Successes 2 – Failures 5
This is a crazy disconnected blog about Success and Failure, and I think you may have to read between the lines.
We are hosting an IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS party this Saturday. My decorations (blue of course) are sparkling beautifully throughout the main part of my house. I got really tacky iridescent tinsel to line my windows. In the daytime, the sun causes the tinsel to sparkle on the walls. At night the blue strings of tiny lights reflect extra light. I love it! (It’s really prettier in real life.)
Everyone thinks I’m a wee bit crazy for having my lights up so early, and they are probably right. I did wait to decorate until October this year, and Ronald thought that was a good choice. Getting them all up early is always a huge success in my book.
I only broke one ornament so that was a success. Of course, I can’t credit that to my being coordinated. I only have to or three ornaments that I haven’t broken. I learned to get the ones that bounce across the floor = success.
I’m praying Saturday is cloudy so my Christmas lights will show up. Not rainy, just dark. I would have had an evening party, but it’s not really safe for some people here walking in the daytime, much less at night. Plus, some of us like to be in bed by 8.
I get carried away about my beautiful lights. But I have to share today’s fiasco.
Have you ever taken those personality and skill set tests? I can guar-an-tee (said like Justin Wilson the old Cajun chef) I have never and will never be gifted in cooking.
Most everyone brings a treat to our parties, but I need to do my part. I tried making a variation on my delicious Devil Woman Cookies. Failure, but still edible. I’m going to go back to my original Devil Woman Cookie recipe after I figure out how to salvage the mediocre cookies I made earlier.
I attempted to make gluten free cookies for a friend here at the old people place. The picture above shows the extent of my experiment’s failure. I should have at least partially followed the recipe and added the raspberry preserves on the top of the cookies instead of trying an easier method and just stirring the preserves into the dough. And I must have needed to add extra almond flour or something. Mercy! I’ll buy something for her at a bakery.
You know the old saying, ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again?’ I tell you what, there will be NO trying again on today’s recipe adaptations!
Plus, I set off the fire alarm again. It was reset somehow after our villa was hit by lightning. I was able to make it stop screaming, but I don’t know how to make it stop beeping.
I was wondering what the Bible has to say about success and failure. Proverbs 16:3 says, ‘Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.’ I think in my case there should be an extra phrase. Commit my work to the Lord and follow the stupid recipe!
Seriously, I believe success is trusting God completely. Failure for my spiritual being is knowing what is right and not doing it.
I’ve got to think some more about Biblical ideas of success and failure before I write any more. Plus it’s past my bedtime!
I’m sharing my girls’ favorite thing I make. They call them Devil Woman Cookies because they can’t eat just one.
Devil Woman Cookies
(aka cream cheese spritz cookies)
400 degrees for 10-13 minutes depending on oven
1 cup butter very softened! 1 8 oz. package cream cheese very softened
2/3 cup sugar. 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring/Powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour (sift if possible) Dash of salt /Raspberry preserves
Cream together butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl; gradually add sugar until light and fluffy, stir in vanilla, gradually add salt and flour until well blended.
Dip small ice cream scoop into powdered sugar. Scoop dough onto cookie sheet. Dip small rounded tablespoon into powdered sugar to make hole for dollop for preserves of your choice.
Bake. Remove to wire racks. Sift powdered sugar on top. Put parchment paper into storage container sift powdered sugar onto paper. When cookies are cool, place them onto sugared paper.
Enjoy. May you have great success with this recipe.
Blessings
Kara Beth
