As I come into this week, I am in awe of how crazy busy we have been. I mean, it was Tuesday and it already felt like we put in a full week and I’m done.
I am not exhausted from being tired. I do have a lot of energy, but my brain is done. It is time for me to space out my time and let people handle the things are theirs to handle.
I wear many hats right now and I am working to take a few of them off.
I would like to formally announce to our readers that I will no longer be your circulation manager. I feel I have to let a few hats go so I can give one hundred percent to things that really need my attention. I am not leaving the paper, but circulation just doesn’t need me as much. I am still co-publisher. I will handle things that need my attention.
I thought I had what it takes to multi-task. It was brought to my attention that I keep adding to my plate and not letting things go. I was told a few things were suffering because I was doing what it takes to get things done, but not giving it my full attention. No one wants to hear that. No one wants to hear that they are not doing a good job in some areas.
I am so glad I live with my publisher, and co-owner of our businesses. I’m glad he can come to me and say, “Take a step back. We need to fix some things. It’s not working.”
I love to be in charge of things and get things done. I am great at organizing people and projects. Sometimes I get too much going on because I can’t say no.
I am slowly learning that I can’t do it all no matter what and that it is ok to say, “I can’t do this at this time.” Amazingly, things still get done when I can’t do them.
Many times, when we have to say “no,” God already had someone else ready to step up and get the job done. However, when there is someone who always steps up to get things done, others just let them.
God may be dealing with someone to take on a project or task, but they feel they can’t step on the toes of the person that has done it all the time.
I am learning it is time for me to move on from many of the things I have always done. That being said, I don’t believe you should stop all things and do nothing. If you are here on this earth you have a purpose, and God is not finished with you yet.
I always pray God’s will to be done in my life. I want to be doing what He has for me.
Have you ever noticed that if you do something or several things that aren’t in the will of God, they don’t turn out very well? In addition, the important things you are supposed to be doing suffer because you have too many irons in the pot.
This is what I am working on in my life right now. I am trying to slow down just a bit and decide what is important and what needs the most attention. The rest can wait, or someone else can do it.
Life is short and we have to learn to enjoy it. However, slowing down is difficult for me. It is not how I am wired. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I had a weekend of nothing to do. But in everything I do, I am enjoying the ride and the view.
KEY LIME POUND CAKE WITH KEY LIME CREAM CHEESE ICING
4 sticks butter, that’s 1 pound, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
1/4 cup evaporated milk, (I always keep a good number of those small, 5 ounce cans in my pantry.)
4 teaspoons key lime zest, minced
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 300°. Cover inside of 10 inch tube pan with non-stick spray. My pan is 10 1/2″ and it’s just fine. Set aside.
Using a stand-up mixer or electric hand-held, beat the butter well until light in color and fluffy. Add the sugar and again beat well for at least 5 minutes. I use a stand up mixer and beat the mixture 10-15 minutes. I don’t like a “grainy” cake.
One at a time add the eggs and beat only until the yellow disappears.
Stir juice, milk, zest and vanilla together.
Now mixing by hand, gradually flour to the butter-egg mixture alternating with the key lime juice and milk mixture. Begin and end with flour. Mix well but just enough to incorporate all ingredients. You don’t want a tough pound cake!
Pour evenly into the tube pan and tap pan on the counter to loosen any air bubbles.
Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Cool on a cooling rack for 20-25 minutes in the pan then transfer from pan to cooling rack and allow to cool another hour or until completely cool.
The cake is far better the following day or 2 days later.
Key Lime Cream Cheese Icing
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3-4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
2-3 teaspoons key lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Using a hand mixer beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well mixed.
Add confectioner’s sugar and beat well until completely smooth and fluffy.
Add key lime juice, zest and vanilla and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Ice cake.
This makes quite a bit of icing. After icing the entire pound cake I fill the middle hole with the excess icing. When the cake is served icing can be taken from the middle and dolloped along the side the slice of cake.
Tina Specht is co-publisher of the Minden Press-Herald. She shares her thoughts and recipes each Thursday.