Golden Cottage - Life Changes

 

 

Greetings Gail-Friends:  

Rabbi Jem and I have going through life changes. Nothing serious. Nothing bad.  We have changed our way of eating.  I mentioned last month that I would share a little bit about it.  Jem has lost over thirty pounds.  I've lost fifteen.   (Trying not to be jealous, but he loses twice as fast as me.)

This recipe is one I keep on hand, so I thought I'd share it with y'all.  I call it Gail's Easy Pickles: 

Makes about 2-3 pints

Ingredients:

1 package of baby cucumbers (equals 3-4 cups)

red, yellow, and orange pepper strips

alternative sweetener of choice to equal 1-1/2 c sugar

1-1/2 cups vinegar 

OR

I like to buy bread and butter pickles and save the juice. I start with that as the base and add vinegar to equal 3 cups. 

OR

sometimes, I just use the jar of leftover pickle juice and add the pickles and peppers. Then I add vinegar to cover the cucumbers.

OR 

if I don’t have leftover pickle juice, I add these spices to the vinegar/sugar solution:

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon celery seeds

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

If I have any pickling solution left over, I just save it till I make pickles again.

Optional: I add a spicy pepper to one jar – for my husband because he likes spicy.

Directions:

Cut cucumbers in spears – I do 4 spears per cucumber and this fills up about 2-3 pint jars. I put the cucumbers in and pack them loosely. Then, I put the pepper strips in. I save my jars (all sizes) so if there’s not enough to fill a second quart, I just use a smaller jar.

Combine sugar or sweetener, vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric (or your leftover Bread & Butter pickle juice) in a bowl until sweetener and salt have dissolved; pour evenly over cucumbers and peppers. Cover jars with lids. Refrigerate for seven days before serving.

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One of my changes is to eat more veggies, so I keep this tray in the frig filled at all times.  I also keep a small container of homemade ranch dip (made with yogurt and mayo) in the tray.  I'm reading labels and trying to stay away from additives, preservatives, dyes, artificial ingredients, and genetically modified stuff.  It's amazing how much of that junk is in our food these days.  Tip:  if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it, y'all. 

 And I roast big pans of veggies with spices:

 

 

Turkey, pickle, and cheese roll-ups with homemade ranch dressing is a favorite lunch.  Or, sometimes I have a big smoothie with collagen, almond milk, and chocolate.

 

Oh, and I have to tell you about my new best friend:  Palmini pasta.  Made from palm hearts.  I buy these at Aldi, but you can get them online.  My favorite is the angel hair pasta.  Jem's not in love with them (yet).  He prefers the regular wheat noodles.  And I guess I'll never know why he can eat bread, pasta, rice and pretty much everything else and still lose weight. When I moan about this, my friends tell me men just lose weight faster than women.  Ugh!

 

 And for a low-carb treat, I make "forgotten cookies."  Made with egg whites.  They melt in your mouth.

  

I've been super busy.  Now that Jem's book is finished, I'm working on my next book.  Coming soon, y'all.  His book is doing really well on Amazon. I'm amazed at how many copies he's sold in the last two weeks. It is so funny. You can get it in paperback or as an e-book:   https://a.co/d/8IaGWRy

 

All is well at Golden Cottage and we're enjoying the cooler weather this week -- highs in the 80's and lows in the 70's.  Fall is in the air, Gail-Friends.  And the goldenrod is blooming.  Mama always said when it blooms winter is on its way.  YAY!

Toonie Woo and Lucy Loo are doing good:

 

The last few days have been so emotional.  I've been closely following the events surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk.  We're still praying for his wife, children, friends and family.  And I'm praying for this to be used for good -- for the glory of God's Kingdom.  I believe it is happening.  I read that lots of people attended church the Sunday following the murder.  

I've seen signs that say, "I Am Charlie Kirk" and this one really impressed me:  

 

 

That's what Charlie did.  And he did it so well.  You can see his speeches and interviews on YouTube.  I admire his ability to confront lies with courage, patience, and clarity.  He has impacted many lives in his thirty-one years on this earth.  He loved God, his family, and his country.  I believe his legacy will be like that of Martin Luther King. 

I saw this week that Charlie was writing a book about observing the Sabbath. I'm looking forward to reading it when it's released.  The title is Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life .  The book has already topped Amazon's Christian and religion/spirituality bestseller lists due to pre-orders following Kirk's death.

Shalom and blessings to you all, Gail-Friends.   

Turning Point

 

photo flickr

Yesterday a martyr was born. A young man, only thirty-one years old.  Charlie Kirk --  murdered while speaking God's Truth about conservative issues.  His legacy will live on, though.  Please pray for his wife and children and for all who are grieving this great loss of a man who loved God, his family, and his country.  

I've known of him through Turning Point USA podcasts, television, YouTube, and the internet.  I've heard him speak and admired his ability to make concise statements and to debate issues without hostility.  I admired his rock-solid belief in God's Word and his passionate desire to enlighten high school and college students.  He was dedicated to teaching the Constitution and encouraged people, young and old, to become politically involved.

Charlie Kirk, I believe, will be remembered in the way Dr. Martin Luther King has been.  Charlie stood for speaking truth without violence.  I also believe his videos and podcasts will influence many generations to come.

May his death be a "turning point" for America.  Dear Lord, please heal our land.  I read this post today by Stephen Miller on X and it is so true: 

There is an ideology that has steadily been growing in this country which hates everything that is good, righteous and beautiful and celebrates everything that is warped, twisted and depraved. It is an ideology at war with family and nature. It is envious, malicious, and soulless. It is an ideology that looks upon the perfect family with bitter rage while embracing the serial criminal with tender warmth. Its adherents organize constantly to tear down and destroy every mark of grace and beauty while lifting up everything monstrous and foul. It is an ideology that leads, always, inevitably and willfully, to violence — violence against those uphold order, who uphold faith, who uphold family, who uphold all that is noble and virtuous in this world. It is an ideology whose one unifying thread is the insatiable thirst for destruction.

We see the workings of this ideology in every posting online cheering the evil assassination that cruelly robbed this nation of one of its greatest men. Postings from those in positions of institutional authority — educators, healthcare workers, therapists, government employees — reveling in the vile and the sinister with the most chilling glee.

The fate of millions depends upon the defeat of this wicked ideology. The fate of our children, our society, our civilization hinges on it.

Now we devote ourselves, with love and unyielding determination, to finishing the indispensable work to which Charlie bravely devoted his life and gave his last measure of devotion.

Here is the information about Charlie's background (from Grok today):

 Charlie Kirk, born on October 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and raised in Prospect Heights, was a prominent figure in American conservative politics. He co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in 2012 (when he was only nineteen years old) with Bill Montgomery, a retired marketing entrepreneur and Tea Party activist.

 Kirk's background includes a focus on political activism from a young age, leading him to defer college to engage full-time in this endeavor. TPUSA aims to promote conservative values on high school, college, and university campuses across the United States.

Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization, has grown significantly since its inception, advocating for conservative policies and influencing student government elections. Kirk also founded Turning Point Action, a political advocacy arm, and Turning Point Faith, which mobilizes religious communities on conservative issues. He hosted "The Charlie Kirk Show," a daily radio program on Salem Media's "The Answer" channel, and was involved in various media projects aimed at engaging younger audiences, particularly Generation Z.

Tragically, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University. This event marked a significant moment in the organization's history, as Kirk was a central figure in its operations and public presence. The organization continues to operate, maintaining its mission to promote conservative ideals among young people.

When he was shot that day, he was speaking about mass shootings and gun violence.

Let's Do This

 

  

WOW. What a powerful moment from President Trump’s rally. HUD Secretary Scott Turner took the stage and spoke words this country desperately needs to hear right now.  He said:

 

“Think about this. What if 1 million people prayed for our country every single week between now and next July 4th?”

 

“What if believers all across this great nation got together with 10 people…10 people each week, to pray for our country and our fellow citizens? Let that sink in.”

 

“1 million people, every single week…think about the miracles that would take place over the next year. Think about the transformation you and I could witness.”

 

“Families coming back together, health being restored, financial needs being met, mountains being moved. THINK ABOUT IT. If a million of us, every week, got together…how many know that God is well-able to do it? Amen.”

 

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This is exactly the kind of leadership we need: calling America back to faith, back to family, and back to prayer. The elites in Washington and Hollywood laugh at the idea of prayer. They mock Christians for putting our trust in God. But deep down, we know the truth—this nation has only stood as long as it has because of the prayers of the faithful.

 

We’re in a cultural and spiritual battle. The left wants to erase faith from the public square, rewrite history, and replace God with government. But the American people are hungry for something real, something eternal. Imagine the power if one million of us committed to pray every week. That’s not politics. That’s not policy. That’s raw, unshakable faith in action.

 

Think about it:

 

• A million people lifting up this country to God.

• A million voices asking for healing, protection, and revival.

• A million Americans standing together in unity, not division.

 

That would move mountains. That would shake Washington. That would bring families, churches, and communities back to life.

 

And let’s be honest, this is what terrifies the establishment most. Because when the people of God rise up in prayer and unity, no political machine, no corrupt bureaucracy, no media empire can stand against it.

⸻

This isn’t just about prayer… it’s about action. Prayer leads to courage. Courage leads to community. And community leads to real, lasting change.

 

President Trump is giving believers across this country the microphone. He’s showing that faith still matters. He’s reminding us that the answer isn’t in another government program or another bureaucrat’s desk—it’s in God Almighty, and in His people standing together.

 

So let’s do it. Let’s take Scott Turner’s challenge seriously. Between now and July 4th, gather your friends, your family, your church, your neighbors. Ten people each week. One million Americans crying out for our country.

 

This could be the beginning of the greatest revival America has seen in generations.

(source: Facebook)