How God showed up this year at the "Ladies Spring Tea"

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Every year, my church has a ladies spring tea. Its a big affair requiring many hostesses for many tables each with elaborate decorations on a yearly theme. This year's theme was transportation.

Each year there is a program and a speaker, but the real attraction is the food and the elobrate table decorations. Yes, some creative someone with more time, energy and talent than I, decorated a table with Jonah and the whale:

Last year, I was on the planning committee as well as hosted a table, participated in the program, obsessed over the decorations, hauled my best china to church to decorate the table, shopped for favors, was in Wal-Mart the night before at 11:00 p.m. (on the cell phone with my best friend) choosing dessert, crackers, cheese and fruit for a little extra nibbling at my table.

Its a lot of work, this spring tea.

This year, I decided that I did not have the extra energy required to be running around Wal-Mart at 11:00 p.m. in order to put on my best table, so instead, I would enjoy just being a guest. This little plan of mine was going fine.

I ignored the announcement of the planning committee meeting. I ignored the phone call from the head of the committee asking me to take a table. Its hard to say no, but I just dont have it in me this year. Nope. I'll be sitting this one out.

I was actually pretty pleased with my new found ability to say no to taking on extra responsibilities. In the middle of patting myself on the back, the preacher's wife tricked me into suggested that I take over her table as she was over committed and just could not complete it.

Just as I was opening my mouth to argue that I, in fact, am the one who is over committed and as such, I could not possibly take over her table, especially since I so sleathly avoided getting myself committed to a table in the first place...

Why is it impossible to say no to the preacher's wife? Especailly to one who has known you for your entire life? If there is one small ray of sunshine in all this she informed me, I have a helper, someone I dont know well is already committed to helping the hostess at her table.

After pouting about it, kicking myself in the rear and generally wallowing in my self pity party, I finally called the helper to inform her that, although she was probably looking forward to assisting the preacher's wife, it would be me she would be assisting instead..... and I will be requiring a lot of help.

The first day I called, we talked for a long time, thus beginning two weeks of daily phone call between me and my helper planning all the little details needed. I have to say, I had the best helper that you could ask for. She was on the ball and basically did everything that I pawned off on her to do, which was great for me since I still had a bad attitude over the whole thing and did not want to do anything.

As tea grew near, and the planning heated up, the helper informed me that she had been depressed before I called, so depressed that she had not been able to leave her house. Planning this tea forced her to go to Wal-Mart, and to the Dollar Store, and to friend's houses to borrow napkins and to think extensively about whether she wanted a white table cloth or a cream one, and then, before she knew it... she found herself lifted out of her major depression.

Dont you just love to see God at work? This year's tea had nothing to do with me, my busy schedule or bad attitude. Even when you drag your feet and don't want to cooperate, he'll use it to bless someone else. I can't wait to see what he will happen next year with the theme of going green.

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These are the best cookies I have ever made in my entire life. Period.

Brown Sugar Cookies
recipe from Cooks Illustrated

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat
until melted, about 2 minutes, then continue to cook swirling the pan until the butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes.

Pour melted brown butter into a dish. Add 4 more tablespoons of butter into the hot butter and let melt and cool.

In a different bowl, mix 2 cups of flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder. set aside.

Add 1 3/4 cup dark brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the cooled butter. Mix well.

Add 1 egg, 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of vanilla to the butter mixture and mix well.

Add flour mixture and stir to combine.

On a plate, mix 1/4 cup dark brown sugar with 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Use hands to combine well.

Make 24 balls from the dough.

Roll each ball in the brown sugar/sugar mixture and place on two baking sheet.

Bake one sheet at a time for 14 minutes.

The cookies will be brown, puffy and cracked, and will look raw between the cracks. Do not over cook. Place on metal rack to cool.

Its the little things that really make you happy. Today, I am thankful for:

Easter candy 50% off

An empty Wal-Mart at lunch hour

Lancome free gifts with purchase at Dillard's

Short line at Post Office

Large, cold Diet Coke (to wash down the Easter candy)

H&R Block

Advil

Louisiana strawberry season

Beautiful, clear, blue sky today with a little cool breeze

Left over crawfish casserole for dinner

Flat black shoes that go with everything

A full tank of gas

Spring is here

I thought I had killed this Spanish Lavender last year by over watering the thing. Evidently, some survived, and is now starting to flower. let's see how it makes it through the summer.

These Gardenias are by the kitchen door. Its unbelievable how these small white flowers make the entire area smell great. This is my husband's favorite, and the only one he has ever asked me to make sure I plant.

Last Spring, in order to add a patio to her backyard, one of my friends removed 5 Jasmine vines, and did not want to fool with replanting them. I was happy to take them off her hands and plant them along my fence line. My husband built a wire structure for them to climb. At first, I was worried that they would not do so well, having been shocked by being uprooted and re-planted. So far, they've been growing really well, but not flowering.... until suddenly, this week, after one year, blooms appeared along with the beautiful fragrance. It must be the Spring weather. My goal is to have them cover the fence.

The newest addition to my back patio, my first Amaryllis. I've never had much success with Lily's and bulbs. So an expert gardener, the oldest man in my church, and I worked out a little deal. In exchange for fresh made cookies or banana bread, or whatever I happened to cook over the weekend, he takes pity on a struggling young gardener and started this plant for me, then gave me explicit instructions on how to keep it alive and blooming. I am by far the one getting the best deal here. He is 95 years old, and has hundreds of Amaryllis in his yard. Hundreds. Now, with his help, I have one.

My new Saturday morning routine

My once very early romantic Saturday morning breakfast out with the hubs is over. Somehow, the word got out and his friends thought it was such a good idea that they started showing up and it has turned into a men's group meeting of ten or so men, so I just started staying home.

I'm not bitter about it.

Instead, I am enjoying sleeping in and spending Saturday morning in the house. On an energetic morning, I change the sheets, clean the bathrooms, start laundry, start an organizational project. On not so energetic mornings, I just lay around in my PJs watching the Food Network or QVC and bake.

This morning I was not so energetic.

So far today, I have ordered a pair of shoes and made Banana Chocolate Chip bread.

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray Pam into a loaf pan

Mix 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour (I use half wheat and half white flour) with 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 package instant pudding mix (I used fat free/sugar free white chocolate pudding mix or Vanilla) set aside.

In another bowl, cream 1/2 cup of shorting with 1/2 cup sugar. Add two eggs, one at a time, mix well. Add 2 Tbsp milk, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and 3 large ripe banana (I throw mine in frozen and I think it makes it creamier).

Slowly add the flour mixture until blended well. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Bake 45-50 minutes.