would be happy that we are finally connecting. And it goes without mentioning, that I am extremely happy :-D My youngest sister did a 23andme DNA test this winter and Iris popped up as sister ... so Carla immediately called me and said, "Are you sitting down?" And I said, "Should I be?" Then she said, "I found her! I found Iris." And one thing led to another, and now we are communicating. I have never had an older sister before - I have always been the oldest sister in my immediate family, so this is kinda exciting for me as well as an answer to prayer ;-)

After Iris and I were finished shooting the breeze, I heard the birds happily chirping and noticed the bright sunshine streaming in through the livingroom windows as I came down the hallway, so I put coffee on while I dressed. Then grabbing a cup of coffee and heading outdoors, I got busy cleaning up the breezeway under the carport so that when the guys come to paint the exterior of the house in a few weeks I will not be running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get it done in a few hours; this morning I took my time neatly moving stuff into the shed ... another thing I didn't get to this Fall because I refused to leave Bob in the hospitals alone - he took precedence over home maintenance as far as I am concerned. And Candy can be damned.

Anyway.

Today the breezeway got cleaned, stuff got put away, and/or rearranged - like the garden cages that will be put to use before the house painting gets under way, so they stayed where they were and will be out of the way in a week or so.

And while I was puttering around, I repotted my miniature rose bushes that I didn't get to the last 2 years because the year 1 flew by with interior remodeling eating up the time; we weren't home a a lot due to the dust which played hell with my asthma - we spent most of that year holed up in a hotel waiting for the house to get done. And anyone reading my Blog knows what happened last summer - which ended with my husband's death.

But the Mini Roses got repotted this morning - with returning geese honking and winging their way home across the sky overhead; as well as the yellow Parrot Tulips; and the Chrysanthemums I thought were truly dead (aside from being set out last Fall before Bob went into hospitals, they got NO attention at all - not even a quick watering) delighted me with unexpected new growth that was hidden under the thick leaf mulch - so they got cleaned up too instead of being trashed.

The yellow mini rose that Bob gave me needed severe pruning back, so I pray I did not kill it! That would kill me, I'm sure ...

Those tasks done, I pulled my over-wintered Geraniums from under the front porch (where they normally line the stairs and porch railing Spring & Summer) and started cleaning those up by pulling dead leaves, clipping dead growth, and refreshing the potting soil:

But when it was time to water everything repotted and refreshed, the water faucet started freaking out! So I shot a brief video of it and zipped it off to Alex to see if we can fix it ourselves - or do I need to call plumber Bob again.

Getting this house up to speed is gonna bankrupt me ...

Well, I had to use the faucet; leaking like a breached Dam or not, to water my over-wintered plants, so a LOT of water was wasted - but what's a gal to do? The plants needed water ...

And not even 20 minutes later thunderbumpers showed up:

And hail followed.

So I pulled my tender-shoot-rejuvenating geraniums back from the slashing ice balls ...

The hail viciously pelted everything for about half an hour before it stopped and rain began. 

With the steady falling rain, this would be a good time to have my rain barrels hooked back up, but that is not going to happen until the house is painted the end of April/first of May :-(