Red Flags

Red flags are usually meant to indicate danger, warnings of impending harm or damage to people or property. As I sit on the Emerald Coast of Florida this morning I can’t help but notice the stiffly flying red flag which warns folks about the rough Gulf waves. I also can’t help but enjoy the oddly peaceful sound of the crashing waves and the fresh salty breezes which actually aid my youngest son’s breathing.

A stiffly flying red flag doesn’t physically have to be present for someone to be wary of a bad business deal or a dark cave or even dating the wrong person. “Too many red flags,” they might be heard to say.

This post forces us to just jump right into a topic which might be a red flag topic to some–well, to many. TOO many.

I may be jumping into a somewhat dangerous body of water, but the risk is worth it.

It is time. Continue reading “Red Flags” →

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Pantry Candy

Do you eat leftovers? I have only known one or two people in my life who didn’t. Well, I just don’t “get that”. When I was growing up, we ate everything until it was gone. Food meant money, or hard work from the garden. We just couldn’t throw money away.

Doesn’t everyone know that some things are **better** the next day?? Lasagna, gumbo and French onion dip are better after they set a while and my Mr. Patient thinks that my Chicago-Style Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza is better the next day. Some items are even anticipated as leftovers.

Then there are those items that just S I T there in the fridge. In their present state no one seems to want to grab the lonely leftovers. That’s when creativity must enter the culinary picture. I suppose years of kitchen experience and what amounts to months of reading cookbooks like novels has taught me a thing or three about using up what’s on hand.

Recent questions from a young mom regarding this very topic prompted my thoughts and actions. One Saturday I gathered many items that were hanging around, laid them out and started to create–for the fun of it, really. (My idea of fun could possibly be different from yours. lol)

This is the outcome of that experiment to create a meal with random items.

You may know that we are planning to sell our home pretty soon and hit the roads of America to see the beauty in her land and her people. There are so many Heritage Stories to hear and Heritage Sites to see! And… there is SO much to do before we can leave. One of those chores is to use the food we have stored. (Remember, I just can’t bring myself to toss food out.) I actually share that overwhelming feeling with you right here.

Well, I have a full pantry…full, I say. As a matter of fact, you can tour the pantry here.

So on another day I pulled out a few ingredients that were begging to be combined into some sort of sweet creation.

This is what I did and it made my family very happy.  Continue reading “Pantry Candy” →

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Foreign Languages

I remember when our friends first visited our church assembly, oh, sometime in the year 1993. My daddy was the preacher at that time while mama supported and encouraged him and the congregation. The visiting couple were newlyweds and his job had moved them to our small town from Big City. I now know why the Almighty placed them there—to change our lives!

 

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2015

All of my life I had been “in the church” and around church folks. I have heard many sermons where the speaker mentioned the different meanings of a commonly used word, “love”. Apparently the Greeks had four distinct meanings of this word which we generally throw around when we say, “I love that pizza place!” and “Yes, I love you and will marry you.” Or, “Honey, I have loved you for the 59 years we have been married.” Different types of love but we toss the one word around….because we don’t speak Greek.

 

If this concept is new to you, would you allow me to put the definitions in my own words while you keep in mind I am no Greek scholar?

  • Agape—expecting nothing in return; unconditional love; action, not necessarily feeling; unwilling to abandon the other person; the nature of God; agape-ing the person but maybe not liking the situation; a choice and expecting nothing in return [Staying up with a sick loved one all night… don’t necessarily enjoy it but do it because of agape for that person; adopting an orphan child]
  • Eros—romantic; erotic; leads to complete bond and trust [Kissing your spouse on your 59th wedding anniversary…years after you said “I do” when you used to kiss with more of a phileo love than erotic]
  • Storge—dutiful but strong; family and close friends; parents + children; siblings; husbands + wives; natural, effortless; makes us feel secure, safe, comfortable [Visiting with a dear friend you haven’t seen in many years; hugging your son who has just returned from overseas military duty]
  • Phileo—love between close friends; a strong liking and connection of sharing same values, culture, interests; easy but felt in the soul; emotionally connected [Raising a glass to toast that group of longtime friends; enjoying the comfortable, intimate, weekly gatherings of Bible study group or Book Club or Bunco]

 

It is safe to say that when our new young friends entered the church building that morning I had no idea Continue reading “Foreign Languages” →

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Big & Little Hands–Hard at Work

Welcome friends, we are truly happy that you have chosen to be here with us. Encouragement, Education and Entertainment is what you can expect to find here, our little home-on-the-web. Please, be welcome. 

Our desire is to walk life with as many folks as the Lord will allow our paths to cross. We hope you will find a community with us at HERITAGE WAYS, whether it is here, or our daily Instagram posts where 1300+ folks follow and gather, sharing life. It is there that we share our daily lives, photos and goings-on. Consider joining us on Instagram by following the widget-link near the bottom of this page.

What a great first month we had here on our little home-on-the-web! Thank-you for your part in that happiness! And for your unending GRACE we are so very appreciative as we continue to learn and grow in community.

At the end of each month, beginning with this one, we plan to give you a little run-down (right here on our homepage) of what was added throughout the website with the hopes it’ll make your life a tad easier as you take advantage of our content. Don’t forget that you can utilize the search bar, as well, to locate posts, recipes, project ideas.

For now, you should know this is **the** place to fulfill your colorful hand-woven all-cotton hot pad dreams and needs!

Our littles are so excited to choose just the right colors to make beautiful hot pads. These are the good, sturdy kind! You should have seen their excitement when they sold their first set last week! Little Miss Homemaker jumped up and down and clapped with joy. The fellows asked me to take them to Hobby Lobby for more cotton loops, which they paid for themselves.

We have toiled over the most economical way to mail the hot pads to you and think we may have hit on the secret formula.

With each package you receive THREE colorful hand-woven hot pads, one made by each little with a note indicating such. After shipping and packaging costs are covered, each young entrepreneur earns $2 along with their adding $2 to an envelope designated for more material purchases.

The littles are taught to divide any earnings into three envelopes: GIVE, SAVE, SPEND. This is how we teach good stewardship, responsibility and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Won’t you please encourage them by purchasing a set of hot pads for yourself or someone else? I’ll bet a sweet shut-in lady or gentleman could use a set. We are happy to mail the package and sweet little cards and drawings to anyone you request. The children love, love, LOVE to give cards and notes to folks! Just let us know in the comments of your purchase page how you need us to fill your request.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THEIR WOVEN HOT PAD PAGE…IT WILL DIRECT YOU TO PURCHASE IF YOU SO CHOOSE

That’s all she wrote for today, friends.

Enjoy these snapshots from our lives this past month…. Continue reading “Big & Little Hands–Hard at Work” →

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What do Brett Favre, Dolly Parton and Richard Thomas have in common? Part 2

(Continued from last post…)

Jim Brickman was playing at the (Nashville) Ryman Auditorium one glorious December night of the same year that our littles learned to treasure books of their own. The books were sent to them from “our friend, Dolly”, as they would say.

The intuitive Mr. Patient knew a sweet date would be just the thing to enjoy some peace and quiet as the Christmas Season crept upon us. So, he planned an evening of fanciness for me–for us. We got all gussied up, secured the Bigs to watch over the Littles, and trekked the hour to Music City USA. Having become familiar through work-related dinners, he knew the goodness of the prestigious Morton’s Steakhouse.

Morton’s has a reputation for fine dining which, of course, is attractive for many folks. Only for us this one time, but what a time it was!

The delicious fare had been consumed by us when we spotted someone who looked like “our friend, Dolly” and a companion walking into the restaurant. Now, keep in mind, I’m not too keen on recognizing famous folks. For a while, until I made my approach, not one person acted as if she were any more famous than I am! This was puzzling to me while Mr. P and I debated about whether it really was Dolly or a look-alike. How silly! Can anyone reeeaaally look as precious as Dolly!?! I mean, come on! There is no other, right? (Everyone loves Dolly and for good reason.)

Mr. Patient and I are different. He was content to finish his beverage, pay the bill, leave the tip AND the restaurant. Well, not me. I told him that I HAD to Continue reading “What do Brett Favre, Dolly Parton and Richard Thomas have in common? Part 2” →

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What do Brett Favre, Dolly Parton and Richard Thomas have in common? Part 1

Yep, I know you. You have lost restful sleep over this very question. Please, allow me to put your mind at ease and provide the key that brings a resolution to your wondering.

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A fellow whose fame was lost on me (1997)

Let’s start with Brett….Back in 1997 my oldest son, Trev, and I were headed on a flight from Tennessee toward Ohio to visit my grandparents. I wasn’t too excited to be going because that morning at worship service I had had a feeling that my second son was becoming ill. He had been struggling with a condition but I had hoped he would be well enough for Trev and me to make this quick trip to check on my ill Grandpa. My brother was already there, as were my parents. I really wanted to check on him myself.

Very shortly (as in mere hours) after having arrived on the mid-Ohio family farm, Mr. Patient called and said that I had to return home. Our baby was very sick and we needed to return him to Vanderbilt Hospital. He would meet me there but I had to figure out how to get back home and quickly. My family was kind to help me figure this situation out. There were no flights out of Columbus (one hour away from the farm), so my brother drove us to Cincinnati at 2AM (3+ hours from the farm, one way). Bless him. He didn’t get any sleep that night and neither did I. You can imagine my state of concern, not to mention what I looked like! I hadn’t slept since Saturday night and this was Monday morning. Trev and I bought our sick baby a stuffed dog at the airport gift shop and we waited in the sparsely populated too-early morning airport to board the plane for the 4:30AM flight back to Nashville, mere hours after having flown into Columbus.

Once on board and buckled in, a scruffy man sat down Continue reading “What do Brett Favre, Dolly Parton and Richard Thomas have in common? Part 1” →

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