I'm a WORRY WART

Writer’s Block….how I hate it!  But it’s real and it’s been plaguing me since my last post.  When you are retired, live in a small town, and two of your best friends have moved away, it can be difficult to find something to write about.  And….this week has been one of those “if it weren’t for bad news, I wouldn’t have had any news at all”!  So much sickness among friends & family.  BUT!!!  I have many things for which to be grateful.  Now with that said, let me begin a new post…..

“My name is Cheri and I am a….WORRIER.”  (Isn’t that how they begin at AA meetings?)  I was raised by a mother who worried A LOT, so I guess she passed the gene on to me.  (Wish she had passed on her genes for her beautiful fingernails instead.)  My husband says if I don’t have something to worry about, I will find something!  And as much a I hate to admit it, he’s exactly right.

Our Sunday School lesson today was on WORRYING and I had high hopes my teacher would give me the antidote to a malady that has plagued me all my life, but sadly that wasn’t the case…even though it was a really good lesson.  One thing that was brought out, however, is that WORRY  IS NOT A SIN, but an EMOTION.  (If it were a sin, I’d be doomed!)  Even my pastor’s wife who is in our class admitted that although she doesn’t worry about the future, she worries about things that have happened in the past…why did she do such & such, did I do such & such right, that sort of thing.  I don’t worry about the past but I guess I do FRET about certain past things.  My problem is WORRYING about “what might happen.”  I’m better than I used to be though!

After our lesson I got to reading some online articles about WORRYING & STRESSING and came across one that gave me some food for thought, so I decided to share some of it with you in case you (or someone you care about) is a WORRIER.  The article discussed some things you can do to replace your WORRY and it can be found , HERE but this is the long & short of it......

1.  Remind yourself:  this isn’t happening right now.

Whatever you are worried about either happened in the past or you fear it will happen in the future.  You can’t change the past and….what you are afraid of may never come to pass. 

          advice of Shantideva, an 8^th century Buddhist monk:  If the problem can be solved why worry?  If the problem cannot be solved, worrying will do you no good.   

I sure do need to take that advice!

2.  Change the channel:  in other words, when the worry pops into your head try to divert your thoughts to something else.    (note to self…don’t stew in  your worry juices!)

3.  Use an affirmation:  come up with a short positive statement such as “I will not be afraid”, “God and I’ve got this”, “I won’t let this rob me of my joy”, etc.  Something you can repeat to yourself when the worrisome thoughts enter your head.     (Example:  twice I have had to drive alone to St. Simons Island to visit with friends.  However, between SSI and me there is this HUMONGOUS & HIGH bridge….which I do NOT like to cross, let alone drive!  I have now driven over the bridge a total of 4 times and all the way I have repeated over & over….”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”   Bet those people passing me, since I wasn't  in any hurry, wondered who in the world I was talking to!)

4.  Love yourself, worry and all…not sure I quite get this one but my thought is that if you are a WORRIER you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it.  I mean, we all have our flaws😊 Some of us just can’t help that we live & fight with WORRY, but what’s important is that we do our best not to let it consume us.

5.  Set aside time to worry…research says there is something to this one.  Set aside 20 or so minutes (maybe first thing in the a.m.) and think about what it is that is WORRYING you, think of any possible solutions or something you can do to help the matter, then let it go for the rest of the day.  I might try this one….I’ll have my WORRY TIME, followed by my devotional time, and do my best to 

The article ended with this statement and I really like it:

  Be patient.  Some people acquire a stronger tendency to  worry  in childhood, as a result of experiences as an adult, or due to genetics or a combination of all three.  It will take commitment & practice to dispel  worry, but you can do this.  Celebrate every time you let go of a  worry  thought and enjoy the sense of relief you feel instead.

         Are you a worrier?  If not, I’m so happy for you.  If you are, how do you deal with it?  I’m open to any suggestions!

MEME SCHMEME

Well, I’m finally going to break down and get on board with a MEME!  So many bloggers have “been there, done that” but I never have.  However, I came across this one today and (for whatever crazy reason) it appealed to me.  In case you are interested in delving into my brain & learning a little bit more about my (out-of-the-ordinary) way of thinking, then PLEASE do read on.  But if not, that’s understandable & you can just come back to  "chat" another day.  I’m really doing this to tap my own brain & see what it comes up with.  You know, at my age you’ve got to work on your brain health as much as possible!!!  So here goes with the 'I  MEME'…

*I am:     (it would start off with a really hard one!)   still learning how to “age gracefully”

*I live:    in a yellow two-story house in a small rural southern town

*I think:    too much about things that don’t really matter or things I can’t change anyway

*I know:    I am very blessed to have my wonderful family

*I want:    to be remembered as a teacher who gave it her all & made a positive difference in children’s lives

*I wish:    I could win the lottery (I’d share😊)

*I pray:    every day for those I love & care about….and sometimes for the world in general

*I sometimes:    cry for no good reason

*I hurt when:    someone I love hurts

*I fear:    the loss of loved ones...and going to the dentist

*I miss:    my daughter & teaching

*I hoard:    paper!  especially pretty paper!

*I take:    blood pressure medicine

*I believe:    in God, Jesus, & the American flag

*I crave:    SUGAR (especially if it’s combined with chocolate!)

*I love to:    dance (get down & boogie)

*I look for:    bargains (my husband says I’m cheap; I say I’m frugal)

*I never:    swim underwater  (nearly drowned as a child)

*I spend:    too much time on the computer

*I write:    epistles when I email friends & family  (guess I’m long-winded!)

*I had:       a dog that had a mental breakdown (when our son went off to college)

*I am passionate about:    my grandchildren!

*I cry:  at the drop of a hat

*I am impatient when:  I have to wait a long time unnecessarily🙁

*I need to:  stop worrying so much 

*I cherish:    my husband (he’s so good to me😊)

OK….enough already!  If you have made it this far BLESS YOUR HEART!  Thanks for reading….now we both know a little bit more about me!  Everybody needs to get a little introspective at times.  What about you?

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

I love me some FRIED GREEN TOMATOES.  That includes:

 the movie  

AND…

the delicious southern dish.

 Last weekend the hubby and I went to a nearby Farmer’s Market to get a box of Elberta peaches (delicious) and also picked up a few tomatoes. 

I hadn’t fried up any green tomatoes for awhile but my mouth was watering for some of these yummy fruits (yes, tomatoes are scientifically considered a fruit).  There are MANY recipes online and in southern cookbooks but they are all basically the same:  mix up some flour and cornmeal in one bowl, an egg and milk in another.  Then you double dip!  First in the dry mixture, then in the milk/egg, then back into dry mixture once again.  (Maybe that’s triple dipping!)

BUT!!!  Here is the KEY to lip-smacking, crisp yet juicy 

FRIED  GREEN  TOMATOES……

Slice the tomatoes (not too thick, not too thin/about1/3"); then lay them out on a cookie sheet, foil, waxed paper or something similar.  SALT each slice (don’t get too heavy-handed but be generous).  THEN…sprinkle on just a little bit of…SUGAR :) Since green tomatoes tend to be very acidic, the sugar helps to cut the bitterness.  NOW…let the tomatoes sit for 15-20 minutes.  This allows them to sweat which allows the salt/sugar to really get into the tomatoes and also helps the flour/cornmeal mix to adhere to them.

You need an iron skillet or other somewhat heavy pan and oil.  I use Canola.  Don’t let the oil get TOO HOT because the outside of the tomatoes will cook too quickly and tend to over-brown.  It doesn’t take long so watch them carefully.  When you notice the bottoms beginning to brown, flip over and finish cooking.  Be sure to DRAIN the tomatoes on paper towels, but I then quickly move them to a wire rack (so that they won’t get soggy).  ADD A LITTLE MORE SALT.  Fried Green Tomatoes are not their best if you don’t have enough salt!!!

My husband and I absolutely love FRESH TOMATO SANDWICHES (with or without bacon…but bacon sure does kick them up a notch), but for a side dish (or I could eat them alone) frying up a batch of FRIED GREEN TOMATOES is a great addition to the supper table.

AND...if you want to really complete a southern home-cooked meal top it off with a PEACH COBBLER (recipe below) made from the peaches that you and your husband slaved over to peel & bag up for the freezer.  ELBERTAS are the best.  (Thanks, Honey, for doing all that peeling!)

EASY  PEACH  COBBLER

Slice 2-3 heaping cupfuls of fresh peaches; add sugar to taste if they aren't sweet enough.

Melt 1/2 stick butter or margarine in a small casserole dish.

In a small bowl mix a batter of 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup sugar, & 1/2 cup flour...I warm up my milk in the microwave about 30 seconds to help it mix up better.  Pour the batter into the butter but DO NOT MIX.  Now add the peaches...DO NOT MIX.  (I do make sure the peaches are spread out though.)  Bake @350 30-45 min. until browned.   

GEORGIA  PEACHES  ARE  THE  BEST!