Colossians 1:9-11 is a lovely prayer for the people in your life.

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard of it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs

Though the weather is cooler, you can keep your grill hot with my favorite game day snack: bacon wrapped hot dogs.

I found this recipe on my favorite food site, www.zingermans.com.

Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog Recipe

Prep
Wrap a slice of bacon around each hot dog like the stripes on a candy can or barber's pole. Lay the wrapped dogs in a plastic bag or container. Chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. You want the bacon to stiffen up a little bit to hold its shape.
Tip: Thinly sliced bacon is easier to use and adheres to the hot dogs better than thicker cut.

Cooking
I prefer grilling (the traditional approach, since they're street food). The dogs can be cooked on the stove top as well. Place a cooking sheet or aluminum foil on top of the grate and use this as your cooking surface. Lay the dogs on the sheet. Cook for a few minutes on each side until the bacon is as crisp as you'd like it.

Buns & Toppings
The sweeter the bun you can find, the better. If you're lucky enough to have a Mexican bakery in your area, shop there. Bun toasting is optional.

Standard toppings: yellow mustard, ketchup, crema (you can substitute sour cream), chopped jalapeños—either roasted or grilled.

Optional toppings used by different vendors: chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, relish, mayonnaise, mango, pineapple, salt.

A Poem...

A poem by Ruth Bell Graham

I think it harder

Lord, to cast the cares of those I love

on You,

than to cast mine.

We, growing older,

learn at last

that You

are merciful

and kind.

Not one time

have you failed me,

Lord-

why fear that you’ll

fail mine?

Enjoy Today

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Personalized Gifts

Here is a great site, if you're looking to buy personalized gifts...

FRECKLEBOX.COM

Like these personalized lunch boxes for back-to-school...

or these storybooks...

and MANY MORE!

Dip and Game Night!!

Who said Girls Night Out has to be about a fancy dinner out?! Try a Girls Night Out at your home. Invite the girls over and have them bring their favorite dip (seven-layer, salsa, artichoke, etc.) and host a game night! Outburst and Balderdash are always super fun. You'll get to let loose & relax while getting to know each others' quirkiness and sense of humor!

Recipes

English Muffin Pizza
This recipe saved me one night during an unexpected visit from all the neighborhood kids. They were having such a great time playing, but they got hungry! I opened my trusty Joy of Cooking book (p.182) and found this simple, inexpensive recipe that took a few minutes and fed the whole crew! At the time I didn't have English Muffins, so I substituted tortillas (which were a hit). And later I tried the recipe with english muffins and my kids really enjoyed it!

1 to 2 servings

Spit in half:
1 English muffin

Toast the flat sides under the broiler. Spread the untoasted sides with:
1 tablespoon tomato sauce, chili sauce, or catsup

Sprinkle with:
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Top each with:
1/4 cup grated Cheddar, mozzarella or Swiss

Over all:
1 teaspoon olive oil

Broil until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

****

My kids love pancakes for breakfast, so I thought I'd surprise them with sweet Crepes.
The kids loved it and so did I! Here's my favorite recipe from The Joy of Cooking (p. 649).

Savory Or Sweet Crepes

Savory Crepes
Combine in a bowl and mix until smooth:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup lukewarm water
4 large eggs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Sweet Crepes
Prepare as above, adding 3 tablespoons sugar and decreasing the salt to 1/8 teaspoon.