March 2015 Souvenirs

I made a list at the start of the year to focus on five goals that I knew would bring memories to tuck away as souvenirs when I think about this year.  March is here and I rocked it...ish!

A. Shop Local

I started off the  month purchasing an array of candy from the New Hampshire Old Country Store in Moultonborough, NH on my way back from Maine, so not really local to me, but locally owned there and some great candy!  As far as local restaurants, I hit up New Socials burger night once and Big Fatty's BBQ in White River Junction, VT twice.  Superb restaurants!

On one particular Saturday this month, I went local crazy though and spent like $25.  I first went to Violet's Book Store to see my friend, Tim, who was hosting a book signing there, so I picked up a signed copy of his book as well as a book from the store.  I then headed to the Spice and Dry Goods store and bought some spices.  Then I went to a store that was closing and picked up two heavy duty plastic display trays for a buck a piece.  Then to a coffee shop (frozen coffee) and a Greek restaurant for some baklava.  Super and delicious success!


B. Household hop--At least three stops per month in someone else's house.
7 households this month but most were only one stop this month, which isn't a bad thing but starkly different from last month.  It was fun to get around and visit with people in their households.  Thankful for the hospitality of friends!

C. Legit meal--Once a week
Er....the reason I put this goal was because it was something to shoot for.  I'd say I nailed this 2 out of the four weeks this month, so progress but imperfect progress.  On a slightly related topic, this week I bought pork thinking it was beef and was a tad horrified when I was cooking it like beef and went to flip it over and it was white and not a seared brown.  It wasn't a failed experiment though...just an unexpected one.

D. Trip to Texas
So in less than a month now, Lord willing, I will be in Texas!  I haven't been in the state since 2012 so it's been a long time coming!  I'm pretty stoked and getting excited about seeing family and friends.  Also kind of excited to go through more of my stuff and sort it out to bring some treasures back with me.  But pretty close to the top of things I'm most excited about is food.  I'm a little bummed that I won't have enough time for it actually.  If all goes to schedule, I am scheduled to arrive at the airport near home at 12:11pm on Tuesday, which puts me just in time for lunch (yippie!!!).  I am scheduled to depart at 8am on Saturday (slightly bummed because my original booking was for the afternoon but they recently emailed me letting me know they changed my itinerary).  So that puts me home only 3.75 days (wow, that was the first time I did the math for that, and it's sort of depressing now as my original plan had me not leaving til 4pm....8 hours home taken away so fast...sad day).

Well, in order to pump myself back up, let me list for you my wish list of restaurants that I want to go to in my 3.75 days there!
1) Texadelphia (number 1 for sure...my fave!!!)
2) A tacqueria to order "tres bistek tacos con maize".
3) Whataburger....if all else fails, this will be my Saturday morning pre-airport breakfast...gotta love 24 hours a day serving burgers all that time...."I'll take a whataburger with bacon and jalepenos on the side."  For those of you that don't know, I don't want them on the side because I'm chicken...they seriously give you more jalepenos in the cup on the side than on the burger if you order it with jalepenos on it.  I'll take 10 slices over the 4 they put on the burger anyday!
4)  Chick-fil-A, this is a fave but near the bottom because if it didn't work out while I was home, I can always trek over to Nashua here and eat there if I was desperate.

So to be honest, I grew up eating out a ton which I don't do as much these days but when I think of Texas food, I often think of my favorite restaurants so that's kind of where my heart is at there. That said, I have an aunt that I will see who makes some of my favorite dishes too, so if she happens to read this, which I believe she will, I hereby request "bok choy" or the Tahitian haystack meal.  :-D  No pressure though.

Excited to see and visit with those I get to see.  Man, it's going to be a whirlwind...what was I thinking....?  Well, just a good reminder to soak up every minute of fellowship and every ray of sun I get.

E. Read more
Reading has been a weak spot but once again, that's why it's on this list.  Motivation!  I finished re-reading "How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes" by Irwin and Peter Schiff.  I have also started but not gotten extremely far into "The Candy Bombers" by Andrei Cherny so that's next on my list to knock out hopefully.

Beyond this list, March was pretty monumental to me personally in almost pushing a reset button on my life and the track I was on.  I thank God for the people and events/situations He used to wake up the sleeping giant and get me on a better path.  It's been a good month of learning, growing, praying and stretching.  Thanks for those who have come along for the ride.  I hope your March has you marching triumphantly and looking forward to Spring!

See you next time!
Joy Lynn

**Speaking of next time, April's run down and probably a recap of Texas in general will have to wait until early May as I'll still be in Texas as the calendar month flips so just a heads up there.

At The Cross

At the cross my knees are weak,

All hopes for the future now look bleak,

Our Leader has been crucified,

The blood thirsty opponents pacified.

Days I spent sitting on my hands,

Jesus’ death lost Him many fans.

Together we sat simply vexed,

Asking "what are we to do next?"

I go to the grave to say goodbye,

But that’s when things really go awry,

The tomb is empty, He is not there,

I’m on my knees in total despair.

But He came along and pointed me to the cross,

“There was victory there and not a loss,

For My death paid sins payment you could not bear,

I can live with and in you now, so do not despair.”

At that cross is where the real journey begins,

Where He settled the debt of all our sins,

So tell all the world that that we can be free,

For He came to give hope to you and to me.

Joy Lynn

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures"

2 Corinthians 5:21

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Souvenir's from February 2015

As some of you may remember, I made a list at the start of the year to focus on five goals that I knew would bring memories to tuck away as souvenirs when I think about this year.  This month has proven that I've lost some steam.

A. Shop Local- Didn't happen in February, but I've already fixed that for March so I'm moving onward and upward here.

Sweet Miles

B. House Hop
Six house holds this month, each with at least two different day appearances.  And each stop was so fun.  There was the Super Bowl party, dinner and a movie night, game night, Sunday dinner, a birthday dinner, post Sunday evening service hang out, ladies brunch fellowship, making strawberry muffins and teaching a friend how to make kale chips.  And to end the month off, getting to spend a few days in Maine with one of the best friends and long time mentors anyone could ask for.  Many laughs, good times, and cuddles with her adorable little man who is just over 6 months old.  

C. Legit meal
About the only time I have a legit meal these days is when i get invited to a friends house for a meal.  The second week in February was my most legit week, with pretty solid meals through the week because I was supplied with both chili from Wendy's (I buy three larges and then parcel them out) and home made gumbo from a friend.  After that week, it was back to just getting by on the nights when I was on my own.  So this month, kind of a fail, but that's exactly why this one was on my list to begin with.  Something to shoot for....

D. Trip to Texas
Booked and waiting til April.  Just starting to think of a to do list for when I am down there but I've still got time.

E. Reading
I finished reading "In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?" by Charles Sheldon.  Excellent read, short, to the point, engaging and challenging.  Kind of begs the question, what will I do with the challenge put before me.  Guess time will tell.

Well, that about sums up February.  Hope everyone is enjoying life and making memories that are a blast and will last.

Joy