My Christmas "Ah-ha" moment.

As I study the scripture this Advent season, I dwell on one particular aspect of the story this year.  During a devotional time at my women's group a couple of weeks ago, the text mentioned "swaddling clothes".  We talked about what we thought swaddling clothes were in those days.  Being a group of women ranging in age from 45 to 82, we had all read the stories hundreds of times and we have all decided in our minds what swaddling clothes were.  We came to the conclusion that they were strips of cloth wrapped around the newborn child, probably a little firmly (like a newborn blanket is wrapped tightly around a baby in the hospitals today). 

Strips of cloth.  His mother wrapped Him in strips of cloth.

We finished our devotional, went on to our yearly Christmas dinner and then finished up with our gift exchange.  I received a nice cookbook from my secret pal and a pretty ornament for my tree.  But, during all of this holiday celebrating, I couldn't put the thoughts of the "swaddling clothes" out of my head. 

When I arrived home, I picked up my Bible and looked up the burial of Jesus' body after He was crucified.  They wrapped His body in strips of clean linen cloth.  "Ah-ha!"  The Lord was wrapped in the same way at His birth that He was wrapped at His death. 

Strips of cloth.  I have no doubt that His mother, Mary, helped wrap Him in strips of cloth, once again.

I'm sure most or all of the people in those days were wrapped the same way as Christ was, but for the Bible to put this picture in my mind, at this time of year, leads me to once again think of why Jesus came.  He was born to die.  He was born for me, to die for me.  The parallell of the "swaddling clothes" brings the Birth story full circle again.  I always knew this.  But, just having it justified once more, in scripture, in a new way, gives me another reason to really again celebrate Christmas this year.

And while we will have gift exchanges on Christmas morning and a trip to the extended family's home an hour away, lots of food and visiting, my Savior will not be far from my thoughts.  As I unwrap my gifts, and as I watch my family unwrap their gifts, I will think of Jesus as my Savior that was "gift-wrapped" for all of us.  Twice.

Merry Christmas to the Christ child.  Happy Birthday to my Lord and Savior. 

Good tidings of great joy to all of you.

Peace.

Another favorite! GRANOLA!!

I am going to share another of my favorite recipes with you today.  Homemade Granola.  John and I eat this with milk in the morning for breakfast and in the evenings for a quick snack before bedtime.  It's so good.  But, the best thing about this granola is you know what you're eating!  Here goes........

Begin by adding the butter....YUM!!  Real butter, not that fake stuff.  Melt it in a medium-sized sauce pan, very slowly.  When it is completely melted, add the honey and salt.  Do not boil this mixture.  Set aside.

In a bowl, mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon/sugar, wheat germ and nuts.  I prefer pecans and almonds, but you can use what you love the most.  Tonight, I just used pecans. 

Mix this together and add the butter/honey mixture.  Stir well.  All of these ingredients are gonna get to know each other very quickly.  Pour this wonderful-smelling concoction onto a well-greased (I spray with canola spray) cookie sheet pan.  Spread it out evenly and try to pat down with the back of the spoon. 

Bake this for 10 - 15 minutes, until it looks like it's browning a bit, remove from the oven.  Using a spatula, press down while hot.  Let cool, remove from pan and store in air-tight container.  Remember, to prevent the granola from sticking to your pan (and having to pry it out with a hammer and other barn tools), remove from the pan when it's cooled enough to touch.

                                                                            ENJOY!!!

Homemade Granola

3 cups of uncooked oats
1 stick and 1Tbl butter
2/3 cup honey or sorghum
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tbl salt
1 Tbl cinnamon/sugar mixture
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup nuts, any type

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Follow directions above. 


Peace.

Happy Thanksgiving

As I spend the day before Thanksgiving preparing the pumpkin for the pumpkin pie, making the cranberry jello salad, pecan pie and cherry cobbler, I am reflecting on the things and people that I am truly thankful for.  It's been a tough year for me spiritually...within the walls of my home church....but I remain faithful to my Savior.  I am thankful that He is with me in times of trial and in times of joy.

Today, I also reflect on the other things for which I am thankful; my loving family.  No doubt, second to my Savior, my family is truly my rock.  They are the ones I crave companionship with and they are the ones I depend on for advice, love and support.

My job has been faithful to me as well.  I have a great job that allows me to support three thriving families.  I am thankful that He put me there at the right time. 

I am thankful for the good health of my loved ones.

Then, I can't help but think of those who are hurting.  My sister's stepchildren are about to lose their grandmother.  Cancer is an ugly thing.  I pray that she knows her Savior too. 

Pat lost her brother this week after a long illness.  Bill will face a surgery in the coming days.  Sharon lost her dad this week.  Willie struggles with her faith.  Bill has found a new church family, but his wife attends a different one to support her mother.  April leaves her job and faces a new journey.  Anita still searches for her father.  My father struggles with lonliness, one that we cannot fill.  Two families lost their sons to suicide last week in the community in which I work. 

These folks will be in my thoughts for a while. 

I rejoice that an older man, without family, will join our family for the big feast tomorrow.  Boy, is he in for a trip!  But, I also pray that he sees our love of family while he visits with us.

So, to anyone who might read this.  Give thanks for the important things, things you cannot buy.  Open your heart to someone who needs you.  Give thanks around your Thanksgiving dinner table, one person at a time. 

Leave it alone! Get rid of 'em! Stop it! Shut up! I feel better.

This time changing stuff that happens twice each year really gets to me.  I hope that one day they just leave it alone, one or the other. 

This political stuff that's going on right now is disheartening to me.  They all are self-serving.  They all want credit.  They all want the glory. In the meantime, everything is going to %^&*.   They all need to go.

High school bullying is everywhere.  I want it to stop and I want respect for all kids.  I want the school administrators to grow some balls (did I really just say that??) and take a stand against it.  I want them to get this problem taken care of.  Now! 

I want cancer to get cancer.  We can send a man to the moon.  We can create human life artificially.  We can create a phone that talks to us.......but we can't cure this.  I want it gone too.

And, I hope that someday I can make a difference in this world.  I hope I can be just one half of the woman my mom is.  I hope that I've done a good job raising my children to love their fellow man and the Lord.

That's all.  I feel better now.

Peace 

No-Shave November

It's that time of year.  John is preparing for his two-week-long deer camp with his closest friends.  Each year, they all get together (weeks ahead of season) to sight in their deer rifles and have "discussions".  Then, they cut firewood, pack the campers, load the food, buy the beer, stockpile the ammo............and they stop shaving.  They talk about things they don't talk about all year long, until this time of year....menu planning, generators, deer sausage, and......they stop shaving.

Well, you know what?  He leaves on Thursday.  And, for the next two exhilarating, wonderful weeks, I'm not going to shave either. 

The guys think we wives are miserably lonely while they're out there sitting around a campfire, drinking with other stinky men.  (Did I mention that NOT bathing while at deer camp is considered camouflage?   Deer aren't stupid, they can smell stench. 

Well, we wives are really on vacation during this blessed time of year.  I, for one, plan to sleep in the middle of the bed, with the dog.  And, the fan will be in the OFF position.    :)

I also plan to throw a few things away while cleaning up in a certain person's area.  This happens on a yearly basis during No-Shave November. 

I think I'll keep the house a nice, comfortable temperature.  And, I'll put the sauce ON the noodles....in the same pot, if I so choose.

I'm gonna have Cream of Wheat and toast for supper.  Maybe every night. 

So, after making him promise to call home every night to check up on me, I'll happily answer the phone ( at the agreed upon time) and tell him how much I miss him.  I'll tell him how quiet it is at home, ask him if he's having fun.  He'll tell me who killed  a deer today, who's was the biggest, and what he's having for supper.

Then, we'll give our kisses goodnight over the phone, say our "I love you's" and hang up. 

Days of our Lives on the DVR.............priceless.

"No-Shave November" is really "Dear" Season..............get it?   *wink wink*

Peace.

An evening in the lower 40

The many years of parenting are slowly coming to an end at our house.  Danny is 26, Becky is 24 and they both live out on their own.  Our youngest, Kelly, is now 16 and a Junior in High School.  She is in sports, has her drivers license and a part-time babysitting job.  So, John and I have a lot of alone time. 



 Tonight, we enjoyed a four-wheeler ride down through the farm, crossing the creek,  and we ended up in the lower 40 (acres).  We recently purchased this part of the Century-old family farm from the estate of my beloved Uncle Buddy. It joins our property and we are honoring the lease that he had with a man who farms alfalfa hay, cane, pumpkins and corn.  We "keep an eye on the place" about once every 2 weeks or so.  Tonight was nice.  We slowly made our way to the lower 40, walked up the wooded hills and then back down to the fields.  It's beautiful down there. 


The lower fields which are leased out.  The sights are breath-taking.



More than 100 years ago, this beautiful pond was an iron ore mine.  Now, we can sit by it and dream of the life of Grandpa Marsh.  I think he would really love this place.

As we came back up, we stopped at the old barn, that was (about 120 years ago) fully utilized as a dairy barn, sheep barn, hay loft, etc by my grandfather.  The old barn is nearly falling down, but we love to walk through it and pretend that we know exactly what it was used for, and I imagine grandpa milking "Butter" in there.   

We will soon be taking the old barn down, as there isn't enough to save, and building a newer one for our small herd of beef cows.  We plan to bulldoze the old brushy fields and make them workable again.  I'd love to have the farm be a working farm once again, just like grandpa used to have it.

This is an old dry creek bed.  It's so gorgeous this time of year. 

We will plant a nice orchard, raise some beef, cut hay, and fish in the old pond.  When the old house just can't be lived in anymore by renters, we'll probably take it down too.  I might just have to build a little farm house where the old house stands now.  I think Grandpa Marsh would like that.

I don't want to wish my life away, but retirement sounds so good........

Peace

Hot pepper hands

Today, I learned that you should never EVER chop jalapeno peppers without gloves.

Peace.......