Favorite Rerun - Wonder Tree

I'm posting this again because it is one of my favorite traditions about Christmas. It is the Wonder Tree post and reminds us all of the meaning of Christ coming as a baby to rescue us all. Click on Where's The Wonder and it will bring it up. I also posted a picture of us doing it here.

Today is our annual cookie baking day, so we will do our wonder tree today too. :) Stay tuned for pictures.

Peace

Today, the second Sunday in Advent, we lit the candle of peace.
Advent allows us time to reflect on Hope & Peace and finding time to prepare.
To prepare for the coming of a King.

The Real Meaning of Peace can be read here.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

6 smart snacks to feed your cold

These super healthy snacks will help you survive cold and flu season, and leave you feeling better in no time.

1. Vegetarian Chili made with onions, garlic, kidney beans and tomato paste not only warms up a cold-afflicted body, it may have medicinal properties! Onions and garlic have antiviral effects, beans have good-for-the-immune-system B vitamins and the spices can actually help clear sinuses!
2. Fresh Clementines won't prevent colds, but it can help cut down on the duration and severity of colds. Clementines are a great source of Vitamin C -- two fulfill 100% of your RDA.
3. Half a roast beef sandwich will provide your zinc. Zinc plays a big role in immune system functioning, and has been shown to stop the growth of microorganisms in the body, including some bacteria and viruses (and a virus is what causes colds). Both roast beef and whole-grain bread are great sources of zinc; put them together, and you've got powerful cold-fighting snack.
4. Chicken Soup. Need I say more? Believe it or not, your grandmother was right: Chicken soup is the perfect snack when you've got a cold! Not only is the warm broth comforting and soothing (essential when you're feeling run down), researchers showed that chicken soup helps control the production and spread of inflammation and congestion-causing neutrophils (white blood cells). A cup of this soup gives you the perfect 'dose.'
5. Tuna salad is packed with glutamine, an amino acid that helps step up your immune system's efficiency. Mix your tuna with a tablespoon of low-fat mayo and serve on 6 whole-grain crackers for a mini meal.
6. Ginger tea with gingersnaps help relieve congestion and has a soothing, spicy taste. You can make a throat-calming, congestion-busting tea by steeping chopped raw ginger in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Add a tsp of honey and sip with two crunchy gingersnap cookies on the side.

Republished from January 2006 FitnessMagazine.

24 Days of Giving

You can go to Dave Ramsey's website by clicking here and sign up each day for 24 Days of free give-a-ways! He also has an article about surviving Christmas and gifts for $10! I love a bargain. And I love free stuff. So sign up each day!

Yes or Maybe

Let your yes be yes. Taking this verse completely out of context from Matthew 5:37, I have discovered how important the word, "Yes" can be not only for three year old's but also for teens. When Janel was little I decided that I would use the word "Yes" more, in fact, as often as possible. It seemed that when I did say "no" it was more respected. Both of my kids know that if they kept asking if they could do something, it didn't change my mind, it just made me mad.

If there was no reason to say no, based on safety or my mood, I would say "yes" more often. Kids don't hear "yes" much. What they do hear are things like:

maybe later
we'll see
let me think about it
I don't care
go ahead
ya
yeah

So in an attempt to say "yes" more I have to be aware when it is appropriate. Like if Eli calls to go to a movie with friends. Do I just automatically say "no" because I'm tired and grouchy. Or do I say "no" because I don't want to think about why? Or if JJ wants to play UNO, do I say "yes" with excitement? I think that we can all use "yes" more. Maybe even once a day!

Matthew 5:37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'.

Red Sea Rule #7

Envision God's enveloping presence.

This is a good one entering the Christmas season. "For His children, He serves as both Guard and Guide. He both precedes us and protects us. He is simultaneously our Shepherd and Shield. He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the One who goes before, guiding into the future, and the One who goes behind, gathering up our debris, our failures, and our poor attempts at ministry, blessing us and leaving a blessing behind us for others."

How can we master the practice of the presence of God?

First, affirm His nearness in your heart. God is present in any and every situation. Some verses to memorize and help remind us of that are: Philippians 4:5-6, Isaiah 41:10, Genesis 28:15, Hebrews 13:5.

Second, visualize God's presence in your mind. It's a matter of recognizing the presence of the God who really is there. Deuteronomy 33:27.

Third, access God's nearness through prayer. Prayer is the environment in which we most solidly connect with God on an intimate basis.

Fourth, reflect His presence in your demeanor. Even the most menial tasks, if undertaken for God's glory, are holy; and wherever the Christ-follower stands -- even in a hot, thankless kitchen -- is holy ground, for the Lord is there too.

You are not facing your difficulty alone, for the Lord is closer than a friend or brother.

Envision His enveloping presence right now.

Christmas book idea

I love this idea over at the Idea Room. What a fun way to read Christmas stories during the month of December. She also gives a nice list of books to shop for if you wanted to start this tradition. I like to dig out my old "golden books" and read them by the tree, under the tree or around the tree. I like to browse through some 'coffee-table' Christmas books that I put away during the year, including some Christmas books by Susan Branch.

Just a little whimsy during the season adds a glimmer to your day.

My Grown up Christmas List

When I was little I used to make a list of things I wanted from Santa. I'm sure you did too. I thought of this the other day when I heard Amy Grant singing her song, My Grown Up Christmas List.

It made me wonder if my wish list had changed and if it has, has it changed for the better? Do I still want 'things'? Do I search for that perfect gift for someone else? Sometimes I think I'm much too practical when it comes to Christmas. Where's the fun or amusement out of a gift that is predictable?

Here are a few lyrics from the song...it made me think a little more about my gift list for myself and for others.

Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies
Well, I'm all grown up now
Can you still help somehow

I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream
So here's my lifelong wish
My grown-up Christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend

That right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up
Christmas list

Hope

Today is the first Sunday in Advent and we lit the candle of Hope. Enjoy this prayer from today's service.

Gracious God,
Make this the hour of your coming to us.
Break into our routines, transform our vision, equip us to hear and see you at work among us.
Take away our desire for dominating, that we may meet one another as equal in your sight.
Remove our waring spirits, to open us to your peaceful ways.
Send your light to illuminate our thinking and warm our responses.
Amen

Gratitude

“Gratitude unleashes the freedom to live content in the moment, rather than being anxious about the future or regretting the past.” –Ellen Vaughn

Give Thanks

Flashbacks

Weighing in at 49 pounds, January 1999, Eli tries wrestling.

Got 4th place and never wrestled again...until his this year.
He will wrestle at 189#, December 2009.

And who has a smile that can light up the world?
And a heart as big as the sky?
This is a picture of Janel in May 1984, at age 22 months.
There will be a houseful of smiles and wrestling tomorrow with my favorite son and favorite daughter and my favorite grandson and favorite granddaughter :)

still learning after all these years

I'm still learning...

• During my cleaning session this past weekend, I figured out that my cupboard with pull-outs is adjustable! I've had these cupboards for 6 years and I've never noticed that I can adjust the pull out track up or down to accommodate larger items.
• Boot-cut jeans. Seriously? Do you mean that boot-cut jeans fit INSIDE your boots? Who knew? I just know from experience that I do not buy these because they don't look good on me.
• My camera has a second battery. I have read my camera book over and over. But it took a fellow blogger and photographer to point out that in her book, she found out she has a second battery. Huh? Who knew?
• Focusing the camera has always been an issue for me. Yes, I have auto focus. But for some reason by the time I push my button down halfway to focus, wait for the little green square, and then shoot the picture...seconds have passed and I've either missed the opportunity or my picture is blurry. Reading through my manual (for the 100th time) I discovered a 'continuous focus' setting. Well, it is set now so we'll see how it works.

My motto still holds true...
~never stop learning~

And in a related story, do things disappear at your house? When I am gone overnight for work is when items disappear. Anyone seen my new (last year) knife I got from pampered chef? It probably is just like new, because I've barely used it. Or my dishcloth that disappeared the last time I was gone. I did recover the missing dishcloth...down in the garbage disposal. It must have slipped down there when Tim was tirelessly cleaning up the kitchen for me. Hmmm, wonder how long it was in there?

Preparations

I sure enjoyed my weekend away from the computer and blogging. Now I'm ready for another week. A week full of preparing, cleaning, cooking and enjoying company. Actually I won't start until Wednesday night. What's on the menu, you ask?

Of course turkey and ham. Along with that is my wild rice stuffing and some traditional things like yams and green bean casserole. Don't forget the apple salad and some homemade rolls. And it wouldn't be an official holiday without mashed potatoes and gravy.

A few fun things I saw were to slice your cranberry jelly and then use cookie cutters to make them into shapes, like leaves, etc. I thought that sounded fun. I also traced around JJ's hand and we'll make name cards out of them, somehow.

My mom is the pie queen. No one can take a pie crust out of a box, press it in a pan, add canned cherry pie filling and make it taste like she can. My dad teases her constantly about it, but we all love it. She always makes what we request, of course pumpkin and apple for Thursday and if she has pecans she will make me a pecan pie. Yum! I'm also going to make our favorite pumpkin roll complete with cream cheese filling.

I'm probably forgetting a few things, but my mouth is watering already. Thursday won't come soon enough!

The dishwasher

I love my dishwasher. I do not pre-rinse anything. The chunks do get swiped off beforehand and in the dishwasher it goes. In fact, if it fits, it goes in the dishwasher. I've been known to 'overload' my dishwasher on occasion every time. Have you ever noticed that NO ONE likes to UNLOAD the dishwasher? Is it me? They would rather put 1 dirty plate in a clean dishwasher than ask if it's clean or actually unload the thing. I also take detours around a clean dishwasher. I don't know why. But I think I have a hint.

This week, I've been washing smaller loads of dishes and running it more often. And unloading is a breeze! Wow, I can put away dishes in under a minute. Does it matter? Not really. But it makes the job easier.

Of course, this got my mind thinking about why people detour from church. Why is it so hard to start coming back to church after an absence? Do we have too much swiping to do before we think we're clean enough to step foot in the doorway of the church? Do we have too much crusty stuff stuck in the bottom of our glass? Stuff we don't want to deal with? Have we overloaded our mind into thinking that when we deal with this or that...THEN we'll go back to church.

What about the dishes that come out of the dishwasher and still need some TLC. The stuck on casserole that didn't come clean or the cheese that has become a melted layer of gook on the plate. Some things just need a little more attention before they are 'worthy' of the cupboard.

I know for a fact that I am not clean because I go to church. I have a lot of work to do when I leave the church service, and I sometimes spend so much time on my own gunk, that I forget that I'm out here to help others with their gunk. But what I've found is if I stay connected to my church family, we all help each other. Someone can see some stuck on gunk in my life that I can't even see. We can hold each other accountable. It is much easier to deal with a small load than to wait until it becomes a huge task that keeps you on the detour route.

And we don't even have to work on all of our gunk at the same time. God knows our hearts. He knows what gunk gets in the way of a more fruitful life. And He starts there. He starts where YOU are. Covered in your gunk.

Enjoy your weekend!

Colorful Choices

The wellness program at work keeps us informed of their programs even though we're off campus. I thought this one sounded easy and fun. Colorful choices is just easy-to-remember daily selections of colorful fruits and vegetables! The aim is to eat at least 5 fruits and vegies combined each day for a total of 20 days. 100 servings in all, in red, orange, yellow, green, and blue/violet.

By spreading your daily fruit and vegetable choices across the rainbow of colors, you're guaranteed the best produce has to offer for better health.

So here I go...20 days of 5-a-day for a total of 100 fruits and vegetables.

Calorie Bombs

I thought these fast-food choices were worth mentioning. I'll list the options to stay away from aka "Calorie Bombs"

Quizno's
Tuna Melt with cheese and dressing
Classic Italian Sandwich
Chicken with honey mustard flatbread chopped salad (the honey mustard drsg adds 500 cals)!

TGI Friday's
Jack Daniel's Ribs & Shrimp
Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
Loaded Potato Skins Appetizer (these ARE my favorites)

Applebee's
Quesadilla Burger
Grilled Shrimp Pesto Alfredo Fettuccine
Spinach-Artichoke Dip Appetizer (high fat, high salt )

Outback Steakhouse
Bloomin' Onion Appetizer
Aussie Cheese Fries Appetizer
Baby Back Ribs (full rack)

PF Chang's
Chicken Chopped Salad w/Ginger Dressing
Crispy Honey Shrimp
Lo Mein Combo

And last but not least...Olive Garden Bomb's
Create your own pizza appetizer (before you even add a tomato you're at nearly 1000 calories and .. gasp.. 2970 mg of sodium!
Pork Milanese
Tour of Italy Pasta

I thought this was interesting and comes from Fitness Magazine to my inbox. I've had a few of these. Guess its time to order smarter.

Lay 'Em Down

I heard this song last weekend and it was one of those tunes that really pulled me in. I found the lyrics and I think this link will work to take you to their website and you can listen to the song. I've not heard of this group, Need To Breathe, but I really love this song. It is on their album, The Outsiders.

Here are the lyrics:

Lay 'Em Down
Come down to the river
Come and let yourself in
Make good on a promise
To never hurt again
If you're lost and lonely
Broken down
Bring all of your troubles
And come lay 'em down

All you sinners
And the weak at heart
All the helpless
On the boulevards
Wherever you are now
Whatever evil you've found
Bring all of your troubles
And come lay 'em down

We're all tied to the same old failings
Finding shelter in things we know
We're all dirty like corrupted small towns
We'll bring our troubles
We'll bring our troubles
Come lay 'em down

All you rich men
And the high above
All those with
And without love
All you burdened
And turned around
Bring all of your troubles
Come lay 'em down

Just the Girls!

I don't get much 'girl time' anymore, so when Jayla and Janel arrived for a fun Saturday a couple of weeks ago, we had a lot of time to play with babies, run outside (in November) in our socks and be silly girls.

Jayla thought she was being 'dropped off' and wasn't sure mom was staying at first.

Playing babies

Just being silly

An unbelievable warm November day

Running in our socks

Big enough to go down the slide, alone

Nap is over

What a fun day with just the girls. But it sure wasn't the same without JJ, who spent the day with dad. The next day JJ asked his mom if he was going to Gramma Lori's house after his nap. I'm still smiling.

The Thankfulness Song

The Thankfulness Song

I thank God for this day,

For the sun in the sky,

For my mom and my dad,

For my piece of apple pie!

For our home on the ground

For His love that's all around

That's why I say thanks everyday!

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!

I'm glad for what I have,

That's an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares,

'Cuz He listens to my prayers,

That's why I say thanks everyday!

~VegieTales

A few rules

If you're watching your calories -- or your life expectancy -- there are a few fast rules to follow if you eat out at popular restaurant chains:

• Avoid anything with the word "sampler" or "platter", unless you plan to share it with 3 or more people and make it your main course.
• Skip anything that comes in an edible bowl or includes the words stacked, stuffed, double, triple, slammed, or dunked.
• Nachos are something best shared with a group, and subs are something best measured in calories, fat and sodium -- not inches.
• When you see the words crispy or glazed, realize that's what will happen to your arteries and your eyes, respectively, if you consume too many of these items.
• Lettuce has become a vehicle for fat: cream-based dressings, cheese chunks, bacon bits, and oil-soaked croutons that turn many salads into health hazards.
• Just because an item falls under the word "appetizers" does not mean it should be followed by more food. Not even the same day.

I thought these were timely coming from Fitness Magazine and just in time for the holiday frenzy that overcomes us into thinking we don't know if we'll have time for another meal today. Snap out of it. And enjoy the next few weeks.

Sweet Storytime

This is a video of JJ and Jayla at bedtime. JJ is reading to us. Listen to the volume of his voice as the video goes on and Jayla is being a true-little sister! Jayla is sitting IN the doll crib with her baby listening intently until she sees something of JJ's that she wants. Jayla says, "mine" and then grabs something of JJ's. JJ takes it back, Jayla giggles, but JJ's voice gets louder and louder -- like a preacher delivering his sermon! These are the times that make me smile for weeks and thankful I can be a part of their lives. It is a little dark, after all, it is bedtime :).

As promised...musical picture overload

Here are my favorite photos from last week's musical.

You can also check this video and this video that I loaded to you tube.
And this link will take you to Man to Man Talk video.

These songs continue to flow through my mind this week. 

Great casting & great job everyone!

Bravo ~ Bravo ~ Bravissimo

Fear & Light

A little more from rule #6, as Isobel Kuhn, a missionary, tells of her steps in perplexity:

1. Cast out fear. The only fear a Christian should entertain is the fear of sin. All other fears are from Satan sent to confuse and weaken us. How often the Lord said to his disciplies, 'Be not afraid!'  She refused to be afraid and asked God to cast such fears out of her heart.
2. Seek light for the next step. She had no idea how she was going to get out of Asia, but with God's help she could figure out what to do that day to provide food and funds, to find a safe place to stay.

Eventually she arrived back home safe and sound, but it came by trusting God for guidance in small increments, taking the journey one footprint at a time.

When you don't know what to do next, cast out fear and seek light for the next step. Trust God for guidance in small increments and if you can't see what lies dimly in the distance, do what lies clearly at hand.

Take things moment by moment, and when you don't know what to do, just do what comes next. Trust God to lead you a step at a time.

Verse 2 from Amazing Grace
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear. The hour I first believed.

Red Sea Rule #6

When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith.

Ok, maybe THIS is my favorite rule.  Each rule stirs in me a memory of times where I handled things badly or didn't have the right "fight" to handle the battle. 

On the despairing shores of the Red Sea, the Israelites couldn't see what was in the distance. They had no binoculars that could view Canaan or even the opposite shore. But the Lord gave them a simple plan: tell the children of Israel to go forward.

Some believe that the Red Sea did not divide throughout all at once, but opened progressively as Israel moved forward, so that they needed to trust God for each fresh step.  What if God doesn't give guidance for two steps at a time? What if we must take one step and then we get the light for the next step?

"Whenever I haven't known what to do, I've just tried to do what comes next, to take the next logical step by faith. I've decided that sometimes plodding is better than plotting when it comes to finding God's will."