Misunderstandings

People holding different convictions often have misunderstandings. Misunderstandings can lead to confusion, anger, anxiety, and many other negative pains. Do not let the power of the confusion overtake you. Recognize the answer to many misunderstandings require knowing the nature of the truth of the situation. Take a moment to be still, turn within for the answer of the misunderstanding. Meditate on the issue and not the feeling you are dealing with because of the issue. Let your faith take over and deliver you out of the misunderstandings. Ask God to help you with your thoughts that are producing negative reactions. Ask Him for direction. Ask Him to quiet your mind and show you the correct path. And, most of all ask for forgiveness for your actions and the person whom you have the misunderstanding. Be careful taking third party advise. At times a neutral party may be good to vent your frustration, and there are times when the advise is good and on-point. But, there are also time when involving a third party increases the misunderstanding. Is the person a good friend that will tell you when you are wrong? Or, is the person a negative-gossiping-got-to-know-everything about everybody to tell someone else. Is it a person that loves to put fuel on a fire and lets you continue to vent for days, or, weeks without helping you stop the negative thinking/non-problem solving actions? BEWARE OF THE LATTER!! Many of us have friends we know, but, do not really know. And, if you deal with a person that is always negative, or just seems to be in a negative situation often, REMEMBER - MISERY LOVES COMPANY. Only through clarity and rational thought can a real mutual solution be made.

Awesome Tasting Carrot Cake

Best cooking Southern cooking site on the Internet:

http://www.pauladeen.com/

I made awesome carrot cake with this recipe from pauladeen.com:
http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/grandma_hiers_carrot_cake/

Butter, for pans 
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans 
2 cups sugar 
2 teaspoons baking soda 
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1 teaspoon salt 
4 eggs 
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 
3 cups grated carrots 
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional

Frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature 
1 stick salted butter, room temperature 
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.

Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer. Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.

New Adventures In Dallas, GA

Moved to Dallas, GA the third week of September 2012, a few days prior to my birthday.  It was an adventurous move.  Driving a 26 foot U-Haul truck with may SUV attached to it on a platform dolly through  the Smokey Mountains was a little scary.  But, moving from the Chicago area to the Atlanta area was a nice move for the soul.  It is great to be back in the South!!