Saturday, October 5, 2024

Chicken Salad

 

chicken salad


Ingredients
3 CHICKEN BREASTS (COOKED)

2 BOILED EGGS (CHOPPED)

                    1 CUP DICED CELERY                   

½ CUP MAYONNAISE

¼ CUP PICKLE RELISH (DRAINED)

1 TEASPOON DIJON MUSTARD

SALT/PEPPER
 
DIRECTIONS
FINELY CHOP CHICKEN

MIX ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER BLENDING WELL.



I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Friday, October 4, 2024

Do You Want It Now? - Martin Wiles

wanting it now
One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.” Judges 14:1-2 NLT

The virus taught us we can’t get everything now.

COVID-19 taught the world many things, but in America and other countries, we learned we couldn’t get some things we wanted—not just immediately, but at all. One comical thing that emerged was shaggy hairstyles. Men couldn’t go to barber shops. They weren’t open. If they didn’t know how to cut their own hair—or knew someone who could—they went without a haircut until officials lifted the restrictions and could once again see their barber. 

The same thing happened with ladies. No matter how much they wanted to visit their beautician to get their hair done, they couldn’t. And beauticians couldn’t fix hair at their homes without risking a stiff fine if caught. So, like men, many women went without getting their hair cut, styled, and colored. 

Perhaps the one thing Americans may have wanted immediately but couldn’t have was the chance to dine in at restaurants. We are a generation of “eater outers.” Governors closed restaurants to inside dining. Only drive-thrus and carry-outs were open. 

But wanting things immediately didn’t begin with COVID-19. I grew up long before the virus appeared and before people invented some of our present-day tech advancements. This didn’t keep me from wanting things immediately. Mom said money “burned a hole in my pocket.” When I decided I wanted something, I wanted it right then. But I couldn’t get things immediately or even within two to three days. I couldn’t order something from Wal-Mart (which wasn’t even around) and pick it up from the store the same day. Ordered things usually required waiting six to eight weeks. 

I’m not the only one with this want-it-now problem. I’ve known quite a few people who want what they want immediately. And if they have the money, they get it. I suppose Adam and Eve started the whole thing. They wanted what God told them not to eat, and they ate instantly when Satan offered it to them. 

Samson had the same problem. God set him apart to serve as one of Israel’s judges when everyone did what they considered right. Before taking that role, Samson showed his impatience. His immediate wants came in the form of women—in this case, a Philistine. A tribe God forbade the Israelites to intermarry with. Samson saw her and had to have her. Now. Although God worked through Samson’s misdeeds to accomplish his purpose for Samson—to conquer the Philistines—Samson’s want-it-now attitude often caused him problems. 

Samson struggled with patience, which I often struggle with. Patience might be a virtue, but it takes a lifetime to master it. I’ve discovered that aging, experience, and a lot of difficult times seem to help—none of which I particularly enjoy. Whether God sends the trials or merely allows them doesn’t really matter. The end result—patience—is the same if I respond properly. 

When we’re impatient, we make decisions without guidance, which generally leads us into trouble: debt, unhealthy relationships, and illegal activities. Seeking guidance from God and others takes time, but better experiences result.

A want-it-now attitude can be detrimental to us and others around us. But when we trust God for what we need in life and ask for his wisdom before making decisions, he’ll give us guidance that will ultimately teach us patience and give us a better life. 

Don’t let a want-it-now attitude destroy your happiness.

Father, help me trust you to give me what I need and to give it when I need it. 

Tweetable: What are you now willing to wait on? 


I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

How to Avoid Technology Overload - Martin Wiles

technology overload
For God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20 NLT

Too much of a good thing can be harmful.

Exercise is good, but too much can damage the body. More importantly, it might damage relationships with others.

One Krispy Kreme doughnut won’t harm me, but eating a dozen a day most likely will. Where what I eat is concerned, most doctors will say, “Everything in moderation.” Eating a little along and along is better than binge eating.

Our day is not much different in the moderation area than was Paul’s. Idolatry, sporting events, drugs, alcohol, sexual immorality, gluttony. They were all available. So, Paul took the opportunity to remind first-century believers that their bodies were temples of God’s Spirit. He had bought them with the death of his Son. The least they could do was honor him with their bodies.

The current greatest “too much of a good thing” temptation is technology. An entire generation of digital natives is alive and well. Defined, they are the young people who have never known a time when the internet didn’t exist. Just as doctors once thought tobacco was good for us—and freely smoked in and out of the presence of their patients—but then discovered it was dangerous, so the same is now happening with technology.

Researchers have unveiled how much digital interaction, especially gaming, can damage our brains. The younger the brain, the higher the addiction rate and the more harmful technology is to the brain. Staring at and interacting with “screens” not only builds an addictive wall in our brain but also damages our eyes, leading to dry eye disease.

I use technology profusely and am certainly not an advocate against it. Through it, I can spread the gospel with one press of a button or touch of a screen. But I can get too much of a good thing like everything else. Moderation is necessary lest overload occurs.

Some suggestions to avoid technology overload: take a break from it every fifteen minutes, don’t give it to young children (It’s not a good babysitter), use it wisely, take it out of your bedroom at night (Analog clocks are still available), enjoy an analog activity (Board games are still sold), and go outside.

What’s one thing you can do to avoid technology’s overload?

Father, help me enjoy the good things you’ve created but not to be mastered by anything that steals my attention from you. 

Tweetable: Is technology overloading your brain? 


I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Monday, September 30, 2024

God Rewards the Faithful - Martin Wiles

God's Rewards
To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. Matthew 13:12 NLT

His comment came during one of the most taxing times of a school year.

As I stood outside my doorway during class changes, a young man whom I had previously taught passed my way. I normally speak to him first, but this day, he spoke first.

“Dr. Wiles, you were hard on us, but it paid off in the end.”

His comment shocked me. We teachers rarely hear remarks like this while students are still in school. Perhaps during graduation speeches or after they enter high school or college, but not while still under our tutelage. 

I smiled a large smile, thinking this was one of his normal smart remarks he was known for, and said, “I’m glad.”

With an even larger smile, he remarked, “I’m serious.”

This interaction was one of those rare occurrences when a teacher receives confirmation they are doing a good job at what they do. I thanked him for his comment. The remainder of my hectic day took on a new shape. I had been rewarded, not monetarily, but in a way money couldn’t buy.

Wanting rewards for our actions is normal. Never receiving recognition leads to a miserable existence. Jesus’ disciples were rewarded with something many others weren’t: the ability to understand the parables he taught. When they didn’t, he explained them.

God’s greatest reward is the assurance of salvation and comes when we trust in what Jesus did on Calvary’s cross and follow him as our Savior. The work God assigns to us children can be challenging. Some of the work he has given me taxed my ability to cope, understand, and carry it out.

But God rewards our good works. He gives more opportunities in the present and promises crowns in the future. Regardless of how he rewards us, we must always remember to praise him for any accomplishments that result. We can do all things through Christ—but nothing worthy apart from him.

While good works don’t produce salvation, they should result when forgiveness of sins has occurred. They are the proof in the pudding. Using them to serve God in new and fresh ways—and to say “Thank You” for his salvation—is the only wise thing to do.

Think about what you are doing with the rewards God has given you.

Father, move me to serve you faithfully as I anticipate the rewards you will give for my obedience. 

Tweetable: Why do you do the right thing? 


I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Chicken Pot Pie

 

chicken pot pie




Ingredients

1 CAN CHICKEN


2 CANS MIXED VEGETABLES (DRAINED)


1 CAN CHICKEN BROTH

          

1 CAN CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP


Directions


MIX ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND PLACE IN A GREASED CASSEROLE DISH.


MIX 1 CUP BISQUICK WITH 1 CUP MILK, SALT, PEPPER.


POUR OVER CHICKEN MIXTURE.


DOT WITH MARGARINE ON TOP.


BAKE UNCOVERED AT 350 DEGREES FOR 30 TO 45 MINUTES OR UNTIL BROWN.




I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Friday, September 27, 2024

Held by an Unseen Hand - Martin Wiles

held by an unseen hand
For I hold you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, “Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” Isaiah 41:13 NLT

From death, a song came.

Few people noticed when Tom was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, on July 1, 1899. He and his seven brothers and sisters were around the church most of his life. Thomas’ dad was a Baptist preacher, and his mother played the organ. Quite naturally, Tom’s mother started him on the piano at an early age.

As a teenager, however, Tom decided to pursue a career as a blues musician and dubbed himself “Georgia Tom.” This journey took him to Atlanta’s nightclubs and the jazz houses on the south side of Chicago. But his spiritual heritage eventually drew him back to Christian music.

When Tom reached twenty-one, he joined the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago. Here, he directed the choir and wrote more than three hundred songs. But one song in particular made a mark on Christian history. 

Tom’s wife, Nettie, was about to bear their first child when a church in St. Louis called Tom to sing in a revival. Although hesitant, Tom’s wife urged him to go ahead. Tom got in his Model A and drove to St. Louis. During the first night of the meeting, a boy brought a telegram to Tom. The telegram said Tom’s wife had died while giving birth.

That same night, Gus Evans drove Tom back to Chicago. When he arrived, the baby boy seemed to be fine, but later that night, he, too, died. Tom buried his wife and his infant son in the same casket.

A few days later, Tom visited his good friend, Professor Frye. They walked around the campus of Annie Malone’s Poro College before finally going into one of the music rooms. Tom sat at the piano and began playing “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone?” As he did, he said, “Blessed Lord, blessed Lord, blessed Lord.”

Professor Frye walked over and said, “Why don’t you make that precious Lord?”

He did, and began to sing, “Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, help me stand.”

On January 25, 1993, Thomas died, but his tragedy and the resulting song have brought comfort to people across the world, having been translated into more than thirty languages.

God promised to hold the hand of his people, Israel, and Jesus promised his followers many years later that he would never leave or forsake them. The same holds for present-day Christ followers.

Although each of our trials is unique, we all face them. They are a part of life, allowed or sent by God to strengthen our faith, increase our endurance, build our character, and prepare us to help others facing similar experiences.

We may not understand why the trials come, and trying to can lead us down a road to anger and bitterness. On the other hand, accepting our circumstances and trusting God grows us spiritually and makes us more aware that God is indeed holding our hand as we trudge through the mire of what we would rather avoid.

God promises to work all things together for our good and, more importantly, his glory. As we face our trials, we can ask the Lord to hold our hand, as Dewey did, and when we cross to the other side of our difficulties, we can look back and see that he did.

Don’t try to face life alone. Let God hold your hand and lead you through.

Father, hold my hand as I face the trials of life. 

Tweetable: Do you trust God's unseen hand? 


I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Be Happy - Martin Wiles

Be Happy
So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people to do in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. Ecclesiastes 8:15 NLT

My great-grandmother rarely ventured beyond the confines of her bedroom, but she was happy.

Mammy, my great-grandmother, lived with my paternal grandparents for as long as I can remember. Her bedroom was just off the living room of the old home, and in those two rooms, she spent most of her days. But she never appeared sad. Crocheting afghans was one of her passions. For weeks and months, she sat in a straight-back white chair, a basket of yarn beside her, an intense smile on her face, and worked her needles. Often, she watched Perry Mason on the television while she did so. If not him, a game show.

When Mammy wasn’t there, she lay or sat on her bed and read her Bible. I often sat with her and had long conversations.

Mammy was always happy. From today’s vantage point, she appeared to live a somewhat dull lifestyle, but obviously, she didn’t think so. She enjoyed the simple things. Wise King Solomon proposed eating, drinking, and enjoying life.

Happiness is a state of mind and not governed by circumstances or things—as Solomon discovered. Things may create happiness for a brief time, but eventually—like a child, we tire of them and want something new. And if we wait until circumstances are continually pleasant to get happy, we’ll only experience happiness infrequently.

A permanent state of happiness—like Mammy possessed—is only created through a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Knowing our sins are forgiven lets us live with a smile—and we should. We have something to be happy about. This continual state of heart happiness validates our witness to others. A contradiction occurs if we claim to know Christ yet always appear sad. Understanding that God loves us unconditionally and that we can never do anything to make him stop is essential for maintaining a smile.

Happiness can also be caught. I caught Mammy’s, and I hope my demeanor and the words I write will help others catch the “Be Happy” attitude, too.

Be happy. Don’t let circumstances govern your smiles.

Father, remind me I can live in a state of joy because of what you’ve done.

Tweetable: Do circumstances determine your happiness? 


I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.