Nancy’s Kitchen

Richard and I were introduced to this recipe when Beth’s mom fixed it for us back when she & Bob lived in the beach house at Sandbridge. I got a fresh chicken on sale the other day, so I fixed this for Richard and myself today. Ahhhhh….

Wear an apron as this is an especially messy marinade and may stain clothing.
Mix all ingredients together and put in large bowl. Add frozen (or thawed) chicken and let sit overnight in refrigerator.

Note: c = cup, Tbsp = tablespoon

1/4 c dark brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c molasses
2 Tbsp sesame oil (I used safflower, as I had no sesame on hand)
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp sweet basil (I used “Mediterranean Basil” which smelled light & sweet)
1 Tbsp ground ginger
4 cloves minced or pressed garlic
3 c water

Before roasting, stuff chicken with a raw onion. Tie legs, wings and neck flap closed.
Put in a shallow roasting pan and bake uncovered at 400º for 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours (for 4-5 lb. bird).
Baste occasionally with marinade or with pan drippings.
About 3/4 of the way through baking, clip ties, baste, and continue cooking until bird is completely done. Chicken is done when legs move freely.
Remove chicken from roasting pan and place on platter to cool about 1/2 hour before slicing.

Here are some happy faces! Julia, Andrew and Jesse were playing outside, the water was available as was the dirt… you guessed it!

Not long ago, Andy celebrated his 5th birthday. Here’s the cowboy hat we got him and his nearly-bursting-with-joy face with it!!

I’m reading John Eldredge’s book, “Waking the Dead“. You can’t read this book too quickly. You have to take it slowly and let God talk to you. You have to soak it up in His Presence. It is a warm and lovely book. It is not sappy or trite or a quick-fix book. It is encouraging and full of hope.

This is not a book about raising the dead. It is about letting ourselves awaken from the dead, finding our whole heart, fully alive. It is worth the time and quietness needed to read it slowly.

Here is the ISBNumber: 978-0-7852-8829-9 (paperback). List price is $14.99. I got it on sale at Harvest Company for $10.99.

This is Lucy! 

What a good time we had yesterday when Sean & Amy’s children came over for a little “Grandpa & Grandma Time”!! It was especially fun because I had not seen much of them since coming home from Israel, three weeks ago. Now, everyone is well and ready for family-time again!

Of course we had Signing Time, and Climbing Time, “Fighting” Time and Exploring Time! Why yes, I do have pictures!! I’m glad you asked!!

Jesse, as usual, asked to watch the Signing Time videos. Julia joined him… for a while. Then they both joined Andrew, who was climbing a crépe myrtle tree in the back yard.

When our grandkids come over, one thing they like to do is constant… “Signing Time”. “Can we watch ‘Signing Time’?” Who am I to say no to them? I do limit them, though, as playing and reading are also great activities. Here are a few photos from today’s “Signing Time”.

I baked a small frozen cobbler for the meeting this evening, but then realized it would not be enough to serve the adults AND the three healthy young boys! So, since I’ve been meaning to make them, and I had everything on hand to make them, I made up my personal favorite of some 50-60 years, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! Yeah!!!!!

Mommy-Suzy got her camera out and produced these beauties! 

  I turned 60 this year (2007). I just held my sixth grandchild. I have raised three sons and I would compare them to anyone else’s…and win! I have struggled and fought to see who I am and what I am to be when I grow up. And you know…I found it…I am going to be me!

I know that may sound silly but living it has been anything but silly.
I thought I had to do something to have value. You know…write a book, perform before many people, be an influencial public speaker, what ever it took to get recognition publicly. Yet through the struggle I have found that I have a big heart and I care. I care about the poor, about Gypsies, displaced people, about being able to reflect what I believe about God, His son, Jesus and the purpose He has for my life.

As I have worked to find myself, I have attempted to listen and follow what I have heard God say to me and been confirmed by several independent sources. I have gone to Eastern European Gypsies in Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey; I spent six weeks learning to teach English to speakers of other languages; took sign language classes so I can “speak” to two of my granddaughters.

Over all this time God has lead me and continually encouraged me that I was moving where He wanted me to go. Looking back at my footsteps I see that teaching my children was out of love. Going to Russia with Steve’s family, our oldest, to adopt their second daughter was out of love. Three trips to the Gypsies were out of love. Going to South Africa and assisting in a hospice for AIDS patients was out of love. Spending my time in Texas to learn to teach English was out of love. Supporting women locally with various life issues is out of love.

I have been made to BE in love. There are many scriptural references to loving the lost and BEing a light. As I read them I hear God gently encouraging me to see that this is who I am, this is who He made me to BE, this is who I like to BE and feel most comfortable BEing. I am beginning to REALLY like me!

This is the basis of my next step. I am going to Israel and Palestine in February. My group will do some sightseeing but our purpose is to serve and feed and pray for poor Palestinian refugees in refugee camps, and persecuted Palestinian pastors and leaders. I will BE loving them. We will host and lead conferences in Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

Before I made this commitment I discussed and prayed with Richard and I sought other counsel. It surprises me that I am not alarmed by news reports. I am doing what I am made to do…BE! You are part of my family. I am asking for your prayers, letters of encouragement or warning, and requests for pictures I can take for you while I am there!

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

“And now Lord, with your help, I shall become myself.” –Soren Kierkegaard

A friend (thanks Norma!) sent me this article to help me understand better the Palestinian Refugee situation. To respect copyright, I do not want to reproduce the article here, but I encourage you, the reader, to check it out. It is of moderate length, and well worth the time and thought to spend on it.

This photo really caught my heart and helped me to see perhaps through my Daddy-God’s eyes a bit more. I have spoken of going to Israel and ministering in the Palestinian Refugee camps by taking God’s Huge Love. This lady’s image will be my focal point as I reach out to other women in the camps. She will be my motivation and inspiration.