Southern Porch Extension

[deejay]

Don, I agree it's maddening to see the world go crazy the way it is. But I just stick with my basic Tracfone, eat what I like--and can afford--wear what I want, and ignore the rest. I've learned long ago that the more heavily hyped something is, the greater chance it's nothing but junk. Phone books aren't worth having anymore--too many typos and wrong numbers, plus stuff in wrong categories. I use an online directory instead, whenever possible. Just cart the phone books to the recycler, or use them to shove under the wiggly leg of a chair or table.

[Laurie]

Congrats on getting your book published, Verna.

My mom and I had a garage sale yesterday and today. It always feels good to get rid of stuff.

[Inkpen]

The problem with buffets are that creative cooking does not always divulge the contents of the ingredients of the dish. What looked like small diced pieces of ham which were deceiving in their camouflaged taste, due to the culmination of other ingredients.

Long story short, I ate the dish only to be reminded thirty minutes later that the tiny bits of ham in the dish were in fact... Turkey. When you happen to be allergic to a particular food, you can sometimes be reminded of that fact the hard way.

Lost a half a day of work. Financially it was OK since I am on salary, but it did put me a half a day behind at the start of today. Which equaled a long and busy day. I did manage to pick my laundry up from the cleaners before they closed. So I guess it wasn't all bad.

[Edy]

I'm glad you're okay, George! A friend of mine, also allergic to turkey, specifically asked if a "chicken salad" at a restaurant was in fact chicken. She was assured it was - but it wasn't.

Something similar happened to my niece's little girl, recently. She and her mom thought a buffet salad would be okay - but little Rose immediately recognized something wrong after a bite. It was a Snicker's bar salad (never heard of such a thing) with them crumbled in the dressing. Rose is so allergic to anything peanuts, she has an epi-pen prescription. Panic for a mom!

I've been labeling my pot-luck items, recently, since we've had Muslim visitors at our church, these days. They and vegetarians appreciate knowing what they can and cannot eat.

Are food allergies on the rise? Or, were we just in the dark growing up? With all the messing with genetics in fruit and vegetables, and stuff in animal feed, I wonder if we're our own worst enemy, sometimes.

[BeachGrandma]

Verna, I'm so happy about your book being published! I hope it sells so many you have to go into a second printing. I love the cover. Kudos to the gals who designed it! I'm also glad to hear Leon is doing better.

George, I guess with added dressing on some mixed foods, it makes it even harder to tell the contents. Thanksgiving must be a little different for you since you're allergic to turkey. Happily, there's always ham. I'm sorry you missed a half day of work, though. I'm glad you're not out on the rig in the Gulf any more. Every time the news mentioned a storm brewing in the Gulf, I'd go quickly online and look at a map to see where your rig was. So many were praying for your protection.

"Chicken Soup for the Soul" publishers are looking for stories for these possible book titles:

http://www.chickensoup.com/form.asp?cid=possible_books

20th Anniversary Reader's Choice

To celebrate our twenty-year anniversary next summer, we are planning a book in which contributors tell us how a Chicken Soup for the Soul story changed their lives. If a Chicken Soup for the Soul story made a big difference to you, tell us the name of the story and the book in which it appeared, and then write us a new Chicken Soup for the Soul story all about how the old story helped you. We'll publish the stories in pairs -- the old ones and the new ones. The deadline for story submissions is January 15, 2013.

Devotional Stories for Wives
One of the biggest roles that a woman can take on in her lifetime is to become a wife. It takes commitment and dedication to remain loving as the years go by, especially when children and the busyness of daily life can sometimes be overwhelming. If you have a brief true story (up to 500 words) that shows how your faith in God has shaped your journey as a wife, please share it along with an applicable Bible verse and a 2-3 sentence prayer. You will receive $100 for each published devotion ($100 due to the shorter word count than our regular books). The deadline date for submissions is February 28, 2013.

Holiday Stories
We are collecting stories for our newest holiday book. Everyone has special memories and stories to tell about Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa - from inspirational and joyous, to heartwarming and humorous. We want to hear about your holiday memories and traditions. NOTE: Please make sure that the stories you are submitting to this book are NEW holiday stories that our editors have not read before. If you have submitted stories to our Christmas books in the past, we have your stories in our database. Also, please make sure your stories are "Santa safe" as we want to keep the magic alive for the young ones. The deadline date for story submissions is February 28, 2013.

Lemons to Lemonade
"When life hands you lemons... make lemonade!" And don't only make lemonade but squeeze every last drop of juice from that sour lemon to make the sweetest lemonade possible. We are looking for stories that show how you made the best of a difficult situation and how you turned what seemed like a negative into something positive. Did a change in your attitude help? Did a friend give you the boost you needed to get you past what seemed like a dead end? Tell us your success story and how you made it happen. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is February 28, 2013.

Raising Kids on the Spectrum
If you are the parent of a child with autism or Asperger's, we invite you to share your story about raising your child - the ups and downs, the effect on your family, your child's special attributes and talents, and the lighter moments too. You may use a "pen name" on your story. These stories will provide advice, comfort and insight to other parents in the same situation. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is October 7, 2012.

Thank you!

Click Here to Submit Your Story

[Joanney]

I notice that the Lemons to Lemonade is no longer how God made lemonade in your life, but how "you made it happen."

[BeachGrandma]

Joanney, this is for the "Chicken Soup series," not to be confused with the "God Makes Lemonade" series that is now owned by Thomas Nelson Co. Lemonade books are decidedly more Christian in their emphasis than the Chicken Soup series.

I thought it strange that Chicken Soup publishers would select the Lemonade title since, in a sense, they are competing books and the Lemonade series is just trying to get off the ground.

[Edy]

Howdy Porch Pals! How's the sun shining for you, today? Our sun is shining chilly!

But, we had my most favorite topic for today's Sunday morning message: Jesus and the little ones. Here's a sample of accompanying music for everyone's comfort, today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBALcN70 ... creen&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOUpNoXR ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZlprOz2 ... re=related

[BeachGrandma]

Edy, I responded to your post yesterday but it apparently didn't "take."

I listened to your links and absolutely love "Children of the Heavenly Father." It's been awhile since I've heard it, so after listening to your link, I went to Google and listened to it on a gorgeous pipe organ, a men's quartet, a full choir, and anything else I could find. It has such good harmony and I loved to hear the strength of men's voices when they sang it. Thanks so much for posting it.

My boys are back after a 5-day visit with their mother. It took them 2 hours to get to school today from their other grandmother's house where their mother lives temporarily (she hopes). They have to get up at 5 am every day for the long ride when they stay there. The judge will have a fit when he hears about it. She was supposed to have her own apartment closer to the school when school opened in mid-August. It makes for such a long day for the boys, especially Charles. There was an accident on the highway which delayed them today. Normally, it takes them 1 - 1 1/2 hours. But they were full of hugs and kisses when they came home here after school.

I've missed hearing from Debby and from Carol. So much is going on with them and Carol especially needs a physical touch from the Lord. Please keep her in your prayers, and Debby, too.

Sleep well tonight everyone! Love you all.

[Edy]

From today's email inbox. These are good - some familiar, some not, and now I know who is behind them:

STRANGE ERUDITE CONCEPTS

If you're not familiar with the work of Boswell D. Rabbitsmith, he's the famous erudite scientist who once said: "I woke up one morning, and all of my stuff had been stolen and replaced by exact duplicates."

His mind sees things differently than most of us do, to our amazement and amusement. Here are some of his gems: (He also makes his living as a comedian by the name of Steve Wright....)

1 - I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.
2 - Borrow money from pessimists -- they don't expect it back.
3 - Half the people you know are below average.

4 - 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
5 - 82.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
6 - A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

7 - A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
8 - If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.
9 - All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand.

10 - The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
11 - I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met.
12 - OK, so what's the speed of dark?

13 - How can you tell when you're out of invisible ink?
14 - If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
15 - Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

16 - When everything seems to be coming your way, maybe you're in the wrong lane.
17 - Ambition is a poor excuse for not being smart enough to be lazy.
18 - Hard work pays off in the future, laziness pays off now.

19 - I intend to live forever... so far, so good.
20 - If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
21 - Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

22 - What happens if you get scared half to death...twice?
23 - My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."
24 - Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

25 - If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.
26 - A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.
27 - Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

28 - The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.
29 - To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.
30 - The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

32 - Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don't have film.
33 - If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?

And now, links to my currently favorite singers - can scarcely wait for these to be released, so I can have them on my CD player on continuous replay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEs1EQ0C ... creen&NR=1
(Jonathan & Charlotte - Together album)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bbBCybH ... demail-new
(Susan Boyle - Standing Ovation album)

[BeachGrandma]

Edy, I LOVE Stephen Wright. His deadpan delivery is as funny as his material.

Since I receive steroid shots for pack pain every 3 months, I've had more than a passing interest in the steroid/meningitis connection, originating from a pharmacy in Massachusetts. At last report, as many as 13,000 people may have been given shots from these tainted vials, with several deaths reported. I found a list of medical facilities across the country that received these steroids from this pharmacy. I was glad to see my doctor wasn't listed but the Surgery Center in High Point, NC where we resided for 40 years, was listed. Both John and I had outpatient surgeries at the Surgery Center several years ago.

You may want to look over the list to see if your city or any relatives' cities show up.

http://livingstrongandhappy.blogspot.co ... dades.html

[Laurie]

Edy, those are some good ones.

Been getting a lot done here. Last week I washed and waxed my car and drained my hose for winter, etc., went to the apple orchards with my mom, and had a two day garage sale with my mom. Did my fall cleaning today, and my mom and I will take our vehicles in for service and repairs tomorrow. We hope to make applesauce later this week. We're hoping the farm closing will happen within the next month, but we don't have a date yet. Anyway, just trying to get other things out of the way because once the farm closing happens, there will be another list of things to help my mom with. Then we'll have things pretty much wrapped up.

It feels like things are getting harder in a way. So many things remind me of my dad. And I feel an even greater need all the time to talk about the man he was and discuss what I'm going through. I've been praying for the help I need, and I have a couple of friends I met on a different message board who are "listening". I just have so much I need to talk about, so I hope this will help.

[BeachGrandma]

Laurie, my dad was a lay preacher, meaning he would often fill in for pastors who were ill or were on vacation, etc. He did this maybe once or twice a month and was very good. I heard him preach about our need/want to talk about someone we love very much and long to see. He told about standing along the rail of a battleship in the Mediterranean during World War 1, seeing the moon dance on the rippling water, and the terrible loneliness he felt knowing my mother (to whom he was engaged) was so far away. He missed her so much, wrote to her every chance he got, read her letters over and over until they fell apart from wear, and talked about her incessantly to his ship mates or anyone who would listen. He couldn't help himself, he said. Just saying her name, telling of their good times together, describing how beautiful she was, anything at all to do with her, gave him more pleasure than anything on earth.

Of course, he made the obvious parallel in his sermon: when we love the Lord Jesus, we can't stop thinking about Him, talking to others about Him, reading His love letters (the Bible) over and over until the pages were torn and pulled away from the binding, talking to Him all during the day and into the night. We're so captivated by Him that the more we learn about Him, the more precious He becomes. Daddy urged the congregation to examine the depth of our feelings toward Jesus, our precious Savior, jealously guard our relationship with Him so that no one becomes more important to us than the lover of our souls, tell Him often during the days how much we love Him and want others to know Him, too.

Dear Laurie, it's so natural for you to talk about, reminisce about your wonderful dad. He was and still is such a big part of your life that to quit talking about him would be unthinkable. Every friend that God gives you to listen and encourage you is a provision of the Lord for you. Jesus said, "I will not leave you comfortless..."which I believe includes not only Jesus Himself but those we love so dearly when they are taken from us.

I'm thankful for the chatroom friends who have given you a soft shoulder and an understanding heart. Don't feel you are being a bother to them. God has given them a ministry now to help you through this hard time. God uses all kinds of people to help us through the valley. I've had unbelievers help me through some hard places and it helped not only me but them as well.

Of course, you know all the Porch buddies dearly love you and have open arms in case you need them. We're praying for you during this difficult time that God will give you such joy that you can hardly contain it.

God bless you, dear friend.

[Verna]

I've been busy, busy, busy, but, mostly, it's been a good busy. Thanks for sharing in the joy of getting my book published. I can't wait to get my copies.

Laurie, it's perfectly natural to want to talk about the loved one who's gone on to heaven. After my father died, my sister found that writing all her thoughts in a journal helped her ease the pain.

Edy, I love both your postings. Thank you so much.

Mariane, you are ever faithful in your encouragement to all of us. I pray that all your shots are safe, and that they help you.

Prayers for all my porch friends. . .

[Laurie]

Thanks for understanding. And I appreciate what you shared about your dad's sermon, Mariane. I've been writing in a journal (I'm a huge fan of journaling and find it to be really helpful), but it isn't nearly enough. It's just a challenge to find someone to listen. I held back with the two friends I mentioned because one of them has such a busy schedule and the other lost her dad and he wasn't the wonderful man my dad was so I didn't know if it was appropriate. But both have assured me it's okay to share more with them and both offered that I could call them. It means a lot. And hopefully I can help the one who lost her dad in some way as we get into deeper discussions about our dads and our grief experiences.

My mom is my best friend, but I can't talk to her much about how I'm doing since I know her grief experience is tons harder than mine, and I want to support her. We do talk about my dad, though, and it's nice to share our memories with each other.