SNOW DAY! I am shamelessly excited about this. You all know how much I love snow and I am MORE than happy with what has been going on here for the past 24 hours. Hubby’s shop didn’t have power, so he stayed home, and now WE are without power, so we are sitting here, with our priorities straight, with the generator keeping the TV and internet going. HAHAHA So far it’s not too chilly in here – even though it’s in the 20’s outside. I’m cuddled up in my fleecy blanket and we can always start the propane fireplace if need be. So far, we don’t need it, so don’t want to waste the fuel. I have things I can do without power, the question is, do I want to do them? We shall see.
Verse of the Day
February 4, 2019
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
What do you have that lasts forever? Not much unless it is connected to the Lord Jesus Christ. So many things we love and pursue are hollow, fleeting, shallow, and vain. But grace comes; grace stays; and grace lives with those whose love is the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither time nor the grave can strip away our grace in him when he is our Lord and he is our love.
www.verseoftheday.com
Food for Thought
We have been sitting here all morning and into the early afternoon, without power, snuggled under blankets, and watching TV with the help of the generator. I feel pretty blessed that we are prepared for things like this to happen and have easily gone a few days without power. Planning ahead for events such as power outages is so important, and I urge everyone to set up a system to keep yourself warm and fed, no matter what happens. You may not have a generator, but perhaps look for a kerosene heater to have ready when your electricity is out – just remember to crack a window open for ventilation. My point is, think ahead to this type of situation before it even happens so you aren’t caught unprepared.
Facebook’s Birthday – So, for their birthday today they have given their users the inability to see images. Nice. Honestly, as much as I enjoy seeing my friends and food pictures and groups on Facebook, I don’t blame people for canceling it. I’m likely going to head that way myself at some point.
Liberace Day – Wladziu Valentino Liberace, best known by just his last name Liberace, was an American pianist and vocalist. He was born on May 16, 1919 and died February 4, 1987. His career spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements – and during those years Liberace became world-renowned. In the 1950s through the 1970s he was the highest paid entertainer in the world and lived a life of flamboyant excess – both on and off the stage. I remember watching him on various shows throughout my childhood and will always appreciate his incredible musical talent.
Medjool Date Day – I love dates. I remember tasting them as a kid and being really surprised that I liked them so much! They don’t look all that great – they are brown and a little wrinkly, but they are chewy and so filled with sweet flavor. They’ve been a favorite treat since the Garden of Eden. Dates have a single pit or stone in the middle, so if you start eating some, do be careful about the pit. Dates grow on Date Palm trees and were brought to the coast of America by Spanish missionaries in the late 1700s. Medjool Dates started out in Morocco and were brought to the U.S. in 1927. Eleven shoots were put in quarantine in Nevada for 7 years. Nine plants survived and were taken to Southern California in 1935, with 24 offshoots planted in 1944. Of all the different varieties of dates, Medjools are very labor intensive to grow and I thought this was interesting! They are the only ones that can be picked and eaten fresh. Good to know, though I can’t imagine I’m ever going to be around a real date tree. It takes Date palms 3-5 years to begin to bear fruit and are fully mature when they are 12 years old. Though they are cultivated around the world, you can find them in the wild around Jordan and the border area between Iraq and Iran. Again, not likely I’m ever going to be around anything like that. So, besides eating them by themselves, (like I do) you can use dates to make vinegar, chutney, date paste for baking, flavorings and roasting whole date seeds. The tree’s buds are hearts of palm, and you may have had them in stir-fry or salad! Dates are packed full of minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients. Because they are easily digested, our bodies can make full use of all of their benefits. Get this, the dietary fiber in the dates helps waste move quickly through our systems, helping to prevent LDL (or the bad stuff) cholesterol absorb into our systems. They are high in iron, potassium, B-Vitamins, vitamins A & K, copper, magnesium, manganese, etc. The list goes on and on! They even help our bodies metabolize carbohydrates, protein and fats. I could go on and on, but seriously these are amazing little bits of goodness. They were even mentioned several times in the Bible!
National Hemp Day – The 2018 Farm Bill was a huge win for the hemp industry. Hemp – including the leaves, stalks, and stems – has since been rescheduled to a Schedule V classification, the same as OTC low-dose codeine. This makes the growing, producing, and distribution of hemp legal on a national level, though be mindful that your state’s laws may conflict with federal law. When this happens very often if taken to court the federal laws will supersede state laws, but are you prepared for the cost of that litigation process? Products made from hemp such as CBD, clothing, plastics, paint, insulation, and biofuels will now be more readily available. The passing of the newly-minted Farm Bill brings massive growth potential, with some publications estimating that the hemp industry will become a multi-billion dollar industry for the United States.
USO Day – The USO is an incredible organization that was started on February 4th, 1941. Its primary mission is to lift the spirits of American troops and their families and is best known for its entertainment of deployed troops. Every major airport has a special terminal JUST for the USO, to welcome home troops from overseas, where there is always someone to let them know how much they are appreciated and respected. When my husband and I went to New Jersey to watch my son graduate from USCG basic training we passed by the USO terminal on our way out of the Philadelphia airport. There was a crowd of appreciative USO representatives, all with their flags, food and wide-open hearts waiting for the soldiers as they arrived home, some of them for the first time in a very long time. These wonderful, loving people will be there waiting, which is especially important for the returning men and women who don’t have anyone there just for them. Sometimes coming home can be bittersweet without anyone there to wrap their arms around you to say they’re glad you are back.
Food Celebration of the Day –
Homemade Soup Day – There is nothing quite as soul satisfying as a hot bowl of homemade soup. In addition to being comforting, some soups are known for being medicinal as well! They can detoxify the body of impurities and boost our immune systems. The old home remedy of a bowl of chicken soup for a cold, it really works!!! Some soups have been used for centuries as a way to promote good health and to cure what makes us sick. For today, celebrate this tummy warming treat by stirring up a pot of your favorite soup. It’ll make you feel good from head to your toes. What soup makes you feel the best? If I don’t have the time to make a batch of my own soup – or if I happen to be in town when I’m feeling sniffly, my very favorite restaurant soup is Vietnamese Chicken Pho . . . Oh my goodness, it always makes me feel better, no matter what it is that is ailing me. Since we are sitting here without power due to wind and snow, I’ll be heating up the White Chicken Chili I made yesterday.
National Stuffed Mushroom Day – I love stuffed mushrooms. Depending on the size of mushroom cap you choose, they make perfect little bite side carriers for whatever you stuff them with. Personally, I love to stuff them with sausage and cheese. People have been eating mushrooms for possibly thousands of years, but they didn’t become popular until the 19th century. There are more than 14,000 species of mushrooms, but be careful because many are poisonous, so leave hunting them for the experts.
I suppose I should get moving and get a few things done. It would warm me up and make me feel like this wasn’t a wasted day. My preferred way to spend time on a snow day is baking, but that’s not as easy to do without power. *sigh* My first snow day in years and OF COURSE this happens! Oh well, I can look out the window at the beautiful snow in the trees and be happy, even without fresh treats to eat. God bless you and I’ll see you tomorrow.
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Celebration list sources:
www.verseoftheday.com www.brownielocks.com www.holidayinsights.com www.thenibble.com www.foodimentary.com