2011... now what??...

What does the ending of 2010 mean, and even more, where are we headed in 2011??

Christmas is a 'refresher course' in what we believe with our whole hearts, how it all began, and a celebration of just how big THE GIFT really is. And when it ends, and we face the new year, what thoughts, prayers and experiences do we bring to it?

On the eve of a brand new year, I am renewed in my desire to live more fully in the ways that bring joy to my Heavenly Father. It is fresh in my mind and heart that He came as a baby, to live and walk on this earth, to minister, and finally to die... for me.I want this Januay 1, as we begin 2011, to be different, deeper... I don't want meaningless resolutions, I want more...

more of obedience...
more of prayer...
more of His word...
more of listening to His voice...
more discipline in areas that need fine tuning...
more of knowing Him better...
more of following Him more closely...

I know that if I seek Him for the "more"... I will BE more of what He wants me to be...

Let's begin this NEW YEAR, 2011 with a renewed commitment to pray, and ask God for 'more'... more of what He wants for us... for ourselves, our marriages, our families, our friends, and for those who don't yet know HIM, and for each other.

Do you feel that way too?...

From our house to yours!...

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE... FROM US, OUR KIDS, & THEIR KIDS!!









MAY THIS CHRISTMAS BE JOYFUL FOR EACH ONE OF YOU, AS WE CELEBRATE THE GIFT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING......


"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (MATT.1:21 NKJV)

the REAL reason...

Light of the World, born that day

The love of the Father, provided the way...

Human baby, brand new and crying

Heaven and all mankind were sighing...

Star of Christmas aglow with light

Mankind forever changed that night...

His birth, life and death, God's sovereign plan

Created from His love... to redeem man...

May we as His children, born again by HIS love

Be filled with HIS light, as our eyes look above...

Christmas... the reason that joy lives within

The babe in the manger...now reigns as our King!

The whole world sings about Jesus at Christmas!...

I've never posted anything by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, or Andrea Boccelli. But from my earliest childhood days, I also have never heard a choir sing like they do, and with Bocelli singing in the foreground, my hubby and I just sat quietly for a few minutes last night and listened to this most beautiful piece of music a friend sent to us. We were silent and blessed. The music is about our Saviour, and it made Christmas so real as we listened to the words so beautifully sung... I wish our church had a huge choir and organ...

I am reminded of how my dad used to say that' the whole world sings about Jesus during Christmas!'...

Who has the almond?...

Since my mom was born in Norway, the traditions that she grew up with also became ours.

Her baking and cooking, especially during Christmas, have always been some of our favorite traditions...

The top 3 on our list every Christmas season were... potatiskorv, heart shaped waffles, (in her old Norwegian cast iron waffle maker), and riisengrut... (and #4 would be about 25 varieties of her homemade Norwegian cookies)...

Potatiskorv was a sausage my mom made with pork, veal, potatoes and onions, all hand ground in her meat grinder, and stuffed into sausage casings and cooked. Oh how I would love some right now!!

Riisengrut was what we always had on New Years Eve. It is white rice cooked in milk, like a thick and creamy rice pudding. We each had a big bowl with a big lump of butter melting on top and cinammon and sugar. It's delicious!

In one of the bowls, my mom put an almond and buried it in the rice. Then she switched the bowls all around, with her eyes closed, so she had no idea which bowl held the almond. Traditionally, the almond was to bring special things in the coming year to the person whose bowl it was in...

As we began to eat, each one of us held our breath till the winner declared they had the almond in their bowl. The winner got a big gift wrapped box of something special. To this day, I can't remember what the gift was... it was all about trying to be sure we had the almond in our bowl!

We carried that tradition on with our 3 kids all through the years. Our gift was a coffee can filled with pennies that had been saved through the year. Our youngest son won that almond so many times, that we finally all said... just give the can of pennies to Tommy, before we even ate... (all 3 of them will be laughing and nodding in agreement if they read this!)



A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers.

(Prov.17:8 NKJ)

Christmas Open House..please come in!...

I love to picture people in their homes, and especially at Christmas, to see what your ideas are and how Christmas inspires you to decorate...

So I am opening my home today and inviting you in for a quick tour, just the downstairs... all the stuff that was laying around has been temporarily moved out of camera view!...

As I looked at these pictures I thought... 'what a nice neat home this person has, no clutter... and then I laughed with some guilt, as I pictured what the upstairs looks like right this minute!!...

I would love to see what you have done in your home...

Merry Christmas!

A gift I'll never forget...

It was December, 1988, when our daughter was in high school... the days of December passed quicky and she had no gifts to put under the tree.

Our kids always gave to each other, never anything expensive, but always a gift for each brother and sister.

First I hinted... but as December grew into December 20 and 21... I began to nag... I reminded her that there would be gifts for her from her brothers and she had nothing for them!

She just put me off, and Christmas Eve arrived...

At the dinner table, as we were finishing our meal, she stood and passed one of these papers, all hand printed and personalized... to each of us, grandparents included. She said... 'this year I have no extra money, so this is my gift for my family'...

As we opened it and read the words, she turned on her 'boom box' and began to sing a solo to the music of Amy Grant's 'Heirlooms'...

By the time she was one verse into it, tears were running down my face, and I have them again right now as I remember, and share this memory of the gift I'll never forget...

I was trying to press the issue and get her to go and buy something... anything, for her family. She knew she had no money, and she was WAY ahead of her mother, as she gave this beautiful gift from her heart...


----------------------------------------------------
Up in the attic,Down on my knees.
Lifetimes of boxes,Timeless to me.
Letters and photographs,Yellowed with years,
Some bringing laughter,Some bringing tears.
Time never changes,The memories, the faces
Of loved ones, who bring to me,
All that I come from, And all that I live for,
And all that I'm going to be.
My precious family
Is more than an heirloom to me.

Wisemen and shepherds, Down on their knees,
Bringing their treasures To lay at his feet.
Who was this wonder,Baby yet king?
Living and dying; He gave life to me.
Time never changes,The memory, the moment
His love first pierced through me,
Telling all that I came from, And all that I live for,
And all that I'm going to be.
My precious savior Is more than an heirloom to me.

My precious jesus Is more than an heirloom to me.

(Amy Grant, "Heirlooms")
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A Christmas memory... again...

I shared this memory of Christmas last year, but every year it comes to mind again. So as we get ready to turn the calendar to December, this seems like a good place to begin...

Years ago my mother went to visit a friend at Christmas. She was a widow and former minster's wife who grew up near us and our families were close. She now lived in a retirement condo. When my mother got there she rang the bell and greeted her with a hug and a big platter of homemade cookies...

Our friend had her dining room table set with her best Christmas china, silver, crystal and serving pieces... and beautiful Christmas decorations everywhere. Everything sparkled and the Christmas music was playing in the background
.
My mother said, "Oh, I didn't know you were having a party. I'll just drop these cookies and run". Her friend quietly said..."Oh no, no one is coming, the family is all scattered and far away and it's just me now, but I always set the table for our family dinner like I did in the old days, it makes me feel like they are still all around me and I can remember how it was when they were all here...

My mom left with tears in her eyes that day....

A gentle reminder to me and to each of us that there are many lonely hearts out there who need to be remembered this Christmas. Lots of families are hurting this year, for many reasons. Emotions intensify during special holidays, and maybe most of all during Christmas.... it takes so little to reach out and give a smile or a word of encouragement, maybe some Christmas cookies, or sharing a favorite recipe.

There is always room in our lives to help someone when the need is genuine, and... as with all gifts from our hearts...

WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BLESSED!!

Some good old fashioned Thanksgiving!...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Resisting temptation...

This is a photo I found on Flicker of the curved glass bakery case at La Madeleine!

This sits about 5 minutes from where I live. Every time I go there for 10 grain bread... THIS is what I am faced with!!

I always look... every time!

But very seldom do I buy what's in that case, not never, just very seldom! If I bought something every time I was tempted, I would be huge! I love that stuff, particularly the little key lime tarts. Sweets are a serious temptation for me...

This case in all of it's eye catching dazzle, reminds me a little bit of the lure of sin. I don't mean murder or stealing or those 'big ones', I mean the subtle sins that pull us in... sins of the thoughts, or the tongue, or even wrong desires... Sin can sometimes look so appealing, it can draw us in if we aren't on guard, and the consequences are much worse than a pound on the hips! I usually don't stand around and study everything in that case, I just get the bread and get gone!

It's funny... the 10 grain bread is just stacked up in loaves in plain clear plastic bags on the counter... but the little beauties in the glass case are displayed in doilies, perfect rows, and little fluted cups... it pulls my eyes toward it every time I go in there.

It isn't the 10 grain bread that tempts me...

This is not a perfect illustration... with sin, we are told NOT to yield, whatever the lure might be, God has made that plain in His Word. He has also provided the strength for us NOT to sin!

With pastries... maybe once in awhile...

I was there this week, gave a quick up and down glance at the curved glass case, and quickly turned away...



"So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life." (James 4:7 The Message)