Friday, February 29, 2008

"Q" is for...

Well, this is about the best thing I could come up with...When I am editing photography sessions, I love to put quotes on them...and my good friend, Jayme, got me this book a year or so ago...It has come in very handy....Thanks Jayme =) It is just one of those great reference books that I use just about every time I edit pics, or do some personal scrapbooking...There are numerous books in this series....and I love them....So...my letter "Q" is boring...but it is for Quote Reference Book....I promise..."R" is going to be a much better post...I'm done for the day...Lots of things to do...and gotta work the weekend....Have a great Friday....

Washed by the Water

I am an music lover....Christian music is one of my favorite things to listen to...I have been hearing this AWESOME song on WCQR the past few days on the radio....and they haven't said who was singing this song....So this morning...they said it!!!!! YIPPEE!! The group is NeedtoBreathe....and the name of the song is Washed by the Water...
Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water
Even if the Earth crumbles under my feet
Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won’t never ever let you down
I won’t fall
I won’t fall
I won’t fall as long as you’re around me
Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water
~Need to Breathe
No matter what we face in our lives today....He won't ever let us down...We can always turn to him....Because I know that I am Washed by the Water.....take a listen....

Thursday, February 28, 2008

"P" is for...

"P" is for phone...my cell phone, that is....I think I have the coolest phone in the world! In reality, I am sure there are cooler phones out there...but I love mine...and it works for me...I love to Text a few of my really good friends(you know who you are) and I have a phone with a keyboard...so it is so much easier....I know, some of you are thinking 'How old are you? Texting? Are you serious?" Yes...I am ...and I do..=) The reason I chose this post for my letter "P" is the small little tidbit of info that I learned yesterday....I truly thought that this super cool phone had a super dee duper battery...because it would just never die...I mean, with me NEVER turning it off it would last for 7 days...No problem....Until my good friend, Lisa, shared this factual information with me yesterday....
She asked me the question, "Does your phone have a sleep mode?" Hmmmmm...I don't know if it does or not...I am not sure about the concept of "sleep mode"...so i say, "I have no idea....what does that mean?" She continued to explain that if the screen goes completely black, which mine does, it has a feature called 'sleep mode' which means that it isn't using the battery during this time....Hmmmmm....once again....So, maybe the coolest phone in the world doesn't have the super dee duper battery that I thought....It just knows how to reserve it's power!!!

So once again, I decided to google this word...and here is what I found....
Sleep Mode - Designed to conserve battery life, this mode automatically turns off a terminal after it has been unused for a specified period of time. The unit is reactivated when the keypad is touched.
There you go...I feel so educated this week....I think this lack of sleep is catching up with me...or Maybe Nicole is right...Maybe I have hung out with her so long...she is starting to rub off on me....Kidding, Nicole! Love ya!! At least my little knowledge mishaps have given me some inspiration for a few good blog posts....Tomorrow is the letter "Q"...I think I am just about over this ABC challenge....but I will trudge on to the end...even if you guys are done with it...I will come up with a "Q" that will knock your socks off!!! =) Basketball, homework, baths, and American Idol Results show...Gotta go....Have a good evening....

Love my Job?

I worked last night...if that is what you want to call it....I think I have the best job that there is...I work as a Registered Nurse at a Nursing call center...We triage symptoms and advise callers whether or not they should go to the ER....ect....The job itself is a great one...but the benefits that come along with it are outstanding.....Last night I worked with one of my good friends, and we had an absolute "grand ole' time!" and to beat it all--we got paid for it!! Don't get me wrong...We did our job...answered all the calls, did all the menial paperwork that is required for night shift to do, and got the office cleaned up....But in between calls, there was some wonderful conversation, some serious gasping for air laughing, some snorting coffee up your nose carrying on...I mean, there is just something about being awake at 4 am, when the rest of the world is asleep, that makes me go a little crazy!!! Ask Lisa, she had to work with me....=) Giddy? I think that word would have described us around 4 this am....I would share some of unbelievable funnies with you guys, but for some reason, as I rethink the humorous thoughts....at 8am this morning...they are no where near as funny....It is just something about being up all night that we just get a little silly!!! The Lord is Good...His plan for our lives is laid out...and for some reason, while we sit here on Earth...thinking we know what is best...It seems difficult to just TRUST him....When I first began this job...I had to leave a job that I had been at for 10 years...Change is not good for me...I don't handle it well....But I took a leap of faith, and here I am ...2 years later....LOVING my job...and my co-workers....A few of them are very special to me-especially my "Night Shift Girls"....So yes, I may be sleep deprived 80% of the time, but I am not missing out on my kids' lives and I have FUN at work!! Thank you Lord for always knowing what is best for me. My eyes are crossing now...good night...or to most of you "normal" people....good morning....

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

"O" is for....

This post is kind of an easy one...not very emotional, or funny, or anything like that...Just simple..."O"is for Oreo, our black lab, not the cookie....She is such a good dog... She is 6 years old, and is one of the best friends the kids have...She plays with them, and watches out for them....protects them, in a way, when they are playing outside....She isn't an inside dog...I have too many people in the family with asthma to have any pet other than the lizards inside....But she is a true member of the family....We have told many stories that she was a part of...here are a few that come to mind.....

  1. Chewing through the heat pump wiring and we had to replace it.....=(
  2. Chewing the bumper of my van
  3. Chewing the bumper of James' truck
  4. Shredding my favorite porch swing in the ENTIRE world all over my back yard.
  5. Chewing the armrest on the bench on my porch
  6. Running like a gazelle, in the horse pasture behind our house-I guess she wanted to see who was faster....
  7. Peeing all over the floor in the Vet's office-more than once.
  8. Crying all night for almost a week when we brought her home from the pound...It was like having another child.
  9. Taking her to Mamaw's house to play--her favorite place was in Mamaw's birdbath...
  10. Racing Ian all the way around the house
  11. Letting Macey ride on her back and never gets tired of the attention the kids give her
  12. Eating an entire Large rawhide bone in a matter of 24 hours..
  13. Turning her house around...the way she wants it...not the way we do....
  14. Chewing on the railing to the deck
  15. Playing with coyotes a few nights in the wee hours of the morning.
  16. Swimming in the lake(one of her favorite things to do)
  17. Eat tablescraps from our neighbors(we wondered why she was gaining wt. and the neighbors were feeding her-we had to put a stop to that)
  18. Being a wonderful companion, friend, and pet to my 3 precious children
  19. Being a protector of our home and family
  20. We LOVE you girl....

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

"N" is for...

N
Well, I have thought about this one and still haven't came up with the perfect post for the letter "N"....so I am going to settle for the first thing that came to my mind....I will say "N" is for new recipe...One of the blogs that I read is The Crockpot Lady's blog(she is cooking a meal with her crockpot everyday for a year..No way I could commit to that...but I love looking at her recipes)...and she had a recipe for Taco Soup on her site last week...I wrote that one down...and it is on our menu for today...An easy one...My Crockpot is my favorite way to cook....No OIL involved!! HA! Anyway it is cooking right now, and it smells YUMMY!!!! Can't wait to try it out on the kiddos....Anything will be better than that stinky chicken we attempted last night!! And I thought I would be creative and post a picture of it cooking away in the crockpot....YUMMY!!!

Monday, February 25, 2008

The Question of the Day....

No, this isn't a new post idea...or something I plan on doing on a regular basis like lots of bloggers do...This was My PERSONAL question of the day...that I found out the answer to--the hard way...I will tell you the story as it happened....I realize that this shows my ignorance...but my sister begged me to post this...so here goes....James and I are budgeting (FPU) and eating out with the Allen's has decreased in the family...after realizing that is where we spent quite a good chunk of our cash....Every dollar has a name now...and it doesn't have "eating out" attatched to it!! (lots of good info in the class) Anyway, so tonight the menu was chicken fajitas and rice....hadn't made this in a very long time..but trying to cook some different things, so we don't get tired of the same old thing.....So, I cooked the chicken, cut up the peppers and onions and put them in the skillet...the next "thing" on the recipe was cooking oil...it stated to put 2 tsp of cooking oil in the skillet and then stir and let simmer.....Which was exactly what I did...Measured....Dumped....and Stirred....then I began to think...."HHhhmmmm...What is that smell? Something just smells really weird..." So I started stirring the chicken and realized the smell was coming from our dinner...that I had been working hard on preparing, I might add....Well, this is where the title of my post comes in.....my question of the day was
Can cooking oil go bad?
Could the oil that I just added to our fajitas be expired? Because the smell didn't start until after the oil was added.....Good question...So, who do I call, but the smartest chef I know....My Mother.....and her answer was
"What is the expiration date on the bottle?"
"Mmmm...Let me see, I am looking...."now I am LOL..."You don't want to know....It is 2003"
"Throw that out!!!!" my mom said...."Cooking oil gets rancid if you don't use it in about 6 months or so....You need to go shopping for some new oil!!!!!!"
Rancid??? Is that a new term for bad oil??? Or is my mom smarter that I give her credit for....She is smart...Here is the "googled" answer to my "question of the day"....Ha!
The biggest problem with fats and oils is the quality deterioration associated with oxidation, which results in off-flavors and off-odors, and eventually rancidity. Oxidation begins with exposure to air, heat and light -- the more unsaturated an oil, the more susceptible to oxidation it is. A rancid fat is easily detected by a bad odor.
The best way to store oils is to keep them tightly sealed in the dark on a cool shelf or, if such a location isn't available, in the refrigerator. Canola oil is not as unsaturated as many other vegetable oils (it has a large percentage of monounsaturated fats), so it may be kept on the shelf, unopened, for up to a year.
Once opened, however, you should use up an oil in four to six months.
So, there you go...Oil CAN and indeed HAS gone bad....Two lessons learned...Check the expiration date before use...and second smell of the oil....If it stinks...don't use it! So it is outside in the trash now...and we were without a supper plan...Ended up..James brought Pal's home to the kids...not good on the budget...But Oreo, our black lab was thrilled with her "Rancid Oil Cooked Chicken and Rice" that we gave her hot off the stove....I guess I spent 30 minutes in the kitchen cooking for my dog....that will be a first.....sleepy..good night.

"M" is for.....

M
This has been a whirlwind of a weekend....We started off with a few episodes of random vomiting on Friday...That is not something we like to deal with at the Allen house...Believe me....I am sure no one does...but especially me....Unsure if it is a virus, we chose to just hang out at home on Friday....But that is just the beginning of our weekend...

WCQR is a christian radio station in our area--and they have been advertising for the past few weeks for an upcoming Actors, Model, and Talent Search in our area...The name of the company is AMTC. They are a christian based company that searches for "new faces" in the entertainment industry....I know, I know...some of you are thinking that I am crazy...but when you have a child that "dreams big"...I just had to take Macey to these auditions...We have done many auditions in the past....Macey is a theatre junkie...She got the bug a couple of years ago...and hasn't slowed down since...She is only 8 years old, and constantly dreaming of being an actress....She will tell you though--her back up plan is to be a teacher...So the girl does have a head on her shoulders....Believe me...But these auditions were in the Johnson City mall...on Saturday...after the vomiting incident....So..to go or not to go...that was the question....

"Macey...those auditions we were going to go to are this morning...Do you feel like going?"

"YES!!!!Let's go!!" She said as she got up from a horizontal position on the couch, under a big blanket...She was READY....

So, we did it...We went...When we got there (it was just me and Macey because James had to go to Upward) we were shocked at the big turnout...Auditions were from 11-3 and people were EVERYWHERE....We got there right at 11...and Macey ended up being number 26 in line...So not so bad....They had a stage set up in front of an AMTC national scout...and then the "crowd" in the mall....Macey was nervous while we were watching the people in front of her audition...but the closer to the front of the line she got...the more determined she was...She had already made a couple of friends in the line...talking and smiling...giggling...She was so ready...Anyway...when it was her turn...she walked right up on the stage...head held high...and absolutely blew me away!! I was so proud of her....The had a small 4-5 line commercial script for Twizzlers candy that she had to read...and then she "modeled"....She did amazing...Yes, she is my child...but this is what the scout said to her....They did one on one notes after the auditions... You came down off of the stage and spoke with the scout personally...This is what they told Macey...."You are absolutely ADORABLE! I could see you on TV right now...Disney loves children like you because you are so petite and small..but you are actually 8 years old!!!! Blows my mind!! I loved you!!" Then she proceeded to talk to me a few minutes and invited Macey back for a call back that night(Sat) and 6:30....Macey was ecstatic....So we made a few phone calls to Daddy, Mamaw, and Christy...to let them know the results....and we headed home so Daddy could go back with us that night.....The call back on Sat. night was only for the parents and the person who was called back...so we needed someone to watch the boys for us...so Christy graciously offered to watch the boys for us, as we headed back to JC....This was a little informational meeting...kind of letting us know what would be going on if Macey was asked to attend the AMTC convention in Orlando FL....They told us there was still one more callback to go before the final decision would be made...and they would call us on the phone sometime before Sunday afternoon...if Macey made it or not.....So still more waiting.....No calls...Saturday night...Macey kept asking...Have they called yet??? Not yet, I would tell her....She fell asleep on the couch that night, very disappointed, thinking she had been cut....

On to Sunday morning....I was laying in the bed, right before I got up..thinking to myself...She didn't make it...and it is going to kill me to tell her....BUT we have had dissapointments like this in the past...and I know that they are good learning experiences...ect...It is still hard to tell her....But I decided something then and there....I am going to pray about this and how to handle it the appropriate way....So, I did....

"Lord, I know that Macey is only 8 years old...but her precious little heart is bound and determined to be an actress. I know that is a BIG dream...and I want to encourage her to "dream big", but also to be realistic...So, Lord, be with me this morning as I share with her that they didn't give her a 3rd callback...Help me to have the right words to say...and make sure that she knows how wonderful she is to me and our family!!!! She is so inspirational to us....Just be with me this morning....love you Lord...Amen..."

Then I got up, went into the kitchen to start getting some breakfast ready for the kids...when the phone rang...I answered it, and it was the talent scout...


"We are just now looking over Macey's application and I love her!! Here are a few of the notes that we wrote on her application...Adorable....Star Quality...Beautiful smile...And we would love the opportunity to take her with us to Orlando to the AMTC convention....."


I was speechless....I had just prayed and prepared myself to talk to my daughter about yet another "No" and then this happened....God is in this...I feel it...Because if he wasn't, well, we just wouldn't be doing it....that is the honest truth.....So to keep from making this post any longer....James and I went and met with the scout one more time, Sunday afternoon......and on July 1-7, Macey and I are going to Orlando, Fl. for her to be a part of one of the most sought after Conventions in the business.....Is is scary???? YES!!!!!! But exciting too...She starts acting classes and workshops to get "ready"for the convention...next Saturday...They are serious about helping these kids get prepared for the week in Orlando.....

So, I know this has been a long post....I warned you....But it is still one of my ABC challenge posts....so you guessed it..."M" is for Macey....my precious daughter....I am so proud of you girl...and I know that no matter your size, your age, or anything else....that you can do anything you put your mind to!!!! You proved it this weekend!!!! Remember, With God ALL things are possible.....I love you!!!!

Happy Birthday To You...

Well, I know that I am one behind on my ABC challenge...but I am working on the letter, "M"...it is a very long post....You will see what I am talking about when you read it...later today...

But I wanted to do a special post this morning for one of my good friends. It is her birthday today....She is one of the best friends I have...We don't talk everyday, we don't get together near as much as I would like for us too...but we still can just pick up the phone and pick up right where we left off....She is a very special lady that works full time and is raising 3 kids in this crazy world of ours....So, Nicole, I hope you have the Best Birthday EVER!!
"Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday dear Nicole...Happy Birthday to you...." Love you!!
Here are a few pics from "stuff" we have done together in the past...This one is celebrating James' birthday last year at Discovery Ice Cream...
Going to the 4th of July parade....One of our favorite things to do.....Watching the kids perform at the Renaissance Center.....Love you...Happy Birthday!!!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Blogger Award

I have seen lots of these "Blogger Awards" out there...and I saw one today that I thought...I know the perfect person to give this too....I haven't been given any award, but I felt that I could award one to someone anyway.....They have to start someplace....and this person is one amazing writer....She could write much more than blog entries.....I absolutely love to read her posts...I laugh out loud when I am reading, and I know that I am not the only mom in the world that is attempting to raise christian kids in an ungodly world.....A perfect example of a wonderful mom, wife, and "teacher" when the need arises...I want to award...Tanja...this blogging award....Keep on writing girl...because you are AWESOME!!!!!!

Saturday, February 23, 2008

"L" is for....

L
Well, I thought quite a bit about this post and decided on something...Finally...at 11:00 tonight...Alot of people are animal lovers....and they love to post pics about their pets, their sweet little dogs, their cute little cats...and how cute and adorable they are....So I thought I would take this opportunity to post about my favorite pet that we have...Our Lizards, Ollie and Sparky...They are bearded dragons, and they are probably the best pets that we have ever had....They are very low mainentence...and I personally think they are so cute....So, tonight, I decided to do a "mini" photo session with them...and they were so cooperative...They looked right in the camera and smiled from ear to ear....=) I know, I am crazy...There have been many nights that we all sit around their tank and just watch them...They are so funny...They love to eat crickets, and the boys think it is so cool to watch them eat....I even got James to hold Ollie, so I could get a close up shot of him....Here are the pics from their session tonight....So, "L", is for Lizards........

Friday, February 22, 2008

"K" is for....

K
Well, this post is a pretty easy one to me....I know someone who is reading this and thinking to themselves....'I know what she is going to post...I know it....' So here it is...."K" is for my sister, Kristie.....Ahhh...I know she is smiling right now...thinking to herself..."What a sweet sister I have...that she dedicated her "K" is for post' to me....." Kristie and I are four years apart, me being the oldest sibling....there are lots of things that I could post....but I am going to keep this one simple...We have had tons of fun getting together and just being crazy in our lives...and I just hope that we keep on having fun! It is a little harder now with the distance between us...but when we talk on the phone or get to see each other...it is just like she lives right next door....we pick right up where we left off....Thanks for all the fun times that we have shared together...hope there is many more....Love you.....This was a picture that we took during Christmas the last time she was in....thought it was funny....have a good one...

Thursday, February 21, 2008

C-R-A-Z-Y Boys

Cade had a craft that he made for Valentine's Day that had wiggly eyes on it...and he pulled them off the craft ....and this is what I saw.....

"J" is for...

J
My letter "J" is straight to the point....There are "J"ust



And I can't wait....I am so over this winter weather...ready for some sunshine...flip flops...sand on my feet....Ahhhhh...I can imagine it already....have a good one...

My Picks....

Tonight is the night....The first results show for American Idol Season 7....I can't wait...I haven't really made any posts concerning my FAVORITE show EVER!!! So I thought it was time for a small one....I know lots of you don't care about the FIRST results show of Season 7..and if you don't, I am sorry...Just ignore this post...=) But these 2 are my favorite after week 1...This can all change as of next week...But these are my picks....

Asia'h Epperson...her story is phenomenal...Her daddy was killed in a car accident while she was on her way to AI auditions....and she has been a powerhouse since day one....She did an awesome job last night....my favorite of the girls..... Michael Johns....a young man from Australia...His voice is unbelievable....I just loved his performance last night.....My favorite of the guys......Who is your favorite American Idol contestant so far????

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's 60th Birthday...I hope you have a great birthday and we love you so much!!! "Happy Birthday to you..Happy Birthday to you..Happy Birthday dear Mom, Mamaw, Nancy--Happy Birthday to you"
I am sure you could hear me singing in your head...Ha...Love you Mom!!!

Love this song

I was coming home today from meeting my parents for coffee this morning, after dropping the kids off at school...When I pulled in the driveway this song was playing on WCQR...I sat in the van, and listened to it, crying...It is such a beautiful song by Steven Curtis Chapman...'Cinderella'....I immediately thought ....I have to find this song on you tube and put it on my blog....(that is when you know you have a blogging problem) Be sure to listen to it..(you will have to pause the music on my player....) For any of you mother's or father's of daughters or Daddy's little girls...it will really hit home...They grow up too fast...Be sure to enjoy EVERY minute....have a great day.

"I" is for.....

I
"I" is for ....Ian....Ian is my oldest son...I am so proud of him...He is such a gentleman in so many ways....Don't get me wrong--he has his share of faults...but he has the biggest heart....He loves his family so much, and always willing to give a helping hand around the house...For example...this morning he asked me if he could pack his lunch, and I told him to go ahead, and the next thing I knew, he had packed Cade and Macey's too...Little things like that...All of the time....
He loves sports...Football, Baseball, Soccer and Basketball--in that order...He dreams of playing for DB and then the NFL one day...Big dreams for a little guy....I have to say..he is good too...=) I am a little partial, but he really is...
Now a little about the not so good stuff....Ian really struggles in school....not in all things, but in reading and reading comprehension.....We have been doing some before school tutoring, but haven't seen a whole lot of improvement....I think he has some issues with attention...alot of it due to his age...he is one of the youngest in his grade....Anyway...we have been praying for guidance in this area...It is such an important part of his life, and I want him to understand that now...and not when it is too late.....

Ian reads my blog daily--so "Ian, I LOVE YOU!!!! You are a blessing in my life, and have been since the day that you entered it...I thank God for you...You are growing up right before my very eyes...Faster than I ever dreamed possible....turning into a young man...I can't even stand to think that you will be in middle school this year....Where does the time go??? I just want you to know that you are the BEST!!! and we will get through this "school stuff" together....I love you..Mommy"

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

"H" is for....

H
"H" is for Home...I feel so blessed to have the house that we have...As many of you know, I have a tendencey towards complaining about my "place of abode"....We have been in the 'building an addition' process for 3 years in March...
This is the addition 2 1/2 years ago...This is where we are now....I will be sure to post a finished picture...when that happens... =)That has been one of the topics at the Allen household for quite some time....My Financial Peace friends will understand what I am getting ready to say...We haven't finished it because of not wanting to go in debt again....We have been saving trying to get enough money saved up to get this roof on my garage....So that is why it isn't done yet....My point of this post is not to complain though....I wanted to say how blessed I am with my house...The building is not what "h" stands for...."H" stands for HOME...I have a quote on my blog that says..."having a place to go is a Home, having someone to love is a family, having both is a blessing....." I am truly blessed....

Monday, February 18, 2008

"G" is for....

G
"G" is for Good Friends.....James and I have been blessed in our lives with the company of many Good Friends....We belong to a wonderful church and we feel priveledged to call some of these people our Friends.... I have a fellow blogger that uses the software Picasa to create collages...so I thought I would attempt it...It was so easy...and just took a few minutes...I just wanted to make a sort of tribute to some of our Best Friends in the world, our second family in a way....If you want to see these pics closer--double click on it...We love you guys...

The following is a devotion that I loved...about a Recipe for Friendship
A Recipe For Friendship by
Julia Bettencourt
Our friendships with our sisters in Christ are like recipes of goodness for us. They bake up something special. You may have heard that saying, "In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips". Friends are that sweet extra in life and even sweeter is friendship among believers in Christ. Why is a recipe for fellowship and friendship with our sisters in Christ is so Important? Let's check out the ingredients and see what they do.

Sisters In Christ Friendship Recipe

  • Shortening - Provides texture. Our fellowship and friendship with our sisters in the Lord can add much depth and texture to our lives. We blend together in unity as part of the body of Christ.
    -
  • Sugar - Adds sweetness. Our fellowship with our sisters adds such a sweet taste to our lives. If we didn't have sugar in our cookies, we'd sure miss it. The same is with our fellowship with our sisters. We can't leave it out of our lives.
    -
  • Eggs - Holds ingredients together. Sisters in the Lord are someone to lean on. We are held together by fellowship with them. We are stronger because of them, their prayers, and their love in the Lord. We have a special bond in Christ.
    -
  • Vanilla - Adds flavor. Sisters add that flavor we need. They give us that extra sensation. Without friends and fellowship we become kind of bland.
    -
  • Flour - Adds substance. We need the substance a sister in the Lord can add. They give us many things by way of mentoring us when we don't even know it. Their shared testimonies and way they live their lives has an impact on us.
    -
  • Baking Soda - Leavens. Leavening agents in baking helps to lighten the dough. Friendship with our sisters in Christ lightens our burdens through their prayer and encouragement.
    -
  • Salt - Enhances flavor. We know that friendships add flavor and just when we need it, they help improve the tastefulness and quality of our lives. Friends are the type of people that know just what we are going through and are there when we need them.
  • Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips - - The kind of chocolate chips we normally add to our cookies is semi sweet. Our sister friends tell us what they feel and think and that's okay. They can be honest and truthful to us. "Iron sharpeneth iron" (Proverbs 27:17).
  • Nuts...Optional - Just a little craziness in a sister friend is great! Sometimes a little zaniness in our friends can be just the ingredient we need.

Conclusion:Friendships take a lot of time and effort to bake up but they are worth it when we sense that sweet aroma and special bond that they bring. Friends that have Jesus in common will have lasting relationships, not just here on earth, but will dwell with Christ together throughout eternity.
"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24.

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