More Than Just a Lenten Friday

Today marks the 4th Friday of this year’s Lenten Season. Lent is always important in the preparation for Easter and all the joy of the season to come. Today also happens to mark a milestone of sorts in my blogging journey. This post represents five consecutive years of sharing something. Five years of uninterrupted writing.

It’s amazing how healing it is to write every day. Growing up in a home that at times could be anything but sane, I lived in fear of following my mother down the rabbit hole of mental illness. I don’t blame her. Being mentally ill is not something anyone brings upon themselves. Generally speaking, mental illness is the result of outside triggers – things that are beyond our control – and/or a predisposition toward mental illness, as in genetics. Growing up in an stable home doesn’t mean you’ll be equally stable if your brain chemestry has other plans any more than genetics is a kiss of certain insanity. I can tell you that writing is an outlet that has helped me to heal while working through my issues. I’m no longer afraid of loosing my mind. I have my quirks no doubt, but I’ve learned to love them. Someday I’d like to get a a T-Shirt that says: I’m only a little Crazy. I know because I’ve been tested.

Everything in my life has to be balanced. If the bed is in the middle of the room, there needs to be a night stand or dresser on either side. A table must have an even number of chairs. My desk has matching book shelves on either side. Everything must have its place, and there needs to be a logical order to that. Spices are organized alphabetically, as are CDs. (For obvious reasons). Even the closet is organized by color and length of the sleeves. Dresser drawers are organized in a particular order. Things I put on first are at the top, and I work my way down. I keep shoes in the bottom of my dresser. When we travel, it’s the same way. Hubby is awesome in that he’ll rearrange the room if possible to give me a sense of balance.

I can’t just have a sandwich – there has to be something on the side – some chips or a piece of fruit – something. Balance is stability – my security blanket. Hubby has helped me to realize if things happen to get a little out of balance, the world isn’t going to come to an end. Sometimes he will move a chair or put everything to one side of the table just to tease. It use to freak me out. Now I just scoff at him, and put things back. Life is good. I am at peace. Faith is a big part of my peace of mind. Being healthy requires work. And that’s okay.

Today is a Friday. For some it’s a sacrifice of meat. In our house, it means coming up with something new to do with fish. Hubby use to love eating at Long John Silver. We haven’t been to one in years. So I thought maybe making a Long John copy-cat might be nice.

Long John Silver Style Battered Fish Fry
Batter
1 cup Flour
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
3/4 cup cold Water, more as needed

In a bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and sugar. Slowly add cold water, whisking, until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter. Pour into a shallow bowl for dipping, in batches if necessary.

Fish Fry
1 lb White Fish Fillets
Oil for frying

Pat fish dry with paper towels. Dip fish into batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Let battered fish rest on a cooling wrap for a few minutes for the batter to adhere while the oil is heated.

In a deep skillet or fryer heat oil to 350-degrees. Carefully place a few pieces of fish into the hold oil to fry for about 3 minutes or so, depending upon size; until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

For Serving
1 cup Tartar Sauce
Malt Vinegar as desired

Serve fried fish hot with tarter sauce and malt vinegar as desired. French Fries are also great to round things out.

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The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit He saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.