When all else fails.....LOOK UP

I have so many things in my life to be thankful for. As I have been posting about my gratitude this month and trying to come up with meaningful topics that when I read them again in the months and years to come will give me that warm and fuzzy feeling deep inside. I feel it is important to thank God for all the blessings he has given me.

I am not really a religious person but I do have a strong belief deep within. I think I am a spiritual person and have faith in God and all that he is. I know first hand of the power of prayer. Prayer is fundamental in my mind when it comes to having faith. My prayers are always answered, sometimes they just aren't answered the way I would like them to be or on my time schedule. I know that I don't always live the way I should. I have made countless mistakes and made some very bad choices. I try hard to learn from my experiences and become a better person.

I wanted to share a personal story where I believe God touched my heart.

About 22 years ago, we were doing things that I wish I had never done. We were faced with a choice of Barney losing his job or going through drug treatment. Of course he chose to go into treatment. It was exactly where he needed to be.

I knew that in my head.

When our car was repossessed and our home was being foreclosed on and I was left to take care of it all alone, I felt a lot of anger towards Barney. I was there with 2 little girls to take care of and trying to find a place to move to and a car. My head felt like it was going to burst as did my heart. I was so young and had no clue what to do. I knew it was wrong for me to be angry that Barney went into treatment, He was doing it for not only himself but all of us too. I didn't feel like I could talk to anyone about my feelings because I felt they were not justified, sooooo every night after I put my sweet baby girls to bed I would sit down at the kitchen table cry my eyes out and pray that God would take the anger from me. Then I would pull out an old spiral notebook and write down all the horrible feelings going on inside of me. I did this for about 3 nights with no relief. I was still so angry at Barney. Then on the fourth night as I was pouring my feelings onto that paper and crying my eyes out. I wanted my mom to be there and just make it all go away (my mom had passed away about a year before). As I cried I felt the room get just a little warmer and a little brighter. I swear I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder and squeeze just a tiny bit. The calmness that came over me was surreal. I just knew my mom was with me and making it better. God had answered my prayer!! The anger just went away, The notebook was thrown away and I did what had to be done (with a lot of help from my dad) It was a very dark time in my life but because of my faith and the power of prayer I have never revisited that darkness. I didn't tell anyone about those awful nights for a very long time. My sweet hubbs and I are still together and the love we share is stronger than ever. I think all the struggles we've had have only made us have a stronger bond. I believe through faith and prayer anything is possible!! When all else fails, remember to look up...that's where you will find your answers. Sending Love and Light to all, may you keep the Faith and be thankful for your many blessings!!

Heavenly Coconut Custard Pie

• 1 recipe Basic Pie Crust, rolled and fitted into a 9-inch pie plate • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/3 cup cornstarch • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1 cup whole milk • 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk • 4 large egg yolks • 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Press a sheet of aluminum foil onto crust, draping over rim of pie plate. To blind-bake: Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Remove beans and foil; let crust cool completely, and set aside. 2. While crust is baking, place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan (off heat), whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in whole milk, making sure to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in coconut milk and egg yolks. 3. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble sputters, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; immediately pour custard through sieve into bowl. 4. Pour custard from bowl into cooled crust; smooth top with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours (or loosely covered, up to 1 day). To serve, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, then sprinkle with coconut. Helpful Hint To toast the coconut, spread it on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes. Lining unbaked crust with aluminum foil and filling it with dried beans or pie weights prevents the crust from puffing up as it bakes. Store the beans, and use them again the next time you bake a pie