Little Things Mean A Lot
Deer Camp
Mr. 4-Ever loves to be out in nature and he does all the hunting and fishing stuff. Our freezer is full of interesting menu options. Just last week, we had pheasant for dinner (tastes like chicken in case you’re wondering).
November 15th is opening day of deer hunting season here in MI, and traditionally, Dave spends the week up north with his buddies. They sit in trees all day, waiting for the perfect trophy buck to wander into sight so they can kill it, eat it and hang its head on a living room wall. In the evenings, they hover around huge camp fires, belly laughing at bad jokes and good memories, swapping stories about the one that got away.
While our men are gone, we deer hunting widows (wives of the guys at deer camp) enjoy not sharing the remote, not shaving our legs, and not contending for toilet seat dominance.
As much as Dave loves being outdoors, I relish being in my kitchen. The 10,000 hours I’ve spent planning meals, prepping food and serving my people gives me a sense of God’s pleasure and personal satisfaction. Being faithful with little, ordinary, unrecognized things, is good practice to be faithful with even more.
A friendly competition
There is an unspoken rivalry among the wives of our deer hunting men for the tastiest contribution to the deer camp fare. We’ve sent pies, cookies, even casseroles, but we know better than to send anything resembling a salad or even a vegetable up to camp.
This year, I’m whipping up some deliciousness for the fellas that will have me contending for the best-wife-blue-ribbon-treat at deer camp.
Forget Me Not Candied Nuts travel well, are super easy to make, always disappear in a flash and make your house smell wonderful while they’re in the oven. I’ll send (most of the) deliciousness up north with Dave but you can be sure I’ll tuck some away for me to enjoy as I watch chick flicks and home renovation shows in his absence.
Where do you experience God’s pleasure? Leave me a comment. I read every single one.
Oh, and I’ve included the recipe below. You’re welcome. 🙂
Verse of the day: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10
Prayer: Oh Father, how we delight in your creation. Your majesty abounds in the limitless number of plants and animals. All this, you created for our pleasure. A feast for all our senses. Thank you Father for your extravagant provision. In Jesus name, amen.
Forget Me Not Candied Nuts
A pound of nuts – nuts with grooves like pecans work best.
1 egg white
1 Tablespoon of water of which 1/2 teaspoon is vanilla
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Whip egg white with water and vanilla till foamy.
Add nuts, stir to coat.
Mix sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Shake over nuts.
Stir till coated.
Dump on an ungreased cookie sheet and separate the big clumps. If you line the pan with parchment paper, you’ll thank me later.
Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from oven, let cool about an hour.
Store in airtight container.
Taste test liberally.
I experience God’s pleasure in my backyard with my two beautiful horses. They are so connected to me. They give me so much love. And I can tell them secrets that I know they won’t repeat. My horses are so in tune to my moods. When I feel down, they come over and nuzzle me. they won’t leave me alone. I am so thankful that God has brought them into my life. My oldest horse is a Morgan and I have had him for 13 years in January. He will be 23 in February. Then I have a blue Roan quarter horse and he is 9 years old. I have had him since he was 8 months old. He will be 10 years old in March. And I have a mini horse that I do some horse therapy with. There are a few times a year that I bring him to an adoption at a juvenile center in Prescott Valley. And I have my wild child – a mini mule. The mini horse and mini mule are about the same age – 15 or 16 years old. My life revolves around my equine buddies. And believe me I thank God every day for these amazing animals.
That’s so cool, Jan. God is so gracious to put such love in them to nurture us.
I enjoy my war room and spending time with GOD through the Bible and Journaling .
Eileen, You’re writing history as you pray to create it Well done.
My happy place is being busy in my yard. I take care of about an acre or so of yard. Love mowing and right now picking up all the leaves. God gives us such great colors in the fall. I am a widow of two years and God has given me great health I am 85 years old and being independent even though my kids tell me I am stubborn at times. God has given me great life. He is my comfort and peace
Hey Barb, If you don’t use it, you lose it, right? So happy you’ve adjusted to your new normal so well and continue to appreciate the Lord’s creation.
I’m with you in the kitchen. I love to make meals that I can bring to my church family or friends when there’s been a surgery or illness or loss. I can have sourdough bread, and a rich chicken wild rice soup (tastes just like Panera’s Chix Wild Rice! So good!) and Shepherd’s Pie or meatballs going at the same time in the kitchen. I save enough for a meal for 2 for us and package the rest up to go out. It is a way to know I am being God’s hands and feet, bringing a little “Kingdom come” on earth. And it is always well received! Who doesn’t like a meal you don’t have to fix when you can’t fix it anyway!?!? It also makes me so grateful that I CAN do this – so WHILE I can, I will. I have been on the receiving end of this act and someday, may need to be again. It is such a blessing – but I’ll gladly be on the giving end while I can. That’s a blessing, too.
But, I also love my garden and flower beds. Another way to see God’s beauty and miracle of the seasons and new growth and creativity. I can yank weeds and be reminded of the “weeds” in my life I need to pull out, too. Over the years’ there’s been many new weeds that I never had before – in both the gardens and my life. Satan’s always finding new ways to mess with us.
I also love to be out for coffee with a friend – another happy place.
And, my 2 top prizes for best happy places in all of life is cuddled next to my man and spending time alone with my Lord on my deck – surrounded by flowers and birds and wind chimes and blue sky and my cattle in the pasture – can’t see another house or car or person. Ahh! YES! But summer is too short in MI and I never get enough of that before the weather changes and my deck is either 90 degrees and too hot – or it’s cold and snowy/rainy. Oh, well. It makes me appreciate it all the more when I have it.
Joanie, Thank you for posting this beautiful piece. Great wisdom and perspectives.
There are so many ways to experience God’s pleasure. This morning looking out my window at the fresh snow fall. Beautiful!
Each season gives us the beauty of His nature. His creation is awesome.
Great perspective, Becky. The first snows of the year might be the best ones.
I experience God’s please when my one year old granddaughter blows me a kiss and runs up to hug me when I walk in the door. Somehow she makes the worst days melt away!
Hi Amy,
It doesn’t get much better than that!
I just got back from a shopping trip with my 5 daughters and 2 granddaughters at Birch Run Outlet. They have a deer widows weekend sale. I love spending time with my family. Eating out an staying in a motel. Take care
Ruth, you and I are cut from the same cloth. Glad you got to spend this time with your girls.
Biking on the bike trails, spending time with the grandchildren and my family.
I experience God’s pleasure while Walking my dogs, or waiting for the bus w/ my daughter each am . Each & every time I am outside I experience God’s handiwork. Our Lord and Creator is so good, and so merciful. I am in awe anytime I spend time in the great outdoors because, it reminds me of his might, power and actually his mercy that a sinner like me is able to experience His Great and mighty creation. God is good and an amazing creator who has shared part of himself with us in so many ways, it makes me humbled just to think about. This past week we had our first hard frost here in Ohio. As I looked around that morning, I saw the perfection of the crisp & frosty temps from each place my eyes gazed. How perfectly frozen, amazing and still each blade of grass was.
My happy place is Hilton Head Island, SC and have been there more times than I can count. I could sit on the beach and listen to the crashing waves around me for hours. It is so calming to me. I also love walking the length of the shore, hand in hand with my husband. I am much more adventurous in the water than he is and he takes pictures and videos of me and my grown son, battling the waves either through body surfing or with the boogie board. My son’s been going to the beach since he was about 2 years old and most of that time while he was growing up, we lived in Ohio. He loves the sand and surf as much as his mama! #saltwaterheart ????
I am in great need of prayer Robyn, I fell in love with a married man he is much older 79, I am 62 it’s like there is a spell on me . I know I am not doing God’s will, he goes to that bar around the corner from where I live every day it’s so difficult for me not to go and just sit with him please pray what do I do?
Oh Girl, This is so slippery. I’m asking the Lord to break that spell and replace it with something that brings you life. May the strength of the LORD be yours. Jesus, intervene in her heart and circumstances. Amen.
1 Corinthians 10:13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. New Living Translation