Manufactured Crisis

A thought came to me the other day on why people are freaking out about this economic crisis...it is a real one.

We live in a world that manufactures crisis to increase ratings. Most of these crisis are solved by the media within a 24 news cycle and then the news anchors, blogs, and pundits are on to the next thing.

Things like a West Nile outbreak or a salmonella contamination are so blown out of proportion, they have you thinking you are probably going to be the next victim, that is until it disappears from the news tomorrow.

Political correctness issues, correct job titles for women, no Christmas trees in public places, women who won't take off their headscarves for a photo, are thrown at us thousands of times every week.

We begin to think that these are the real problems in life. We have been so desensitized to crisis that when it doesn't disappear in 24 hours, people cannot handle it.

The media can't solve it, the politicians can't talk their way out of it, the best minds in business can't wheel and deal their way out of it. Maybe this is God's way of telling us to quit trusting in man and return our trust to Him.

I don't have a solution to the economic problems, but I do have a piece of advise. Stop worrying and pray. I have had trouble with panic in the past and have found the Psalms to be a comfort. David knew real crisis and wrote many of the Psalms. Some verses I find especially fitting for our current situation is:

Psalm 146:3

Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. The following verses are ones I have quoted again and again to people who have asked me where my stability in times of trial comes from. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount gave believers an outline of how they should go about their lives:

Matthew 6:25-34

²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

These are not lilies. I like sunflowers more than lilies and the point is still the same.

²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

My ability to deal with crisis does not come from myself. It comes from a faith that is bigger than me or any other human could provide.

The Blue Box Lies

The macaroni in the blue box is lying to you. This homemade macaroni will ruin any future experience with boxed macaroni. Be prepared, once you have had it, you won't go back.

Not Blue Box Macaroni

20 oz. elbow macaroni (16 oz. if you are planning on baking it)

Cook macaroni according to package directions.

3 c. (24 oz.) 4% cottage cheese

Put cottage cheese in a food processor and run until smooth.

1/2 c. butter

Melt butter in a large sauce pan (large enough to fit 4 cups of liquid, plus 4 cups of cheese)

1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

Keep the saucepan on medium heat. In small amounts, stir in flour, garlic salt, pepper, and salt. Use a whisk to mix it to get all the lumps out.

3 c. half and half cream
1 c. milk

Mix the cream and milk in a separate bowl. Over medium heat, adding about a half cup at a time, add the mixture to the saucepan. Again use the whisk to keep it smooth before adding more liquid. After it has all been added, bring to a boil for 2 minutes or until it is thickened. Make sure to keep stirring to keep it from burning.

4 c. (16 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Turn the heat off and add the shredded cheese to the saucepan, mix until melted. Transfer the cottage cheese from the food processor to a large bowl and add the sauce to the large bowl. Mix well.

When I make this recipe, I drain the macaroni, add it directly to the sauce, and serve. I use a large metal bowl to mix everything together. The bowl has a lid so I can put it in the fridge and just portioned it out when I am hungry for it.

If you like baked macaroni, mix the sauce and noodles together in a bowl and then transfer to a greased 9" x 13" pan.

1 c. dried bread crumbs
1/4 c. melted butter

Mix butter and crumbs together and sprinkle over the top of the macaroni.

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees till it is bubbly.

I originally got this recipe from Taste of Home, but I have altered a few things and used magic to remove all the calories...

Religious Reboot

The coming evangelical collapse | csmonitor.com

Coming from a very strong healthy church, it is very easy for me to see a sick church. One of my hardest struggles in moving to a new state has been finding a solid church. I can honestly say that I have visited more sick churches than healthy ones and that is sad.

I have annoyed more than one person with my dislike of the megachurches who cater to everyone. It almost makes me sick to my stomach when I go to a church on Sunday morning and am subjected to rock music, skits, and a feel good sermon. It doesn't make me feel good, it makes me feel bad. I feel bad for myself, who wasted a Sunday morning on something I could have gotten watching Oprah (who I refuse to watch), and I feel bad for everyone else who is getting fooled into thinking this is what will get them to heaven.

I can't help but think that a lot of "Christian" churches have brought this on themselves. They have sold out their doctrine in favor of decorating a new building, chosen entertainment over evangelism, and tried to commingle coffee bars with the Commandments. The combination of all these accommodations and concessions, along with their decision to pick and choose what to follow in the Bible has uprooted their foundations. It is no wonder that they are crumbling. A crisis of this magnitude could cause America to become like France, a godless, dark country. It it my hope that we have a religious reboot and true revival will take place before it is too late for American Christianity.

You Go Joe

'Joe the Plumber' sues over Ohio records probe

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96O2D380&show_article=1

Take these people for all they are worth.

The way Joe was treated is dispicable, it still is dispicable.

This guy made the mistake of catching Obama off guard and without a teleprompter and, because Obama doesn't speak off the cuff, he accidently said what he really meant.

So of course the logical course of action would be to go after his character, dig up his tax records, and spread it all over the mainstream media.

The Obama thugs did a better job vetting a random guy who asked an honest question at a campaign stop than any of their loser nominees.

This is what Obama and his cronies do to private citizens who get in their way.

Demean, discredit, and destroy.

Satanic Poses

Indonesia holds yoga festival despite Muslim fatwa

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.da993057fc1b3034b22c1f2903602b9f.01&show_article=1

Last time I checked, I didn't see people practicing yoga blowing themselves up in the streets. Maybe those clerics should check their priorites.

Store Bought(en) Biscuits

I love biscuits, especially the fluffy buttery ones. Therefore, I will share with you a fantastic recipe I found. They turned out just like the Pillsbury Grands kind in the tubes. Or, as those in the Amish community say, they taste store boughten.

Store Bought(en) Biscuits
(makes about 9 large biscuits)

2 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt

Mix the first 4 ingredients

1/3 c. cold butter

Cut butter into the dry mixture

3/4 c. cold milk (buttermilk or sour milk works too)

Stir milk in till it forms a ball

Roll out dough to one inch thickness.

Use a cookie cutter or floured glass to cut out biscuits.

Grease a cookie sheet, place biscuits on sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or till they start getting brown.

Make sure to eat them warm and put lots of butter on them. I am pretty sure that takes out all the calories and fat. And yes, this fits right in with my new workout routine.

Keep them in the Dark

Malaysia Restores 'Allah' Ban for Christians

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,503504,00.html

The Malaysian government must think their population is retarded and can't tell what Christian literature is on their own. Or, the more likely explanation is that when they say it might "confuse" Muslims, they really mean "convert."

Fat Fatty

My cutie little puppy wuppy is getting bigger. It hasn't been very noticeable day to day, but I have a surprising display of how much Daphne has grown since we got her in November.

It is a darn good thing that I have mad sewing skills. Otherwise, I would have bought my third harness in 5 months. Besides, the ones I make are so much cuter than anything you can find in a store. If you don't know how to sew, I suggest learning. If you get good enough at it, you start looking at stuff in stores and saying, "I could make that, I could do that, I could sell that," and you can make money off of it. I can't wait to have kids so I can make clothes for them.

That little blue harness was big on her when we brought her home...now she is just a fat fatty. She actually isn't fat at all. She has only gained 2 pounds since we got her. I better quit calling her fat, I might hurt her self esteem.

Speaking of fat fatties, Johanna and I are sick of being ones and have joined a gym. I personally blame working somewhere that constantly provides free donuts, muffins, bagels, and other fattening things to people who sit all day long. So instead of waiting for the government to come bail me out of my fatness, I am going to do something about it. Don't worry, I will update you on our progress... if I can move at the end of the first week.