Wednesday Daybook

Once again, a beautiful fall day as we commence with our home schooling.  I’m feeling more at ease as we get into our new school year; it’s always an adjustment.  It is also an adjustment not having two older children at home (off to college).  When did I get this old??  I will admit that homeschooling now, (17 yrs into it), is much different than even 5 years ago..nonetheless 10 years ago.  I am much more tired getting out of bed in the morning!  And I’ll tell you a secret, I have a small coffee pot with clock timer in our bedroom, so I can actually smell the coffee to wake up!  Seriously, it has been a Godsend to me at this point in my life.  I am not ashamed to say I am biologically an older mother.  Most of my friends my age, have children well into college, or beyond, and are grandparents.  And here I am, not only older with grade school children yet….but, two more challenging children left to be raised and educated; one with sensory/OCD/anxiety disorder, and the other with autism spectrum disorder.  I pray unceasingly.  Right now, I snatch up my Furrow devotional by St. Josemaria Escriva and read snippets of encouragement and spiritual direction.   Happily, three of us made it to confession this last weekend, and our pastor had some good spiritual advice for me.  I have clung onto his every word this following week.

But, like our vacation bible school this summer proclaimed: “With God, all things are possible”, right?  Hmmm, that happens to be my state’s motto as well.  There must be something to it!  Honestly, I do not know how people do it…face the challenges of life, without a central Faith connection and focus.

So today, as I take my coffee break, I am grateful.  Grateful for what health I do have, and that I am still in the mix of things as a home schooler. 

Right now, I smell the lovely aroma of corn bread and a crock pot meal simmering (see below)…while I take my coffee break.  May God bless you this day and give you the strength and wisdom you need to see it through.

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One-Pot Dinner
Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook, page 109
Makes 8 servings

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-quart
½ lb. ground beef
¼ lb. bacon, cut in pieces
1 cup chopped onions
2 16-oz. cans pork and beans
16-oz. can kidney beans, drained
1 cup no-salt-added ketchup
16-oz. can butter beans, drained
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
brown sugar substitute to equal 1 Tbsp.
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
Dash of pepper
1. Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain off drippings. Place beef in slow cooker.
2. Brown bacon and onions in skillet. Drain off drippings. Pat dry with absorbent toweling. Add bacon and onions to slow cooker.
3. Stir remaining ingredients into cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 5-9 hours or High 3 hours.
Exchange List Values: Starch 2.5, Carbohydrate 1.0, Meat, lean 1.0

Courtesy of Fix-It and Forget-It