 “For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” —1 Timothy 4:4-5
Sometimes Thanksgiving goes off without a hitch. Okay. That’s not true. There will always be hitches.Especially in the Sawyer household. And even more so if I take charge of dinner. I only make turkey once a year. So I asked for God’s help and thought I’d pull some videos on how to roast the perfect, flavorful turkey in a bag. You know, just as a refresher. Flour, sage, poultry seasoning, salt pepper, olive oil, butter and a magnificent 18-pound Butterball turkey. (My mouth waters just typing all of that.) I coated the bag with the flour mixture as directed. Rubbed the rest of the seasoning onto the slippery skin atop the oil/butter mixture slathered over the bird. Then my husband helped me slide the turkey into the bag. I sealed it, positioned it carefully into the roasting pan, breast-side up. Or so I thought. I removed the golden bird from the oven and released it from its plastic prison. My husband grabbed the carving knife and that’s when he made the discovery. “Hey, this isn’t breast-side up.” My cheeks flushed, my shoulders slumped and my Super Chef cape fell to the floor. I failed Turkey Anatomy 101. I roasted our main entree upside down. After turning the turkey over to the soggy skin side, I winced. Thankfully everyone else brought delectably perfect dishes to share. My husband and I carved the roast beast and separated the light from the dark. Everyone ate and talked. No one complained about the turkey. In fact, it was quite moist and flavorful. But we did miss the crunchy skin, sadistic carnivores that we are. Come Monday morning, I did a bit of research and found that there are actually directions on how to bake a turkey upside down. TheKitchen.com notes that “While this technique won't give you a picture-perfect turkey, it will protect the white meat from drying out, while cooking the thigh meat faster. Roasting a turkey upside down is just as simple as it sounds.” Definitely simple. Mindless even. I didn’t even put much thought into it. In fact, I could’ve kept my cape on, my head high, and proclaimed proudly, “I meant to do that.” Thank you, Lord, for salvaging our turkey dinner. Funny how the little things can cause stress. There is so much I am thankful for. You have blessed me so abundantly this year. But I am thankful for having eyes and ears that discover even the smallest of blessings. You are at work in every nook and cranny of my life.
That's my tag line for my new Morning Glory Moments note cards. I love morning glories. Almost as much as chocolate. But they contain so many reminders of who God is. From the heart-shaped leaves to the sun that shines out from the depths of the center of each flower, I am reminded that God is love, his mercies are new every morning and that He is the Light. So, I've taken these inspiring favorites of mine and created inspirational notecards. Each card has a picture of a morning glory taken from my private collection. And, tucked inside is an inspirational Scripture that focuses on grace, morning or light. See below for a sneak peek.  Want to write for kids and get published? At the Write2Ignite! Conference, Author and Freelance Editor Vicki Moss gave attendees some tips for writing for the kids' Christian magazine market.
Hot tip #1: Editors crave articles written for boys and/or with a boy character. Since most writers are female, most stories they receive are naturally written from a girls' perspective. Hot tip #2: Get ahead of the game. Instead of just looking at their theme list online for each magazine, write the editor and request a theme list. Many publication wedsites are outdated or don't show many of the themes in advance. Hot tip #3: Learn how to write humor, where appropriate. Kids (and editors) love humor. And good humor writing isn't easily found. Hot tip #4: Target Clubhouse, Clubhouse Jr and Fun for Kidz. (Boys' Quest and Hopscotch are no longer published.) Hot tip #5: Study several issues of each publication so you know their style and voice. Hot tip #6: Kids' magazines LOVE stories written in rhyme!
 Because of my cheerful disposition and bubbly personality (or maybe because Jim avoids the phone at all costs), I assumed the position of customer service queen at Capitol Hardware, LLC — our home business. Filling this role means I carry the phone everywhere.
As I hopped in my car to meet a friend for lunch, my phone chimed to the Capitol Hardware ringtone. I placed my royal customer service crown back on my head and answered the incoming business call. Thankfully the car's Bluetooth technology made driving and talking on the phone relatively easy. With one hand controlling the steering wheel, I fumbled through my purse for a pen to take notes. But the only paper I could find was a dollar bill. Out of respect for the first President of the United States, I tossed the bill and dug deeper while pulling the car to the curb. No paper. Not even a receipt. The customer rattled off a zip code and a change in his product order. No doubt, he believed I was working at a fine desk with an elaborate phone, sliding a sleek golden pen across a floral monogrammed memo pad. Not my reality. But he didn’t need to know. With no time to waste before my brain erased his specific instructions, I hiked my shorts and wrote the details on my leg. Whew. I hung up, called my husband and read him my temporary tattoo so he could update the order. The product shipped the next day. To celebrate my resourcefulness, I decided to order myself a floral monogrammed memo pad with a sleek, golden pen. Ta-DUH! My latest article about scams and being safe online. I've included a cyber criminal's wish list, how to report a scam, how to recognize a scam, how to protect yourself and your loved ones and more. Click the photo below.  |
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May 2019
 Never a Duh MomentSometimes I feel like I am in God's way. For example, if I forget an appointment or miss a deadline. Or when I place great expectations on myself and fall short. Or when I get lost because my sense of direction falters 98 percent of the time. Archives
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