On Saturdays I reflect on simple thoughts and simple pleasures. My leads are somewhat similar to others in The Simple Woman's Daybook group, yet a bit different as well.
Outside my window...
Christmas lights reminding me that Jesus is the Light of the World. We got our outside decorations up today. Sometime this week we'll put up the tree.
A Picture to Share...
Christmas lights reminding me that Jesus is the Light of the World. We got our outside decorations up today. Sometime this week we'll put up the tree.
A Picture to Share...
Mary and Joseph in our front garden. Actually, he looks like a shepherd, doesn't he?
To let God bring whatever things into my life where He wants my involvement and to be content in the rest of a measure in the symphony of life.
From the sewing room...
I finished this wall quilt that I named "Garden Pathways" and hung it in the upstairs hallway. I practiced free motion quilting some viney leaves on it, but I think I hurried it too much. I did learn some of what not to do, though, and to take my time and be patient with the process.This coming week I'm looking forward to...
Making sugar cookies for My Beloved--his favorite.
From the kitchen...
Made some biscotti while visiting with my parents. Sharing the recipe. It's originally from bettycrocker.com, but I thought it was much too dry, so I tweaked it some. Here's my version.Orange-Almond Biscotti
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
- Heat oven to 350 F.
- Stir together sugar, butter, orange peel and eggs vigorously in large bowl until creamy and well blended. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and almonds. Shape half of the dough at a time into rectangle, 10 x 3 inches, on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices cut side down on cookie sheet.
- Bake about 15 minutes or until crisp and light brown.Removed from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
Noticing the sound of...
The vaporizer bubbling away. A soothing sound. I've tended to get nosebleeds easily the past few years in the dry air of winter. The vaporizer helps tremendously.
Thinking...
That there is great mystery is the incarnation of Jesus Christ. If you haven't read The Incomparable Christ by J. Oswald Sanders, I recommend it to you.
Thankful...
For My Beloved. A friend gave me some pictures of our family taken a few years back, which brought to mind how much we've changed--in several ways. My love for him grows deeper, and I feel the same from him. I'm thankful for another Christmas together. I was reading a blog today of a woman whose husband recently died. She is having a difficult time of it, this first Christmas alone, with sorrow upon sorrow. It's only by God's grace that any of us see the good of life in times like that, but I don't think she knows Him.
Around the house...
The closets that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago--I MUST get to those this week!
A thought from my Quiet Time...
From 1 Thessalonians 5:23--Now may the God of peace sanctify you entirely.
Sanctification is a quiet work. A quiet work within. A quiet work wrought by God. The God of peace.
Sanctification is that process of being set apart for God. He begins our sanctification at the point of salvation, and He will complete it in its entirety. Yet He interweaves His grace and power with His exhortations to holiness in daily living:
- v. 11 - encourage one another and build one another up
- v. 12 - appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord
- v. 14 - admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone
- v. 15 - do not repay evil for evil, but seek after that which is good for one another
- v. 16 - rejoice always
- v. 17 - pray without ceasing
- v. 18 - in everything give thanks
- v. 19 - do not quench the spirit
- v. 20 - do not despise prophetic utterances
- v. 21 - examine everything carefully, hold fast to that which is good
- v. 22 - abstain from every form of evil
Currently reading...
An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller. It caught my eye at the library when I stopped in for some children's books. Just a couple of chapters into it. I'm typically not fond of fiction, but I am fond of the Amish, so I thought I'd get a little glimpse into what someone thinks they do to keep our current culture's Christmas at bay. 
