A few posts back, a posted here about a certain local Dallas Zoo-based tortoise they gave me a special insight to life and mental wellness. Since that fateful post, a lot has been happening behind the scenes… all becuase of that hard-shelled friend.

I have completed a manuscript for Rock Me Right, now on its way to becoming a fully illustrated children’s book, in which eight different animals help young children, and their parents, to find a common language to understand their emotions and how to cope with what they are feeling. I could not be more pleased with this project or with the community that rose up around me, championed this cause, and helped to make this a success.

Instead of going through a traditional publishing journey, I decided this book needed to be in the hands of children as soon as possible. With all that has happened in schools of late, I don’t want to waste one more minute while more children and teens are hurt by their peers. So, I took to Facebook & Twitter and began sharing my dream about this book: I believe that children do not have well-tuned coping skills to deal with their emotional health and this leads to issues such as bullying, suicidal tendencies, self-mutilation (cutting, self-harm), depression, repressed anger, rage and violence. This book is a tool to help respond to the needs of children everywhere at the beginning of their lives. It is okay to be sad, to want to be alone, to need people and also to express joy when circumstances are dark. Children, and adults are given permission in Rock Me Right, to feel what they feel, to identify those feelings and to know what is appropriate in sharing them. God designed his animal kingdom creatures with amazing coping skills and in the book, we learn what those are from each animal. 

I set a budget of $9,600 to completely fund the launch of this book and the outreach tour to get it in the hands of as many teachers, parents, librarians and children as possible. To date over $7000 is raised to publish this book and put it in the hands of kids everywhere!  Along that journey, I have found the most amazing illustrator and book formatter, Kate Cook and Brooke Burnett. We, three women, are working tirelessly behind the scenes to make this book a reality by the end of the summer.

Here is a sneak peek at the character illustrations for the book. If you’d like to know more about our totally-blow-your-mind-she’s-so-good illustrator Kate Cook, you can follow her at https://www.facebook.com/V8Kate/.

Our formatting queen is the and only amazing Brooke Burnett and you can see more of her designs and fab work at https://www.facebook.com/lbrookeburnett.

If you would like to know more about Rock Me Right make sure to send an email to us or sign up for our email distribution. We are looking for groups to partner with for book readings, book sales and special events for kids and parents. The book is due out early this fall. 

Thank you for your support and remember, you too can “Rock Me Right!”

This week I interviewed author L.M. Hinton on her harrowing story of loss. You can listen to the full interview on the Life Lessons Podcast page. No one should ever have to lose that many people, care for that many sick loved ones or see things happen to children as she has.

I’d love to tell you that she kept her faith all those years. But she didn’t. She gave up on God. She couldn’t see how He could be in the midst of that many deaths and accidents. I know that many of us have felt like that before. How can we trust that God is there when everything falls apart and there is so much pain?

The question many people ask is how can a good God allow such bad things?
We have answers to that. The Bible does tell us how to live in the world when we cannot fathom the consequences of life. Sometimes that doesn’t make it any easier.
Leah did find her way back to God. It was after much self-medicating though. And God used the words of a praying friend to begin that journey.

Maybe we will never grasp that this life will have so much pain at times. Maybe in those moments, when we see loved ones hurting, our role is to be that praying friend? Maybe it is to not lose our faith so that we can help carry others through their darkest moments. And then, when we need it done for us, we can rest assured that no matter how dark it gets, someone is praying for us and will help us through.
Who do you know that is hurting right now? How can you pray for them? How can reach out to let them know they are not alone? As Leah describes in our interview, many people left their family’s side out of discomfort. They didn’t know what to do so they walked away. It is very hard to know how to care for those who are suffering. It is important to now leave, but to find a way to communicate that you are praying and that they are not alone.

Leah Hinton now only found her way back to God, but she found Him waiting for her. She has seen and suffered so much but today she stands as an example of love and joy. She does not let the tragedies of her life define her, nor weigh down her zest for life. If you have an hour to spare, join us on her journey. If you don’t then just know that we are created to love one another and to help each other through dark times.

Life Lesson: Don’t turn away from giving or receiving love & care.

I won’t lie, this did not sound like it would work out well but, oh, how wrong I was! We LOVED it! It made a huge amount of food so for our family of three, it fed us for two days. My husband and son are not lovers of leftovers but with this recipe that was not the case. Other than the cutting and peeling (if you choose to peel your taters), it was not time-consuming at all. It also only has a few ingredients so it was cheap and easy. 

I think this one is from my Grandmother, it seems to match her other recipes’ handwriting but it is not named so we can only assume. 

Pork Chop Casserole

4 Pork Chops – deboned and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup 

1/2 Cp. sour cream (I added more because it looks yummy)

1/4 Cp. water

4 Cps. thinly sliced potatoes (I leave the peel on ours but that is your call on peel or no peel.)

1/2 onion – finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste – I salted and peppered the top layer only and we did not have to use salt/pepper after it baked. 

 – – –

Heat oven to 375. You can easily make this ahead of time too and refrigerate until you need to bake it. I think it could hold for even 24 hours.

In a pan, brown chop pieces and onion in a little oil. When completely cooked and well browned, transfer to a lightly oiled dutch oven dish. Spread the meat out evenly on the oiled bottom of the dish.

Mix the soup, sour cream and water in a bowl. 

Layer the potato on top of the meat and then soup some of the soup mixture on in – spread it out over the taters. Keep adding layers (see pics) and soup until you run out. 

Salt and pepper the stop layer. Cover and bake at 375 for 1/2 hour to 45 mins. Mine took a little longer. 

We served with a simple salad and vinaigrette. Voila, a feast is finished!

Enjoy during these cold days and look out for some yummy baked holiday goods coming your way and some more fabulous family style eats!

Guten appetite.