Monday, June 15, 2009

Believe in Miracles

Out of difficulties grow miracles.
Jean De La Bruyere

Think about it. Difficulties are what make you grow. When solutions come, it's relief, a load off your shoulders - a miracle. It's when what you think is impossible happens.

Searching for answers, I started looking at the miracles in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. The website Hebrew for Christians talked about the similarities of miracles in the Old Testament and New Testament. One that struck me is:

"... an impoverished widow had no means to pay a debt owed by her late husband, and a creditor was threatening to take her two sons as slaves in lieu of her payment
of the debt. She appealed to the prophet Elisha, who told her to borrow empty vessels from all her neighbors, to close the doors of her home, and to pour oil into them from the one remaining cruse of oil that she had. She had faith in the prophet, and the oil miraculously flowed from the original cruse until all the borrowed vessels were full. Elisha instructed her to sell enough of the oil to pay the debt, and to live off the supply of remaining oil...

(God's prophet is one) who brings abundance to those who have faith in Him (God) ... The miracle of the oil is similar to the miracle of the loaves of bread, (in the New Testament)..."

God gives us miracles. He is the God of Blessings. He provides beyond what we can imagine. Sometimes, we just need to look around, and give thanks for the small miracles, and have faith. The big ones are right around the corner. I am waiting for my miracle for I know that it will be here soon.

Recipe

It seems that I am asked to make this recipe for every big party in my family. I never like sauerkraut - it was always too sour for me. This recipe is more sweet sour, and I can't stop eating it.

Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut

2 cans Bavarian Style Kraut
2 cans Water
1/2 medium head shredded Cabbage (I use a whole head)
1/4 - 1/3 cup Brown Sugar (to taste)
1/2 lb. Bacon, fried, drained, and crumbled.
1 medium Onion, sauteed in 2 Tbs Butter, and then mixed with 2 Tbs. Flour
2 lbs. good Polish Sausage, cooked, cut in pieces (I use fresh, not smoked)

Combine all above ingredients in crock pot. Cook for 6-8 hours until cabbage is tender. The recipe says to add the sausage in the last 1/2 hour, but I like adding it right away so that all the juices mingle.

Money Making Tip

My family had a garage sale. Since my garden has been invaded by oregano, candy mint, lemon balm, chives, day lilies, irises, and hostas, as I've suggested in previous posts, I decided to try to sell them.

About a week before the sale, I dug up the mints and chives and put them in small pots that I had collected from plants that I had bought over the years. I kept them well watered so the plants could root in the pots. With the lilies, irises, and hostas, I dug them up the day before and broke them up into individual plants, and put all the bare roots in baskets. One thing - you have to make sure that there is a root on the plant or it will not take.

I put homemade tags in each pot, and made signs for the day lilies, hostas, and irises listing the price per plant. I priced them from 50 cents a pot to $1 for a hosta. To my surprise, I sold most of them and made $35 on these plants.

I am so excited that I'm thinking of having a plant sale. The one thing that I will do different is pot the plants a couple weeks in advance so that have enough time to root, and look healthy.

Something invading your garden? Why not make some money? Anyone selling different varieties of hostas? I started a hosta collection. hehe

Aunt Janet's Famous Sayings

When my nieces were in there late teens, and all grown up, I could tell that they were getting annoyed by the opinions I offered. So, now, when someone says something about my lecturing, I say:

"I stopped lecturing a long time ago."

It's true. I only offer my opinion if asked, or if I ask their permission first. Sometimes, I really have to bite my tongue, and change the subject. One nice thing did happen - my oldest niece told me, with a distraught face and sad eyes, "You can still lecture me."

Believe and it will happen,
Aunt Janet

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