Do not be afraid- A lesson from Jonah

     Recently my church did a sermon series on the book of Jonah. Now, if you were like me, you would think that book was about a man who got swallowed by a fish. This book is problematic for a lot of people because the idea of Jonah being swallowed by a huge fish and living in it for 3 days seems far fetched and causes disbelief to arise. Here's my stance on that particular issue. I would not want to worship a limited God. I worship a God who is capable of all things. He used Moses who had a stutter to guide the Hebrews out of captivity. He made the dead live again. He allowed an elderly barren woman to give birth. He Himself was murdered an rose again. He is capable of anything- included making a fish swallow a man and allowing him to live. But, what I learned is that the fact that Jonah was swallowed by a giant fish is really not the most significant thing that happened in this book. 
     (Here's a link to the entire book so you can read it for yourself. It's pretty short. Book of Jonah)
     So here's a little background on Jonah. In 1st and 2nd Kings the Bible tells us the Jonah became a well known prophet who told King Jeroboam to strengthen the walls around his kingdom because the Assyrians were coming. The Assyrians were a brutal war-like people who could bring massive destruction to their enemies, so the fact that Jeroboam listened to Jonah and strengthen the city walls and the people were saved was a miracle straight from the hand of God and Jonah became well known. 
     But Jonah ran away from God. In the Book of Jonah, God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, Assyria and call the Assyrians out. Understandably Jonah was scared. It would be like an American being called to go to downtown Baghdad to call out against terrorists. The problem was, Jonah did not trust God enough to go. He lost his faith in the God who had already used him to do great things. And so Jonah ran. He didn't just run spiritually and emotionally but he physically got in a boat and sailed to the furthest place in the known world at the time, Tarshish. Jonah physically ran away from God. 
     But God sent an incredible storm on the sea making Jonah's travel a nightmare. The storm was threatening to sink the ship and Jonah knew he was to blame so he told the other sailors to throw him overboard and then Jonah was swallowed by the fish. Now, this is important. God was pursuing Jonah. God was using punishment to bring Jonah back to Him. God could have let Jonah go and appointed a new prophet with a more willing heart. But He didn't. God didn't give up on Jonah. God loved Jonah so much that He did not want to see Jonah fall away. God used this trial in Jonah's life to bring Jonah closer to the LORD. That is what the Book of Jonah is about. 
      During Jonah's time in the fish, he grew closer to the Lord and had a change of heart. God commanded Jonah again to go to Nineveh and call out against the Assyrians. And this time Jonah obeyed. I can only imagine how terrified Jonah must have felt. Jonah went into the city and called out that Nineveh would be overthrown 40 days. And by God's grace, the Assyrians began to repent and worship the Lord. Even the king humbled himself and repented for his country's evil. God had mercy on Nineveh and did not destroy the city.
      This is a testimony to how our calling as Christians is not easy but it is essential, because God uses Christians to change the world. In today's culture it is often uncomfortable to open up to other people about faith. But we are not called to live an easy life, we are called to live a God glorifying life. We must love each other in the same way Christ loves us- to pursue them at all costs to help them know the love of the Lord. When we run from our calling, God does not give up on us, but he will lovingly do what He has to in order to bring us back and that can be painful but God loves us so much that He will not allow us to be lost. Our calling is to spread the love and sacrifice of Christ so that others will repent of their sins and know that Christ paid the price we could not. Christ's perfect life was sacrificed so that we can be with out merciful Lord forever. How beautiful it is that God has pursued us to the extent that He was happy to sacrifice his perfect Son so that vile sinners could be His for all eternity!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

Isaiah 41: 9-11

 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas,

    and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’

The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me;

    seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

    the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.

“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

“Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.

 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

Jonah 2: 1-9

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing- Mumford and Sons

Death in His Grave- John Mark McMillan 

Love and blessings,

Ada Grey

     

Tomato Artichoke Linguine- The One Pot Supper

If y'all are like me you have to eat on the go... breakfast happens in the car, lunch happens at the copier or at my desk. So I also have to cook easy meals for supper during the week. But no one wants to eat Lean Cuisines every day just because they are too stressed to cook. I love pasta... A LOT. But a quick pasta recipe can be tricky. And quite honestly a pound of ground beef and a can of Prego just doesn't do it for me when I'm in a pasta mood.  So this recipe will solve that problem annndddd it uses fresh herbs from your herb gardens! You literally just throw all of the ingredients in a pot and cook it. You could easily add some mushrooms or leftover chopped chicken to jazz this up! And as an added bonus, this makes fantastic leftovers! So easy and yummy!

Tomato Artichoke Linguine:
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (do not drain)
2 14.5 cans of chicken broth
1 6.5oz can of marinated quartered artichoke hearts (do not drain)
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium onion, cut into small slices
2- 3 tbsp fresh chopped basil (you can use dried herbs but reduce the amount)
2 tbsp fresh chopped oregano
2 cloves of garlic, chopped (or if you are like me and use the chopped garlic in the jar, just use a teaspoon or so)
1/2 lb dried linguine 

Add all ingredients to a large pot. Cover and bring to a roaring boil. Reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally so the pasta won't stick to the bottom. Turn off heat and let sit covered for about 10 minutes. Top with some cheese if you like and enjoy with some cheesy bread or a salad! 

-Ada Grey

Suffering and Lost Sheep

     Life is hard. We all know this. Suffering is a part of our lives, failure is real, disappointment is a part of our journey, loss is inevitable. We live in a world where people we love get cancer and are taken from us, freak accidents happen, young people are killed all too young, people we love betray us and hate runs rampant. I have met people who have suffered beyond what I can even imagine. And if you have not suffered in some way, I promise you that you will. That doesn't paint a pretty picture but it is our reality. Our first reaction when we are confronted with trial and suffering is to cry out "WHY?!" Sometimes, we lash out at God because we think He has let us down. But has He?
     The answer is NO, He hasn't. The truth is that we live in a fallen world. Since the Garden of Eden, where humans first fell into sin, we have lived in a corrupt world where suffering is a reality. It is because of that fallen-ness that trials and suffering exists. God has promised us that we will suffer. There are some out there that will tell you that if you are a good little boy or girl, God will have favor on you and you'll never suffer. That "health-wealth and prosperity teaching" is false. Suffering is a part of this broken world and we will all encounter it.  
     But the good news is that we don't suffer alone. As children of Christ, we have the comfort of knowing our Father is with us, to see us through the pain of this world and to comfort us in the next world in Heaven. God will not forsake His children. He will not abandon us. 
     My favorite parable from the Bible is the parable of the lost sheep. The parable is as fallows:

See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.- Matthew 18:10-14

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.-  Luke 15:1-7

The reason I love the imagery of the lost sheep is that first, it shows how much God loves us. He loves us each so much that He will (and did with Christ) sacrifice everything to bring us to Him. More than once I have been that one sheep wandering away from the fold of God. It gives me comfort knowing that God will never stop pursuing me. Second, this parable shows that God rejoices more in one sinner coming to Jesus than in 99 "righteous" people. How wonderful it is that we have a Lord who will leave the 99 to search for 1. I say all of this so that you will know that you are never alone. God is seeking you. Find your comfort and rest in knowing that Jesus has suffered more than we ever could to ensure that one day suffering will only be a memory. 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 
James 1:1-5 

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 8:16-19 

If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

2 Corinthians 1:5-7

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.- John 16:33

You're Beautiful- Phil Wickham

East to West- Casting Crowns

with all my love, 

Ada Grey

Santa Fe Smothered Chicken

Santa Fe Smothered Chicken:
4 or 5 thin sliced chicken breasts
1/2 cup of bbq sauce
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 medium onion, chopped and sauteed
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1 cup chopped green onions
1 3.8 oz can of black olives

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts on pan and salt and pepper well. Cover each breast with bbq sauce. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. After they are baked, spoon toomatoes and sauteed onions over chicken. Cover in cheese. Then, sprinkle with bacon, green onions and black olives. Bake 15 more minutes. Yummy!

-Ada Grey

Cheesy Rice

This recipe is easy and goes great with tacos, enchiladas or any kind of Mexican or Southwestern dish!

Cheesy Rice:
2 bags of boil- in- bag rice, cooked
1 4oz can chopped green chilis
1/2 onion, chopped and sauteed
1 cup frozen corn
8 oz sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1 dash of Tabasco sauce
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese

Mix rice, chilis, sauteed onion, corn, sour cream and seasonings. Put in a deep, lightly greased 9x9 pan. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

-Ada Grey

Mocha Milk Shake

Y'all know I am a self-proclaimed coffee addict. I always make a huge pot in the morning and there is usually a little left when I leave the house for work. So I was trying to think of a way to use the cup or so that is always left when I get home after a long day. I finally found the perfect way to use cold left over coffee! This is the perfect after work treat at the end of a hard day. So here is the super easy recipe for a delicious shake!

Mocha Milk Shake:
3/4 cup of cold coffee
3 or 4 large scoops of vanilla ice cream
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
1 tbsp caramel flavored coffee syrup

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with whipped cream and mini-chocolate chips! Makes 1 large shake or 2 small ones. 

-Ada Grey 

Learning to Live Within God's Will.

Lately Ada and I have been talking about learning to live within God's will and accepting His timing. In this life I have learned that as humans we are expecting instant gratification. We want what we want, and once we decide what that "want" is, we want it NOW.   Wouldn't that be cool if we could just snap our fingers and get whatever it is we wish for?------  Or maybe not... What if getting everything easily made us less appreciative? Less willing to wait for THE GOOD THINGS, THE IMPORTANT THINGS, THE PRECIOUS THINGS. 

I have struggled in recent years with understanding God's perfect timing.  God has perfect timing for everything.  Perfect timing for your job, perfect timing for your marriage, perfect timing for procreation.  Sometimes we question Him.  WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME WAIT? WHY? We get mad at God...We get angry. We've waited enough. We are sick of waiting. We just want what we think can make us happy.  

In reality, He is the only thing that can ever make us completely and wholely happy within our souls. Our true happiness from other things only comes THROUGH Him.  He is the ultimate giver of everything that is truly good and joyful! 

I have married friends who have suffered multiple miscarriages, and after the miscarriages suffered through several months of not being able to get pregnant.  Once they were finally pregnant again, my friend felt as if she could not enjoy the pregnancy.  She was fearful every moment for what might happen.  She had been traumatized by the loss of previous babies that she wanted so badly.  Of course she was terrified.  What woman wouldn't be?  In conversation with her one day she spoke candidly about this fear.  This was an almost debilitating fear that her pregnancy was too good to be true.  She feared that something she might do could harm the baby.  She feared that God wouldn't let her dreams come to fruition... that He would take this baby too, this baby that she had longed for. 

When she spoke of these fears, I felt called to speak.  I rarely have "moments", but this was a "moment" for me.   I felt like someone else was speaking through me. Like HE was speaking through me.   

I spoke about my journey to understanding God's perfect timing and my struggle with it.  I have been down several times in life, and felt like I had been kicked at my lowest and couldn't go on, and questioned WHY ME? WHAT DID I DO?  God, why cant you just give me what I want?  

When this happens, I have learned to think of someone I know personally or someone in the Bible who went through something far worse than the storm I am going through.  For me, that really hits home; It puts into perspective that God has a perfect plan for my life, and even though I may not understand that plan, it is HIS and it is perfect.  I should be still and trust HIM.  He makes us face our troubles for a reason.  We may NEVER understand our path, but it is our path regardless, and one day we will get our reward in the kingdom of heaven for trusting in His will over our wants.  

All of those times that we are fearful and feel sorry for ourselves Satan wants us to falter and question why God would put us on this path or let us go through something so bad. Stop questioning your path! Do not let Satan and fear rob you of the happiness that Jesus has for you!  Satan wants you to stop believing that God is there with you every step of the way.  Satan wants you to believe that Jesus will never make you happy. Do not fall victim to this fear that Satan puts on you. 

This brought me to scripture that  I have read a hundred times.  

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for peace not evil, and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

The context is especially important for this verse.  The Lord doesn't give us what we want, but what is necessary for doing His work. Trust that your trials are an opportunity to become closer to Him and that you can ultimately share your testimony and lead others to Christ. Once you think about it, isn't leading others to Jesus one of the most magnificent thing you could ever do?  So stop worrying about those other things you want in life.  

You must enjoy the day.  Enjoy every day that is given to you.  They are each a precious gift to do His works! Enjoy the blessings that God has in store for you and use them to bless others.  Trust that God will give us what we are supposed to have, when we are supposed to have it, but that it is his timing that is followed, not our own!

For my friends, I pray for their journey, the journey that God has created for them.  May they learn to live within God's will, wherever it may take them.  Learning to trust and live within His will is arguably one of the hardest things we as humans can ever acomplish.    And may we all learn to wait for THE GOOD THINGS, THE IMPORTANT THINGS, THE PRECIOUS THINGS.  Sometimes waiting and trusting God's will makes the precious things that much sweeter, and makes the story of our journey a testimony and a blessing for others. 

-Caroline

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

One of the most important tools in my kitchen is my window herb garden. On my windowsill I planted rosemary, thyme, basil and parsley and I LOVE using them in my cooking. There's something about using super fresh ingredients that you grow yourself that just makes food taste better, and a windowsill herb garden is soooo simple and inexpensive that it is simply criminal not to have one. Just get some small terracotta pots, plant the herbs you use the most and sit them in your window. The best part is that since they are in your kitchen window, you'll see them a lot and remember to water them and they will get plenty of sunlight but you don't have to worry about the outside temperature killing them. So here is one of my favorite recipes to use for a super quick but delicious meal that will use some of your fresh rosemary. (You could also add thyme to this and it would be delish!)

Lemon rosemary chicken:
3 or 4 chicken breasts (I use thin sliced)
1 medium onion, sliced (I use Vidalia but any onion works)
2 lemons, sliced
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, pulled from the stem and chopped fine
a few tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Spray a 9x11 pan with cooking spray and place chicken breasts in pan and salt and pepper both sides. Drizzle a tbsp or so of olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle about half of the rosemary over the top. Place onions and lemon slices around the chicken breasts. Cook uncovered at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through. Serve with sauteed green beans or fresh asparagus!  

Is that a deal breaker?

    Let me start this by saying patience is not my superpower. I'm the woman who will put something in the microwave for 1 minute and opens the door with 2 seconds left on the timer because I just can't wait that one instant longer. I tell you this so that you will understand my mindset with this post. In essence, I can be an impatient control freak. There I said it. So imagine my frustration when discussing my future with friends or family and I hear "Well, you'll get there one day." That does not make me a happy camper because that is just telling me that I don't have control over what is happening and that I have to wait. But the real reason I hate being told that "It'll happen one day" is that there is no guarantee that it will. What if what I want doesn't happen? What then?
     I think one of the biggest sins that we face today is the sin of idolatry. Now you may read that and think "Wait, I'm not bowing down to a golden statue in my living room. What in the sam hill are you talking about?" Idols are anything that takes us away from God. Idols can be things like our jobs and our relationships or they can be our desires. My preacher gave a sermon on this subject a while back. He asked the congregation to think of the thing we loved the most or the thing we wanted the most- whatever takes up the majority of our thoughts. For some it may have been their school work and others it may have been someone in their life. Still others may have thought about the things they were working towards like finding the right job or finding a spouse. After everyone had taken a moment to get a clear picture of what they spent the most time in a day thinking about or working towards the preacher said this "Imagine you woke up in the morning and got a call that whatever it is you love or want was taken away for ever or that you would never achieve it. Would that affect how you feel about God? If losing something you love or not getting what you want pulls you away from God, that is your idol."
     Now stop and think about that. That can be a tough pill to swallow. There is no guarantee that the people we love will be there tomorrow. We may never become CEO of the company. We may never be able to have that child we've always dreamed of. Maybe we won't have the relationship we always thought we'd have. 

Is God's love enough?

     I'm not saying that having desires or goals is a bad thing. In fact, I think they are necessary. But they should not take God's place in our hearts. They should not come first. In the end, whether or not we build that dream house or we make it through medical school should not alter our love for Christ. We have a calling. And that is to show and share the Gospel to others. We were put on this earth to show and tell others that as humans we are vilely sinful and therefore unworthy to be in God's presence but God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die the death that we deserve and live the perfect life we are incapable of so that as believers we may spend eternity with God. No matter what happens to us here on earth, we should be joyful that we have been redeemed and adopted as sons and daughters of the King. God will give us what we need to fullfill our mission. That's where trust comes in. Live each day knowing you are loved beyond all imagining and be joyful. 

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
- Galatians 2:20

 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
- Romans 12: 9-16

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.
- Psalm 28:7

Need You Now- Plumb

Love and blessings,
Ada Grey

Peach Cobbler

You know in Steal Magnolias where they are in the beauty shop and Truvy is giving Clairee a recipe and she calls it the "cupa-cupa-cupa" recipe? Well this is pretty much it.... the easiest dessert recipe of all time.

Peach Cobbler
1 stick of butter
4-6 peaches, sliced
1 cup of self rising flour
1 cup of sugar 
1 cup of milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the stick of butter in the bottom of a 9x11 pan and put in oven while preheating to melt. Mix flour, sugar and milk together until well combined. After butter is melted, pour peaches over the melted butter. Then pour the flour mixture over the peaches. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy with some vanilla ice cream!

-Ada Grey

Easy Peach Muffins

I have an abundance of peaches right now so I used those but you can easy make these with strawberries, blueberries or whatever fruit you have on hand.

Peach Muffins:
6 ounces of yogurt (I used vanilla but you can use plain or peach)
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups baking mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chopped peaches

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Beat yogurt, eggs and oil until combined. Slowly add in baking mix and sugar. Mix well. Gently stir in peaches. Spoon into greased muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 

-Ada Grey

Irish Cream Brownies

Y'all I love my family dearly but sometimes you just need a drink to be able to deal with family gatherings. When you get 30 people with strong personalities, passive- aggressive tendencies and dry wits in one room and tell them to chat, sometimes you'll be amazed what comes out of their mouths. Since the law (and my parents) tend to frown upon putting a gin and tonic in a water bottle, I decided to make some Irish Cream brownies. The alcohol cooks out so that won't really take the edge off but the chocolate will. So lets make a toast to families. Here's to the ones we love and the ones who love to make us crazy. Cheers! 

Irish Cream Brownies:

1/2 cups of butter, melted

1 1/4 cups of sugar

1 cup of cocoa 

pinch of salt

1/2 cup Irish Cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 egg white

3/4 cups of all purpose flour

Mix melted butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until well combined. Stir in Irish Cream and eggs. Add flour and and mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth. Bake in greased pan at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until set.

Icing:

8 oz of cream cheese, softened

3 tbsp (or more if you want) of Irish Cream

1/4 cup of powdered sugar

6 oz of dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Mix the cream cheese, Irish Cream and sugar until smooth. Then add chopped chocolate and mix. 

After taking the brownies out of the oven, allow them to cool for a few minutes. While still barely warm, spread icing on brownies. (This way the chocolate kind of melts and swirls). Then enjoy with a delicious cup of coffee (with a little Bailey's)! 

-Ada Grey 

Cheesecake Stuffed Peaches

My sweet Mama has been making cheesecake stuffed peaches for years and Caroline and I can single handedly eat an entire batch at once. Now, I rarely contradict anything my Mama says or does but I have tweeked her traditional cheesecake stuffed peaches to make them just a little richer. I just pulled a big batch out of the oven and they smell heavenly. This is a summertime must- especially in Georgia. 

Cheesecake stuffed peaches:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons white sugar
5 peaches, cut in half and pitted
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar

In a bowl cream together cream cheese, egg yolk and white sugar. Dip the peach halves (cut side only) in butter. Place in a lightly grease baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon. After all peaches have been dipped in butter and sprinkled with cinnamon, put a dollop of the cream cheese mixture in the hole where the pit was removed. Then, sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Enjoy!

- Ada Grey

Blueberry Pie and the perfect pie crust

Some of y'all might not know this, but not only is Georgia famous for our peaches but we also are substantial blueberry growers. So in homage to Georgia's other famous fruit, I decided to share my blueberry pie recipe and my perfect pie crust. Serve this pie with a big scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream! Yummmmm!
So many people have trouble making homemade pie crust, but I promise this recipe is delicious, easy and fool-proof!

Blueberry Pie:
3 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries (divided)
1/2 cup water
the juice of 1 lemon and zest
3/4 cups sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
3 tbsp water

In a saucepan, add 1 cup of blueberries and the 1/2 cup of water and let simmer on medium-low heat for about 2 minutes. Then, add lemon juice, zest and sugar and bring back up to a boil. In a separate small bowl, stir cornstarch and 3 tbsp until cornstarch is smooth. Add to the saucepan with blueberry mixture and allow to simmer until the mixture is no longer milk and has thickened. Then, remove from heat and add remaining blueberries. Pour into pie crust, top with either lattice or well vented top crust. Bake a 350 for 25 minutes.

Perfect pie crust (for a bottom and top crust):
2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cups Crisco
4 or 5 tbs cold water

Cut Crisco into flour until the Crisco is in crumbles the size of chocolate chips. Sprinkle water in one teaspoon at a time and stir until a soft dough forms. Split dough in half and roll each section out on a floured surface. 

-Ada Grey

Scarlett's Caviar

This salsa-ish dip is perfect for hot summer days. The best part is that it is FULL of yummy fresh veggies and is soooo easy. AND it only gets better the longer it sits in the fridge... only problem is that it usually doesn't last that long because everyone devours it. If you aren't a black eyed pea fan you can substitute black beans for a more traditional salsa. Personally, Ilove the black eyed peas in it. Great on tortilla chips or on tacos or nachos. This recipe just screams Georgia in the summer. 

Scarlett's Caviar:

• 1 (15.5 oz) can of black eyed peas (drained and thoroughly rinsed)
• 1 (11 oz) can of white or yellow corn (your preference, I use yellow)
• 1 (10 oz) can of tomatoes with green chiles
• 2 medium sized tomatoes 
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 bunch green onions

• 8 oz Italian salad dressing (less if you want a chunkier salsa)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp cilantro

Drain and rinse the black eyed peas well. Also drain corn and canned tomatoes. Finely chop pepper and onions (or put in food processor). Dice tomatoes. mix veggies well. Add salad dressing and seasonings. Refrigerate or enjoy!

Top 5 Reasons You Should Dump Your Girlfriend (From A Female Perspective)

1. Your friends secretly dislike er hate her. 
     The sound of her voice probably sends chills down their spine like nails on a chalkboard. The thought of her tagging along with the boys to happy hour makes them want to walk into oncoming Atlanta traffic. Her cuddly hugs, baby talk, and constant need to be up your butt in front of them makes them swear to eachother they’d rather die lonely, single, and celibate than be in a relationship like yours. Getting the picture?? Good.
      Sure, they tolerate her and pretend to like her enough to maintain a friendship with you, but let’s get real boys; unless you’re best buds with some Oscar worthy actors, there HAVE been signs that they don’t like her. YOU’RE.IGNORING.THEM. You were probably just too enchanted by her double D’s to notice their discontent with your blossoming courtship. Get a clue, moron. And even better, if any of them have the testicles to come clean and tell you they don’t particularly love her, don’t brush it off. This is HUGE! Guys almost NEVER interfere or comment negatively on a friend’s relationship. They’d rather have their chest hairs plucked out one by one into the shape of a heart than have the awkward “Dude, your girlfriend sucks” convo. Even worse is when your guy friends AND their girlfriends hate her.  This is going to hell in a handbag, fast!  Not gonna work! And let's not even get to the part about your family not liking her.  I think you know what I would say to that. Not gonna happen unless, A. you're willing to abandon friends and family for said female, or B. You are willing to spend the remainder of your relationship with her in extremely painful awkwardness when around said friends and family who don't like her.  For your sake, some of them will try to be nice, really they will... but they can't help it. The tension is already there. 

2. She’s got a tendency to have psychotic episodes. 
     Sure, most girls have that time of the month where they tend to be a little more unpleasant, and some girls just have a slightly-bitchy-yet-charming-personality in general , but what I’m talking about is full on hurricane force bitch winds coming at you. One minute you’re the light of her life, and the next she’s screaming paranoid accusations. Said delusions are typically alcohol induced. (i.e. - substance induced psychotic episodes) Dating someone who is delusional is never fun, especially in the long run, trust me… I’ve done the leg work on this one. Even more disturbing is when she branches out and has these episodes in public with friends as witnesses, which means she’s obviously not embarrassed by her behavior. (Hence why your friends aren’t crazy over her)

3. She talks to other guys. 

      No, I’m not talking about her kindergarten best friend who is SOOOO gay, but “is-too-scared-to-come-out-to-his-southern-baptist-grandmother-for-fear-of-being-cut-out-of-the-will”, or a that friend that you mutually share and trust that she occasionally texts with. I’m talking about exes, former crushes, and GUYS THAT YOU DON’T KNOW. That guy that she met at the bar on girls weekend?!?! Yeah… you know…. THAT GUY. Come on, you’ve been THAT GUY before. You’ve totally hit on, or crossed the line with a girl who wasn’t available and you know where it can lead…. and FAST. If she’s been guilty of this more than once, and with multiple guys while you’ve been dating, then it’s totally time to peace out. She’s still testing the waters to see if she can reel in a better catch. If you can’t keep her attention, she’s not that into you. She’s just waiting on a better one to come along, but keeping you in the meantime for security purposes. 

4. She drinks a little too much, a little too often--- and doesn’t know how to behave properly. 

        Sure, in the beginning this was cute and endearing. She could drink with the boys, stay out all night and be the slightly-obnoxious-sparkle-in-the-room…. But lately her fun and sparkle while drinking has turned into a crazy-trainwreck-mess, worthy of an AA meeting. (refer to alcohol induced psychotic episodes in reason #2) Furthermore, if she can’t remember said “Episodes”, that raises an even bigger red flag. 

       Brother, you’ve got yourself a problem.  Her alcohol induced tantrums and amnesia of the event screams “BINGE DRINKER”. I’m not saying kick her to the curb if she becomes a sloppy drunk mess once a year. Hell, we’ve all been there…. but when it gets a little more frequent than that, she needs help that you can’t provide without a PhD in Psychiatry. A proper southern lady doesn’t make a habit of drunken scenes. Such a no-no!

5. She’s more like Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Carmen Electra, than she is Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.

        No, just NO…. A MILLION TIMES NO. 

        First of all, she doesn’t have to be Southern, but God help, she at least has to have SOME class about her. Just thinking about how many times Kim, Paris and Carmen have been engaged, married and divorced combined makes our heads spin. She shouldn’t only act like a lady, but she should dress like one too! Besides, Midriff bearing tops and painted on spandex skirts were made for Adriana Lima, not the average sized young lady. If she’s showing her goodies, chances are she’s not just trying to look sexy for you, but for other guys viewing pleasure too.

        Being a lady also includes being friendly enough with other females that she has enough girlfriends to properly fill a bridal party. Be a little concerned if she has less than 10 close female friends. Less than 5?? Contemplate walking away. Less than 3 girlfriends who can tolerate her on a daily basis?!?!? DON’T WALK, RUN!!!

        Sure, we love a girl with some sass and a little sprinkle of bitchy-ness, but when she’s a condescending-backstabbing-wench to the point that she doesn’t have a wide circle of female friends, she’s not for you. Secondly, your gal friends need to at least be able to get along with her. They should never feel like she is trying to initiate a competition over who gets your attention. THIS.NEVER.ENDS.WELL. Your gal pals will try to tell you, but YOU.WON’T.LISTEN. They will likely jump ship to avoid further confrontation with you. They will then commence to praying that said girlfriend falls off a cliff so that your friendship can return to normal.

My final word:  If you are in denial about this article, then it most likely has resonated and at least one of the five reasons fits your dating situation.  Acceptance is the first step. Step two, DUMP HER. Period-End.Of.Story.

If you choose to ignore me and marry her, be warned. 

- Caroline Grace McKenlie

What it means to have a Southern Wedding

Most Southern girls, I included, emerged from the womb with strong opinions on organza versus tulle, alencon lace versus beading, ball gown versus fit and flare, peonies versus roses and baby's breath (gag me...) versus lavender limonium. It's just in a Southern girl's DNA to have strong opinions on anything wedding related. Here are my thoughts on the situation.

1. Do not have a "themed" wedding.

Now I never realized that this was actually a problem until the TV show "Four Weddings" came out. Y'all, those Yankee girls are all about having themed weddings. If I see one more wedding that is "Old Hollywood", "Hawaiian Luau", "Forth of July Barbecue", or "Winter Wonderland" themed, I'll gag on my Oreos (I have a small addiction). Ladies, your wedding's only theme should be "wedding themed". Period. End of Story. 

Now, let me be clear, every bride should choose her colors and decorations and flowers according to her own taste and each bride should pull from the variety of influences that she sees her big day in. Weddings vary according to tastes and likes and dislikes. By all means, pull elements from time periods or events that you find inspirational. But save the themes for children's birthday parties, and sweet sixteens. 

And while i'm at it.... your wedding should scream TIMELESS, not DATED in ten years.  Please, I know there are all sorts of crazy trends right now, but to me, classic just lasts.  Are black tuxes with black bow ties going out of style anytime soon?  Nope, probably not.  Is that interesting getup with funky exposed socks, matching ties and suspenders gonna be in style in ten years??   Probably NOT.  Come on ladies, if you aren't normally someone with 'funky' style, don't pull out the funk for your wedding day.  There's no reason to reinvent the wheel.  Just take a classic timeless idea and give it your own little twist!

2. Avoid the cash bar.

Weddings are ridiculously expensive. And not all of us can afford to provide a full bar at the reception. But here's my advice. Don't have a cash bar. Its just tacky to ask your guests to pay for drinks. Skip the alcohol all together if you think your guests wouldn't mind. If your guests would prefer to have alcohol, limit the menu to only beer and wine, which are less expensive and easier to serve than liquor drinks. Or you have another option. Have two signature drinks (sangria, gin and lemonade, margaritas, etc.) - one of the bride's favorites and one of the groom's. You can mix large quantities of them in pretty, large glass decanters and guests can help themselves. Limiting the liquor options is a good way to limit your spending on alcohol. You won't go broke and your guests can still get loosened up enough to Macarena on the dance floor! 

3. You are not a princess.

Unless you were born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, you are not a princess. You are not Cinderella. So stop limiting yourself to only ball gowns big enough to house a family of four. Choose what looks best for your body, not what you think Snow White would have worn when she tied the knot with Prince Charming. If a ball gown looks great on you, go for it. If a dropped waist is more flattering, do that instead. Look like your best version of yourself on your wedding day, not a knock off version of Sleeping Beauty. And for heaven's sake DO NOT WEAR A TIARA. I will have the unrelenting urge to slap it off your head.  You have been forewarned.

4. Unity candles and unity sand annoy me
I think this is a modern fad... at least I certainly hope so. I just don't understand the point. I think saying "to have and to hold until death do us part" ties you to your husband sufficiently for eternity more than mixing two viles of dirt together. Just my humble opinion. And besides, chances are in the reality of the situation your two families probably aren't BFF's so pretending your families are dirt and mixing them together in one jar is just supremely bizarre.

5. Soloists during your ceremony -- JUST NO.
 Look y'all,  I know your sorority sister Mary Margaret sang in the university talent show and y'all all got drunk and bought votes from the judges with your daddy's money so she would win because her boyfriend had just dumped her and her confidence was lower than low, but note for you... SHE CAN'T SING.   I don't know if you were just too drunk to remember, but she never can quite hit those high notes.  Please, please.... for the love of all things Holy, do NOT bring her into the church and have her sing Ave Maria in front of your 400+ wedding guests.   Besides, have you ever read a translation of the lyrics to Ave Maria?  It is NOT a wedding song!  And even worse, no one wants to hear your mediocre soloist sing Shania Twain's From This Moment, or some other cheesey song.  Puhlease....  If you want music as part of your ceremony, as most people do, please consider a harp player or pianist like a sane human being.

More later!

-Ada Grey and Caroline Grace
PS: Use burlap and Mason jars sparingly. Its becoming a little over done. A little of that goes a long way. 

I just don't understand...

I live in an area with a lot of transplants (transplant- n. Yankee's who moved South) and inevitably I've had to work with and for them. I won't lie to you- I wasn't too thrilled about it. But, it has been a learning experience. So now I will share with you what I learned so you won't have to learn the same way I did.

1. I don't like king sized beds.
I've had to try to decorate around them and they are just too obtrusive. But, my disdain for king sized beds came after a house sitting gig I got roped into. As I lay on the right side of the bed trying may hardest to fall asleep, I noticed that there was about 3 acres of bed on my left. Its just too much. Even if there had been someone else (or a family of 4) in the bed with me, there still would have been too much bed left. I'm perfectly fine with a queen sized. Just my opinion.

2. I can't live in a subdivision.
Subdivisions have cropped up all over the South. And the houses are beautiful. But I cannot live so close to someone that they can look right into my bedroom window from their living room. I mean, I'm not doing anything scandalous inside my house, but that doesn't mean I want the whole neighborhood to be able sit back and watch my comings and goings like the next season of American Idol. I just need some privacy.

3. Some people treat their dogs better than they treat their kids.
So I see a woman I know (transplant) walking her dog, Gigi. Gigi is no ordinary dog. She is a "designer dog"- a mutt genetically modified to be fluffier, prissier and have a severe under bite.... Now, on Gigi's morning walk she has a bow in a little tuft of hair between her ears, a pink rhinestone collar, and a pink glittered tutu. From the looks of this scene, one would think that this woman had no children to spoil so she babied her dog. Nope. She has a 14 year old son. As I stopped to chat with this woman I asked her how her son was. Her response was "Oh fine I suppose. He's in a boarding school in Connecticut. I think he'll be home for Christmas. I call him about once a month. and he always seems to be just fine! But I better run, Gigi has a pedicure and haircut appointment. Great to see you!".... The kid will be home for Christmas? It was MAY!

4. Yankee's eat entirely too much hummus.
I love hummus. I always have a container of it in my fridge. But y'all, I kid you not. I was babysitting for a transplant family and it was time for me to fix the girls some supper so I went to the fridge and this is what I found:
six flavors of hummus
some almond milk
some olives
some arugula lettuce
a box of alfalfa sprouts
some Gruyere cheese

What in the sam hill was I supposed to fix these children for supper? I couldn't even make them a tomato sandwich. Do you really think a 5 year old and a 3 year old are going to eat an arugula and sprout salad and some hummus? Is it really necessary to have SIX flavors of hummus?
Long story short, I found a box of Easy-Mac in the bottom of the pantry. Bon appetite, girls!

5. How can you live in a multi-million dollar house but own NO fine china or antiques
I don't know about y'all but if I had the means to build a multi-million dollar abode, the first thing I'd do is display my fine china in an antique china cabinet. I'd be single handedly keeping the antique shops and auctions in business. Apparently this mentality is not universal though. I've seen MANY nouveau riche houses that had NO antique furniture and absolutely NO china- just some Pier 1 dishes. WHY??

6. The color burgundy will NOT go in my house.
In the same homes that have no china or antiques are inevitably decorated in the color burgundy... Why has this trend from 1998 continued? WHY? I want answers! I didn't like it then and I sure don't like it now. I think the mentality of burgundy is that it looks expensive. I DOESN'T. It only looks outdated. Bless their hearts, they just didn't know any better. Here's my tip, pic a good neutral for your walls (a light grey, a good white, a pale beige). Then, incorporate color in with your accessories. Avoid deep, dark colors that will add to much visual weight to the room. Keep it clean, light, and simple. NO BURGUNDY!

To all our transplant followers, we love you. We're glad you are here. But please, adapt to Southern life. You are here now, its time to embrace the Southern way of life and get rid of these nasty habits. Next step: work on those hideous accents.

- Ada Grey