Button Up!

The holiday work schedule kind of threw off my week.

Yours too?

Chances are you are in the middle of some super winter cold weather.

We are uncustomarily below 32* today.

Today I am thankful for warm clothing,

for a warm car,

for the protection of a warm house.

God has given us SO much!

The cold weather brought the perfect opportunity to get the Thanksgiving turkey carcasses out of the freezer.

The Harvest Turkey Soup is on the stove

ready to warm up the chilled mechanic who will walk in in the next 15 minutes

(the shop is closed from the weather, but not heated),

the cranberry apple crisp is in the oven in preparation for breakfast the next two days,

and a new ebook is in the formatting stage (about 1/2 done).

I am thankful that we finished the new  print book on Tuesday.

We made our 2017 goal by a mere week :)

Button up and stay warm!

Merry Christmas!

It is the night of our dear Savior's birth.

Merry Christmas to y'all!

It is the Incarnation Celebration.

We have so much to be thankful for

and it is all because of the birth and subsequent death of our Savior!

Our day has been quiet and reflective.

Candles lit most of the day.

Christmas music in the background.

We woke and did a workout (of course),

had vanilla orange french toast,

read the Bible account of the incarnation from Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2.

(I am always amazed at the impossible that becomes possible with God)

talked with family on the phone and skype,

enjoyed bagel and cream cheese and lox for lunch,

went for a walk,

edited the last bit of the new book,

had some supper,

and then are relaxing this evening.

We hope you have had a wonderful day

and remembered to praise God for the best gift of all - the Lord Jesus Christ!

It Just Makes Me Smile

A pleasant memory of meals with my niece and nephews 16 years ago,

a gluten free lattice top that doesn't look half bad,

knowing that hubby loves anything in pie form,

a huge thank you to Walmart for making a gluten free condensed tomato soup :)

Happy Dinner to Us ...

We may be dining al fresco tonight,

quite a pleasant day weatherwise.

And yes,

the wreath pizza looked like a wreath (I left the bow off) ...

and the crudite Christmas tree was cute (and hubby said it was good).

If you have no idea what I am talking about,

see yesterday's post :)

Seasonal Fun in the Kitchen

Hubby's Work is having a sort of potluck for Christmas tomorrow.

Finger food always seems to go the best.

So ...

I chose to go with festive.

But something that hubby could make a lunch of.

How about a pizza wreath?

Out of red peppers at the store, so I will have to make do with a green bow ...

or do something with a tomato?

Was going to do basil leaves after it came out of the oven,

but hubby opted for spinach.

That will be good too.

And for a veggie tray ...

Cucumber rounds,

cream cheese dill spread,

cherry tomatoes.

Sounds like fun to me!

A Pleasant Tradition

I get to enjoy my Christmas present today🎁

The Charlotte Symphony will be presenting Handel's Messiah tonight.

We enjoyed it 3 times in Seattle.

We enjoyed it twice at BJU.

This will be our second time to enjoy it in Charlotte.
I think I should make a bucket list to visit all of the major symponies for their performance of the Messiah!

Hubby and I will make a date of it.

The music will be lovely,

the mind will be focused on the true meaning of the Christmas season,

and I get to spend the day and evening with my hubby. - always a treat.

Headed to the Hospital

Did I make you look?😁

No, I am not sick and I am not visiting anyone who is sick.

I am thankful this morning for the opportunity to interview for a volunteer position at the local hospital.

I know general positions that they fill, 

but am excited to see what spot may be best for me.

And if it doesn't work out...

I will be looking for another place to volunteer.

I am looking forward to expanding my interaction in the community

and finding new ways to meet people and minister to them.

Praying the Psalms

The Lord has brought us to a place of complete reliance again.

I remember this place as a young adult - seeking direction for college,

seeking direction in employment,

seeking God's will for a spouse.

As I have aged,  it is easy to get self-reliant and assured of myself.

But the past weeks have been full of prayers for wisdom and direction.

A friend sent me this "prayer" this morning.

Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me:
for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Where's the Beef?

One of the challenges of homemaking is stretching the budget.

In our home, another is avoiding allergens and irritants in the food categories.

Another is incoporating foods that may not be a favorite in flavorful ways.

Sometimes another is bulking up on foods that are very healthy.

Tonight's dinner was one of those.

It is a relatively cheap meal (cheaper if you don't need g-f tortillas).

It avoids red meat which doesn't really agree with everyone in this household.

It gives beans a flavorful twist.

It uses "oh-so-healthy" beans for lowering cholesterol and increasing fiber.

It is also a good recipe to serve with avocado for an increase in healthy fats.

Black Bean and Corn Tortilla Bake

1 c cottage cheese

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 tortillas (whole wheat if that is not a problem for you)

2 cans black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 can whole kernel corn (drained)

8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or cheese of choice)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400*

Blend cottage cheese in blender with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Spread mixture on one side of each tortilla.

Combine beans, corn, and tomatoes.

Place one tortilla in round pan, top with 1/3 of bean mixture and 1/4 of shredded cheese.

Repeat layers twice.

Top with remaining tortilla, and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is bubbly.

We like ours with a dollop of sour cream and some taco sauce.

It is also good with diced avocado or homemade guacamole (avocado, lime juice, and garlic salt)

A December Rarity

Yes, that is a picture in NC in December.

Usually our snows are in February,

but we got one early.

It started about noon on Friday,

and ended a little after noon today.
Probably should be called a "slush" instead of a snow,
but folks around here sure have enjoyed it.

Hubby and I have taken 2 - 4 mile walks in the snow.

We also enjoyed a nice beef stew with biscuits last night for dinner.

The snow was also a beautiful backdrop for putting up some decorations INSIDE last night.

By Monday, we probably won't have much sign of it,

but we will enjoy it for now.

Bizarre Question of the Day

To Lighten a Heavier Week

and in honor of one of my brothers

(who shall remain nameless, though we all know who)

Didn't see that one coming, did you?


My answer is ... thanksgiving stuffing - just don't think it would work for me.
Hubby says ... General Tsos Chicken (or any awesome Asian food for that matter)

Another Member of the Family

How Could I Neglect to be Thankful ...

I am thankful that another one of hubby's books is just about finished.

We have edited on the computer and are waiting for our proof copy to arrive this weekend ...

and then after another round of edits ... on to the next one.

Hubby has been very excited for this study in Revelation.

We are also excited about the study in Isaiah.

He has completed up to chapter 49 and we hope to finish the 3 volume set in 2018!

Encouragement

Thankful Thursday

We are thankful for the encouragers in our life.

We are so grateful for friends and family who pray.

God has been answering:

Emails of encouragement

Visits of encouragement

Empathy and Sympathy from Unexpected Sources

Words to remind us that God has a plan for us

Words that remind us that we are not alone

Reminders of Bible verses and biblical characters

Thank you!

You Can't Avoid the Difficult Days

We all have them,

those days that stand out as the most difficult of days.

I remember one in August of 1993.

My parents had taken me to the college of my choice.

I had been accepted sight unseen.

There I stood - a graduate of a class of 6 - 

joining a class of more than 1000!

When I had to say goodbye,

I turned,

the loneliness and fear overwhelmed,

but I mustered every ounce of strength I had with God's help

and did what God wanted me to do!
In the tough time, there was also excitement.

I made it through 4 years and even stayed longer to teach.

Then in August of 2004.

There I stood in a new state - 

a whole nation away from friends and family.

I stood on a pier and stared at CVN 72 pulling away for 5-7 months.

There was that low whistle - 

I was lonely,

I was scared,

and I threw myselft on God's mercy.

Through 4 years and 3 deployments, He was faithful.
He provided a family to meet my needs and gave me unique opportunities in the long months.

And now December 2017...

we once more stand in an undesired position.

Lonely, scared, and grieving

but relying on God's grace and help
and excited at what he might choose to do to show himself strong.

The details cannot be shared,

but I can beg you to pray for us today.

Pray for wisdom, strength, and grace if you will.

Amazing Grace ♪♫♪

Needed this reminder this week.

Grace is available for more than my salvation.

It is available for the every day.

Obedience to God's Will will open that well of grace available for each day.

Cookies for Breakfast

If you have read the blog long,

 you know that this couple is very habitual.

Weekly Breakfast ... in the order that they appear:

Oatmeal

Avocado Toast

Granola

Smoothies

Granola

Baked Treat

Baked Treat Leftover

Breakfasts require little thought,

but the baked breakfasts on Friday and Saturday

keep us from getting bored.

For years we have been eating Oatmeal Cookie Granola.

It is a great recipe.

We recently tweaked it.

The Coconut Oil was traded for Peanut Butter.

Now we have Peanut Butter Cookie Granola!

Check it Out!

Ingredients:

3 cups oatmeal 

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla 

1 cup raisins

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Makes 8-10 servings of granola

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, add and thoroughly stir all of the dry ingredients into the dry oatmeal.
In a separate bowl, mix the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla together.
Once this is well blended, add to the oatmeal mix.
Spread thinly on a baking sheet (you wont need to grease anything) and
bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until slightly browned, turning once or twice.