Heart Hope by Olga

When you hear all of the things that 85 year old Mrs. Nathan has been through, you will probably feel sorry for her. One tragedy after another has plagued her life, starting thirty years ago, when she was burned on over 80% of her body by a grease fire that exploded in her kitchen. It almost completely destroyed her hands, actually fusing the fingers together. Because of the acute burning, Mrs. Nathan has had over 53 surgeries to try to correct the damage to her body. That alone would make most people want to give up on life; however this fighting lady has also suffered three strokes and three heart attacks which led to her having a pacemaker implanted to regulate her heart. She has a spot on her liver that they have not been able to determine what it is. Oh and by the way, I think I forgot to mention that she also lost an eye and will be undergoing hip surgery in the near future. If that is not enough, she has lived for the last 22 years in a 500 square foot government assisted housin...

I have just wasted an hour of time on what many people would classify as an addiction. No it’s not drugs or alcohol or anything of that nature, but a game. It started as a harmless attempt to see what everyone was talking about, but became an obsession. With over 42 million downloads, Angry Birds is the most downloaded application, so I am not alone in playing the game. Kids of all ages are playing it, including my 3 year old granddaughter who can manipulate the application, my 5 year old grandson who is an expert and my 21 year old nephew who has conquered 20 stages of 12 levels.  In the game, birds are catapulted to try and destroy a group of evil pigs who have stolen their eggs. If you have ever played the game, you might understand the addiction. You will either want to keep playing until you master the level, or until you get a higher score and then once that has been accomplished, your desire is to check out the next level and the new capabilities of the birds as they explod...

This is good for an appetizer or for a brunch. 1 can Pillsbury Grands biscuits 2 C. grated Swiss cheese 1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained ½ C. Hormel bacon bits 2 T. dried basil 1 T. finely chopped green peppers ½ tsp. celery salt 1 C. mayonnaise Tear apart biscuits into 5 or 6 pieces per biscuit.  Spray mini muffin pans with cooking spray; place pieces into mini-muffin pans. (I press the dough down with my finger to make an indentation.)  Mix remaining ingredients and spoon mixture into the middle of each muffin cup.  Bake at 375 degrees until done about 8 to 10 minutes www.hearthope.org

If two of the fascinating people in the news at the beginning of 2011 are any indication of what this year will be like, I think it has the potential to be a great one. It is refreshing to me when a person will openly profess their faith in public, totally unashamed of what others may think of them. On New Years Day Texas Christian University played Wisconsin in The Rose Bowl and the Horned Frogs were led to victory by quarterback Andy Dalton. He has not always been on the winning team, but has maintained composure and a strong witness no matter the outcome of the game. During the post-game interviews, Andy referred to 1 Peter 5:6 about how when we exhibit humility God will lift us up in His time. This bold witness was seen around the country and gave me great respect for this up and coming athlete. The other person might be classified as a polar opposite of the elite college student. Ted Williams was a homeless man who had suffered with an addiction to drugs and alcohol, until a surp...

My grandchildren love to play the game "hide and scare grandmother." They will squat down behind a doorway or a piece of furniture and then jump out, taking me by surprise. Most of the time, I am well aware of their location, but will play along just to participate in their fun.  The Bible tells us that we have to be careful, because sin is crouching at our doorway; it desires to attack and destroy us, but it doesn’t have to have control over us. We can overcome its power, but in order to do so, we are told that we must master it.  Mastering something takes time and effort; it also requires diligence and a watchful eye. If I master a foreign language or a sport, there is no guarantee that it will last without continuing to practice it. Sin is the same; when I begin to think that I have conquered it, that is the time I must be most watchful for more attacks. Just as I can be aware of where my grandchildren are hiding, I also need to be aware of particular sins that have tri...

“Every cloud has a silver lining.” Do you agree with that statement? I do.  Sitting in my living room this afternoon, if I look to the right it appears cold, dark, cloudy, even snowy off in the distance. However, if I turn to the left, I observe another image; there are blue skies, with fluffy white clouds on the horizon. How can things appear so distinctly different from my vantage point when glancing in opposite directions? I came to the conclusion that it is a matter of perspective. To the east, there probably is snow coming down on the mountains, but if I look closely, the clouds to the west are on the move, quickly gliding across the window panes, ushering in another weather pattern. It is my choice--do I want to focus on the storms or the blue skies?  In our lives we usually have both blue skies and storms brewing at the same time just as the view from my window.   Here also I have   a choice as to where my focus rests. I can decide to look at the ugly ...

My daughter Margaret Murphy discovered this delicious way of using leftover turkey. Try it; I think you will like it. 1  medium onion, diced 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil 1  garlic clove, minced 3  cups  chopped cooked turkey or chicken 1  (15-ounce) can chili beans 3 1/2  cups  chicken or turkey broth 1  (11-ounce) can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained 1  (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles 1/2  teaspoon  chili powder 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin 1/8  teaspoon  salt 1/8  teaspoon  pepper Toppings: sour cream, shredded Mexican four-cheese blend Sauté onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in turkey and next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings. www.hearthope.org