Country Recipe: Old-Fashioned Tea Biscuits

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(From Vinnie Ann “AJ” Jackson)

Grandaddy Edwards (my mom’s papa) would place these cookies in a sealed jar with a few slices of apple to keep them soft. They would pick up a slight apple flavor. I grew up on these cookies just like all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. There was a bunch of us. Looking back, I think Mama and Grandmama always made this recipe because it makes a lot of cookies.

Old-Fashioned Tea Biscuits

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup sour milk*

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

7 cups flour

Mix and roll out 1/2 inch thick, and cut out cookies with a biscuit cutter. Bake at 375̊ on a greased cookie sheet until lightly browned.

*To make sour milk: add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to one cup milk and let stand for 5 minutes.

Make a batch and let us know how they turn out for you.

Lots of Breaking News

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We just received news that This New Mountain, a memoir of AJ Jackson, was chosen as a finalist in the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards in the biography category. Winners will be announced on November 16, 2012 at the 6th Annual Awards Banquet to be held in Albuquerque. We’ll let you know how it all turns out.

Rhythm of My Heart by Frances Fanning (another book released by our publisher, Casa de Snapdragon Publishing) was also chosen as a finalist – in the first book category.

Thank you Casa de Snapdragon for your hard work, and for all you do, for your authors.

Today, September 28, 2012:

If you get a chance, come on by and say “hey!” to AJ and I at our book signing for This New Mountain. We’ll be at Hastings Books on the southeast corner of Lomas and Juan Tabo from 5:00-8:00 pm.

Next Signing:

October 19, 2012 • 5:00-8:00 pm • Hastings Books, 6001 Lomas Blvd NE (Lomas/San Pedro store, 505-266-1363)

Coming Up in January, 2013:

  • A book signing at Moby Dickens Bookshop in Taos
  • A book event at Bookworks in Albuquerque

Hope to see you soon.

Dealing with Fear: A Logical Approach

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Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength. ~ Corrie ten Boom

Worry is a first cousin to fear – a wasteful, sneaky, whisper-in-your-ear kind of cousin. In my own quest to be less fearful, I’ve found the following strategies to be the most helpful:

Allow Yourself One Big Fear (and/or several small ones). And don’t beat yourself up over it. Fear can be normal and helpful (see my post on survival instinct). Everyone is afraid of something, even big, burly manly men – they just hide it better. I say, if you can carry on your daily life, moving forward more than you move backward, then your fear is not a problem.

Rehearse/Prepare. I don’t suggest we think about our fear or worry continuously – that might already be part of the problem. But consider what you’re really worried or fearful about. Afraid to talk to someone in person or on the phone? Write out what to say ahead of time. Are you actually afraid of the unknown in a situation rather than the situation itself? Before going on a job interview: research the job, the company, and ask yourself/answer possible interview questions.

Share. Don’t go it alone. If you’re worried about raising your kids, find mothers in your neighborhood, at church, at your child’s school to hang out with or talk to. Whatever the situation, talking to someone can help work through our fears. And chances are, someone is going through the same kind of thing or has already made it through the other side.

Pray. Some people don’t consider prayer logical. But belief in Someone greater than yourself, who cares for you and has the power to do anything, is a necessity of life these days. Prayer can chase away worry and bring peace to a troubled soul.  

Get Involved. Helping others, helps yourself. It takes the energy that your worry wastes and channels it toward someone or something that needs it more. There are people all around us that need help, many of them in worse places than we are.

Be Grateful. It’s been said that the fastest escape from worry is appreciation. Imagine how good we could feel if we spent our time appreciating what we have in life instead of wasting it on worry. For ideas on making gratitude a habit, go to my post Have a Grateful Day.

Act. Doing something is really what this list is about. Anything that causes worry should be acted on, not just thought about. Even the smallest action can alleviate fear. Make a list, make a plan, make a phone call. Go on the internet and do research.

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy. ~ Dale Carnegie

These are just a few suggestions, but if worry or fear has taken over your life to the point that you can’t leave the house or if you’re overwhelmed/depressed and are having trouble carrying on, please talk to someone – seek out a listening ear at your church or with a health care professional. Sometimes we do need help outside ourselves, and that’s okay. We weren’t meant to go through life alone.

How do you deal with worry?

Live More, Fear Less: Follow a Hero

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Growing up, my mother was my hero. She immersed herself in motherhood, and sacrificed a chance at a career to stay home and raise my siblings and I. She loved us unconditionally, taught us to play fair and work hard, taught us to laugh – because that’s how she lived. When I had children of my own, I decided early on to be as much like my mom as I could be. I wasn’t perfect at it (neither was she) but I wanted my kids to know what it felt like to be loved and respected.

If following my mother’s example is any indication, then following a hero can make us better people by emulating their good qualities. Real heroes sacrifice unselfishly for others and strive to make a difference in their world. They push past their fears and climb over obstacles that would stop most people – and as a result, inspire us all. Who isn’t inspired by reading a story or watching a movie based on the true life of a hero?

…in the end, these are [hero] stories not just of courage, but of inspiration, stories that, if we let them, will help us to see our world as a place where the real heroes go about their lives in ways not played out upon a grand stage in front of thousands, but on a small stage, or even back stage, in front of few. ~ Michael Cleveland, Merrimack Journal

Do you have a dream but are fearful to move forward with it? Maybe what you need is a hero to inspire you, or just someone else who is already chasing their dreams. Try looking to your family or friends, a neighbor or co-worker. For movies where the “good guy” wins out (read my take on heroes and underdogs), watch A Beautiful Mind, Chariots of Fire, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Norma Rae, October Sky, Rudy, or The Pursuit of Happiness.

If you still need inspiration, here are a few places you might find it:

♦   Joseph Badal, the author of five published suspense novels, blogs once a month about Everyday Heroes — military and civilian heroes who make a difference in the lives of others, and even a black bear that went the extra mile.

♦   Every Friday at the Living Better Stories website, Jeremy Statton blogs about people who are doing something Secretly Incredible. In a recent blogpost he wrote, “I tell you the stories of amazing people. People whose lives don’t fit the category of normal. People that blow me away. Their lives, especially their decisions to live for something bigger than themselves, inspire me to do more with my life.” He doesn’t call these people heroes but they are.

♦  Lisa-Jo Baker is a mother who inspires and encourages other mothers (and anyone with a heart) at Tales from a Gypsy Mama. She did a great post On (not) Raising Deadbeat Dads, and here are bits and pieces from Daughter, you can take this one to the bank:

I will always come

I’m tired and she’s tired. I’ve already put her to bed more than once tonight. She’s standing in the crib…on tippy toes with soft, chubby arms stretched out to me as far as she can lean. She’s standing with eyes trained on the door and fingertips craning toward me… I will always come, baby…I dance with her slowly – the rock and roll of motherhood – and I know this is a promise I can stake my life on. I will always come…

When the mean girls make you want to shrivel inside your skin…when you get laughed at and people point fingers at your hair and your shoes and your too bony hips. My darling, I will come. When that boy breaks your heart…When you say your “I do’s”, when you start your happily ever afters, when none of it quite feels like you thought it would…when you regret what feels like signing your life away to someone else. When you keep on keeping on…I will so be there…

I will rock and roll you with my love and the promise that I will help you get back on your feet. I will hold your hand. I will rejoice. I will babysit. I will pass the tissues. I will wash the dishes. I will come. Tonight. Tomorrow. And the day after. And after. And then some.

Get inspired. Follow a hero. Take a step today, even a small one, toward making a difference or chasing a dream. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Even you.

Who inspires you? Who is your hero?

Live More, Fear Less: Have a Grateful Day

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We can’t change what happens to us – too many things are outside of our control – but we can determine our reaction or response to those things. We can also shift our focus and be grateful for what we have in the face of our circumstances.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

Being grateful changes our perspective and helps us to appreciate our blessings. A thankful person is also less likely to complain. And when we’re full of gratitude, there is little room for fear or worry that can hold us back and bring us to a deep, dark place that’s hard to climb out of.

Being grateful is easy. You can take any negative and turn it around. You might not like your job, but because of it you can pay for a place to live and food to eat. Your car might be broken down, but you can still walk. It might rain on your wedding day, but rain waters the earth and makes everything fresh. No food to eat? You have arms to hold others and a voice to uplift those in need.

Finding the positive in a tragedy isn’t quite so easy. I once took a course that required the students to write their life out on a timeline – all those important happy/sad events that shaped us. What I found out, looking back on my timeline, was that I hadn’t walked that path alone. I had family or friends or the presence of God to get me through all the awful things. And seeing that, in hindsight, made me grateful. All those bad times helped to shape me and, though I could have done without them, I’m the person I am today because of them. Maybe I wouldn’t be as concerned for those who suffer if I hadn’t gone through what I did.

The hardest part of being grateful is remembering to be. But if we determine to make a change in how we look at things, there are a lot of ways to start making thankfulness a habit. Here are a few suggestions:

  1. Make a Gratitude Board. Post pictures on a wall or a board of the things you’re grateful for in your life. The visual aspect of this is an excellent reminder, and if you put it in a place where you see it throughout your day, it’s even more helpful. Kathi Lipp talks about practicing gratitude and creating a gratitude board in her blog.
  2. Keep a Gratitude Journal. The Benefits of Positive Thinking website suggests writing in a journal or notebook at the beginning of the day, or the end, or even taking it with you to jot down your thoughts during the day. “Because you actually stop to write what you are thankful for, you do dedicate some time to reflect about it. You take the time to count your blessings….”
  3. Begin and End with Thankfulness. Before I get up in the morning, I take the time to remember the good things in my life and be thankful. Doing this gets me in the right frame of mind for the rest of my day. At night, reflecting on the positives that happened that day also helps bring me peace and a good night’s sleep.
  4. Be Observant. Determine not to take things for granted. Being grateful for the big things in life (like having a family or a job) is important, but so is being thankful for the little things. Notice the awesome blue in a clear summer sky, and be grateful you have eyes to see it. We have salt for our food, clean running water, toilets (and toilet paper). So many good and ordinary things to be grateful for, and if they were gone we would surely miss them. 
  5. Say Thank You. Recognize acts of kindness and express your gratitude even for little things, whether to family, friends, or strangers. Write notes, send emails, make a phone call – and do it as soon as you think of it. You’ll brighten someone else’s day and yours as well.

Why don’t you start a list of the things you’re grateful for? Make it easy. Starting today, write down three things you’re grateful for and why. Then every day add at least one new thing to the list. In a month’s time you’ll have more than 30 things on your list.

I’ve heard that if you do something everyday for 21 days, you’ll make that thing a habit. There are so many worse things to make a habit of than being grateful.

Today, what are you grateful for?

Our First Book Signing

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l to r: AJ, Cate, and Janet Brennan (Managing Editor at Casa de Snapdragon Publishing)

We had our first book signing for This New Mountain on Friday, August 24th. It was great to have so many friends and family come by to support us. Some well-wishers bought books for themselves or as gifts for others, some came to have their previously purchased books signed, while others just dropped by to say hi and chat. Thank you to all who came and cheered us on – you helped the hours fly by and chased away our nervousness with your friendly faces.

In case anyone missed this book signing, we’re scheduled for another one on Friday, September 28th from 5:00-8:00 pm at the Hastings on Juan Tabo (southeast corner of Lomas and Juan Tabo). Hope to see you there next month.

Thanks again!

Fear Less Fridays: Can Bravery Be Taught?

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Even with my limited military experience, I know the value of training. Like taking a weapon apart and putting it back together, over and over, so you can do it and do it right without really thinking. Take care of your weapon and it will take care of you, kind of thing. Various forms of combat training, mock emergency exercises, gas mask drills – all for the goal of solidifying the important things into your brain so when you need to, you and your body react with little or no hesitation.

I used to volunteer with a white-water rafting company. I trained with the rest of the staff before rafting season, and during the season we trained groups of clients in river safety before each trip. Weekend after weekend, and year after year, it all got drilled into my brain. And when I actually fell out of a raft one day and found myself trapped underneath it and spinning in the current at the base of a small waterfall, my body did what my brain had been trained for – and I did exactly what was necessary to escape, without panic.

Knowing the value of training is also the reason I always read through the emergency procedure literature on an airplane before takeoff and watch the flight attendant demonstrate getting out of a seatbelt and putting on an oxygen mask. I look at the pictures and go through the steps in my mind, imagining myself opening those emergency doors and escaping. I want my mind to be ready, just in case, so my body responds accordingly.

The armed forces, police, firefighters, and emergency/rescue workers train hard, and sometimes for years, in order to respond correctly in the face of danger or disaster. Many of these people will tell you, when asked about their bravery, that they are just doing their jobs the way they were trained to do them. I can see this might be true the first time a person is tested, but what about after that?

It takes real bravery to face an enemy more than once, whether the enemy is found in nature or a fellow human. Doing so could be grounded in training, as well as camaraderie – watching somebody else’s back, not wanting to let your buddy down. Often, I think, it’s also the result of truly knowing what the right thing is, and doing it. Otherwise, ordinary people wouldn’t rush into burning buildings to save strangers.

But where do the roots of such bravery come from? Maybe from parents or others that children admire, teaching them by their words and actions to love their country, respect life, do the right thing, and make a difference. These are the children who grow up to choose vocations that take them into danger or to dedicate their lives to helping others. Or to simply live ordinary lives with grace and conviction (which ultimately leads to a better world).

We may not be able to teach bravery but perhaps we can plant the seeds of courage.

Where do you think courage comes from?

Breaking News: Book Signings

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The first book signings for This New Mountain have been scheduled in Albuquerque:

  • August 24, 2012 • 5-8:00 pm • Hastings Books (Wyoming store, 505-299-7750)
  • September 28, 2012 • 5-8:00 pm • Hastings Books (Juan Tabo store, 505-296-6107)

If you’ve already bought the book (thank you!) but haven’t had it signed yet, come on by — AJ and I will take care of it for you. And if you’re in the neighborhood and just want to stop by and say hi, we’d love to chat.

Hope to see you there.

Taking a Break

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An incident happened earlier this week that made me realize how over-committed I am. Putting 110 percent into everything just doesn’t add up, mentally, physically or emotionally. As a result, I’ve decided to take a break from blogging. Doing so will bring several positives back into my life – peace and order among them. I see one negative possibility from this. I might lose readers. I hope not.

When I do return to Fear Less Fridays, I’ll be including interviews with the bravest people I know. Do you know someone who fits into the “Bravest People” category and who you’d like to see featured in a blogpost? If so, send their information to CateMacabe @ gmail.com and I’ll see what I can do.

Thank you for following this blog. Please check back soon for future postings.

Breaking News: E-book Formats and More

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For all those waiting for the Kindle and Nook editions of This New Mountain – they’re here!

Thanks to the hard work of the managing editor of Casa de Snapdragon Publishing, AJ Jackson’s memoir is now available in several e-book formats, with Apple and Kobo books to follow soon.

Books-A-Million has been added to the list of online booksellers in the United States who sell the paperback version of This New Mountain. Internationally, readers in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Sweden, India, and Italy can now order the book from their online stores as well.

We want to thank all those who already ordered our book. Don’t forget to come back and let us know what you think of AJ Jackson’s adventures.

Thank you!