Outside My Window...It's sunny bright here today. Cool, but not cold. This is our 4th Christmas here in the South. I'm starting to get accustomed to Christmas without the hope of snow.
Noticing the sound of...
The sound of Christmas songs from clear, melodic voices of 30-40 years ago.
Looking forward to...
Our Christmas Eve service with our church family. There is truly only one central theme for us--the birth of Jesus. Emmanuel. God with us.
Thankful For...
God's gift of love that we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus redeems back to God those who believe that He came for that purpose. Otherwise, we are bound for an eternity without Him.
Brought a smile...
Took my mother to an appointment this week. We could hear the doctor before we saw him--his Christmas sweatshirt was laden with large jingle bells. I'm sure he brightened the day for many.
Brought a smile...
Took my mother to an appointment this week. We could hear the doctor before we saw him--his Christmas sweatshirt was laden with large jingle bells. I'm sure he brightened the day for many.
Pondering...
"Keep going to Jesus. As you grow in wisdom and self-control, you will become part of a constructive solution instead of a destructive force that makes things worse." David Powlison in Matters of the Heart.
So much better than becoming part of the fray, isn't it?
In the Kitchen...
So much better than becoming part of the fray, isn't it?
In the Kitchen...
Making No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal cookies. My Beloved has discovered this year that he has become gluten intolerant, so baking mostly with oatmeal this Christmas.
Sharing the recipe:
Bring the following to a boil for one minute:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
Then remove from heat and stir in:
1/2 cup peanut butter until melted
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix in 3 cups quick (minute) oats
Drop from tablespoon onto waxed paper.
Let stand until firm.
Learning...
To bake with gluten-free flour. I've tried a few recipes, but the texture is much different, and I'm slowing learning its characteristics.
In the Sewing Room...
Been using my cutting table as our gift wrapping center. Got that cleared away and am beginning Anna's dress from the fabric she chose from my stash.
Around the house...
Plaid bows at the foot of the stairs for Christmas.
Around the house...
Plaid bows at the foot of the stairs for Christmas.
Thinking...
That smoking used to be the posh thing for women to show they've come a long way, baby (or so the ads proclaimed). Now it's drinking wine. (Even while quilting. Now, wouldn't that be a tragic way to ruin a beautiful, handmade quilt!) Many have paid more for their glamor than they expected. It seems there's always something that promises an identity. When, in fact, the opposite is taking place. Controlled by the nicotine or controlled by the alcohol. Always searching. Seeking only what Christ can provide.
Reading...
"What if a person does not feel like a person at all. Instead, they feel like an animal, or a mythical creature? This actully happned when a man had his nose and ears removed in pursuit of transformation.
"We live among a dis-integrated people in a disoriented culture. Most people are not integrated in their thinking and, therefore, are not integrated in their living. They can rationalize whatever works for them in the moment because they have no belief in, nor relationship to, anything or anyone who is not malleable. Ethics are situational and everything is negotiable. Everything is fluid including their identity, relationships, and moral behavior."
- Carmen LaBerge in Speak the Truth: How to bring God back into every conversation
