Family Photo III

I actually can't remember the order of the photos

so I apologize if this one is out of order.

The clue was "We are enjoying having workout space in the garage,

show us your best muscle man (or woman) pose."

This photo does not show our muscles,

but we did just finish a Christmas Eve Workout.

Family Photo II

Christmas is a wonderful time to relax.

Hubby had 2 days off for the holiday.

We enjoyed some foods that we don't often splurge on.

And we enjoyed some extra treats because of the gifts we were sent.

On the family photo search - 

the clue was Daiya roasted vegetable or Udis uncured pepperoni.

We had ours on Christmas Eve for lunch.

We almost forgot to get a picture before finishing it off! 

And while we didn't get to Togos or No Baloney

(both sandwich shops that offer gluten-free options),

we did go to Burgerville for lunch last weekend

and to Panera for a coffee date.

We enjoyed our burgers and split an order of rosemary fries!

Another mocha no whip

cinnamon spice latte with coconut milk, no whip

And we also made an awesome Beef and Broccoli

complements of some Omaha Steak that arrived in the mail.

Family Photo: Part I

I consider all of my readers to be family,

but please excuse me for a few posts while I share with my family by birth.

I sent them on a little trip to share photos of their Christmas with hubby and me

since we are so far from them.

Clue # 1 should have sent them in search of Donuts at the local bakery of their choice.

So dear family,

Hubby and I hit up our local donut shop last Saturday.

Here is the picture to prove it.

A Vegan/Gluten Free/Dairy Free Gingerbread donut for the Aunt

and a mocha for the Uncle.

Merry Christmas ... He's Coming Again!

Hubby and I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas.

What a blessed time to celebrate the birth of a Savior!

He is Savior of the whole world,

and yet sadly, not everyone will accept Him as Savior.

He is not just a baby in a manger,

He is the Savior of the World.

He came to earth as a man (while still fully God).

He lived a perfect life.

He paid the penalty for my sin (and yours) in His death on the cross.

He did not stay dead (as many leaders of various religions).

He rose again.  He defeated death.
And He offers salvation to all who will accept His free gift!

While I was reading in Revelation yesterday,

I was reminded that while we celebrate His birth today,
He is coming again!

3 times in Revelation 22, it says,

"Behold, I come quickly!"

It is a reminder!

I need to be obeying His Word.
I need to protect and maintain His Word.
I must watch and wait!

It won't be long.now!

Enjoy your celebration of His birth today
and KEEP WATCHING!

The Power of the Pause (or I am not busy, busy, busy)

Have you ever noticed how often the answer to 

"How are you?"

or

"What are you up to?"

is 

"busy, busy, busy"?

Listen for it.

You probably won't have to listen long.

Maybe you will even hear yourself say it.

And maybe the speaker truly is busy.

 I have noticed that when I can't honestly say how busy I have been,

I feel bad - 

isn't that odd?

Why is busy-ness the accepted and expected norm?

At the beginning of December,

we celebrated 6 months in Oregon.
How time has sped by!

Starting over is always difficult for me.

At the beginning it is busy,

it is challenging in a fun way,

there is a house to set up,

there are new stores to learn,

there are new routines to establish,

there is just adventure in the newness of it all

...

but once we are settled,

it is quiet ... very quiet.

I have to find the people who need my ministry.

I may have to invent a new ministry.

I have to find a place in a new church.

I have to establish a new "normal."

And until those connections are made,

it is quiet.

Enter "the powerful 'pause'"

It is not bad to be quiet.

It is not bad to be still.

It is not bad to slow down.

It is not bad to be challenged in new ways.

I have thought much about the times God says to "Be Still" or to "Consider."

Though I often want to complain about the quiet,

God has used that quiet over and over and over again in the past 6 months.

I have been given a gift.

In the quiet,

I have found women online who have challenged me ...

in Bible memory,

in Bible study, 

in witness.

In the quiet,
my dependence on God deepens,
my soul searches harder for truths in my quiet time,
Scriptures stand out in new ways because my needs are more clear.

In the quiet,

I have had more time with my husband each week.

More time to read with each other.

More time to truly listen to each other.
More time for dates and walks.

In the quiet,

I have had to look harder for the outreach

resulting in more focus on the lost around ME

instead of just the ministries already established by my church.
The "pause" led to the tract bags to give out around town.

Giving Fun III

So far, the gifts mentioned on the blog have been for people that we know.

We also have had fun giving gifts to strangers this month.

We made some cute bags that have a tract, a candy cane, 

and one other gift (gum, chapstick, or trail mix).

Since we walk a lot in town,

we give to people that we pass,

we give to folks waiting for buses,

we give to the staff at restaurants and stores who serve us,

we give to bell ringers,

sometimes we even leave them where they may be found later.

True story:

Last Saturday,

we passed a woman on our local bike path.

I handed her a bag that had a chapstick in it.

She first seemed incredulous that I had handed her anything,

then she flipped it over and saw the gift.

Then she teared up and explained that she was going through a hard time.

She had just used the last of her chapstick and here I was giving her a new one.

Then she saw the tract title (True Peace) and explained that she needed that.

She asked for a hug (which we gave her),

we told her that Jesus had led us to her and that He loved her,

and we told her to give her problems to Him.

We don't know if anything will come of it,

but hubby commented that the bag was an example of meeting a physical need

 in order to address a spiritual one.

The gift bags have helped me to be bolder,

and so we are going to change the tract in the new year and hand them out around town all the time!

Giving Fun II

After being in the south for over 10 years,

it has been a shock to be in a more "guarded" area again.

It is very hard to connect with folks.

So we were looking for another opportunity to make connections with our neighbors.

So we thought Christmas was a great opportunity.

Bath and Body Works has had some great sales.

$3 soap combined with a 20% off coupon sure helped.

We "wash" you a Merry Christmas!

Get it?  Huh?

Hubby and his mom helped put the gifts together on the weekend after Christmas.

...and I got to deliver them today.

I am having a really good time.

Giving Fun I

It truly is more blessed to give than to receive ...

and more fun too.

I spent a good chunk of yesterday preparing treats for hubby's coworkers.

Enter 40 pumpkin muffin.

A yummy vegan pumpkin muffin - mostly tastes like gingerbread!

Since he would deliver them first thing in the morning,

he chose a breakfast treat ... one of our favorites.

I found a cute set of cupcake papers with a snowflake pick to add a little festivity.

We included a gospel tract that we wrote a number of years ago

along with the recipe in case someone had questions about ingredients.

Things That Are Different Are Not the Same 5

Pedestrians Always Seem to Have the Right of Way

Since we now live within town limits, we definitely do A LOT of walking.

I often walk to town for small "in-between" shopping trips.

We like to walk to lunch every Saturday.

We like to wind down on Sunday night with a stroll 

(especially during this season with the Christmas lights aglow).

It has been a learning experience that people actually stop for pedestrians here.

I suppose that it happens in many busier cities and town,

but it is new to us.

What is odd to us is that if you even approach a road,

on-coming traffic will stop - crosswalk or not!

So we have learned to hold back if we don't want to cause a pile up😀

The town also provides frequent crosswalks in the middle of main roads - 

all you have to do is push a button, lights flash, and traffic stops!

Clean Water

On this Thankful Thursday,

I am so thankful for clean water.

What? you say.

We live in America - clean drinking water is not a problem.

You may be right.

Our water in town here is too clean - 

as in full of bleach that you can taste!

Really - it is like drinking pool water.

While we endured for awhile

making it more palatable by chilling it,

we finally gave in and got a water purification system.

Wow!

What a difference.

Chlorine is gone ...

And I suppose a lot of other things too.

It makes it much easier to get in my 80 ounces of water per day.

I am so thankful for our water filter and the clean water we have to drink.

Christmas Treats

'Tis the Season, right?

Every direction there is a yummy treat.

Every weekend there is a party.

Oh, what is a family to do?

Hubby loves his treats,

but we are seriously trying to do right with the eating.

We are not getting any younger.

I was missing making holiday cookies

when what should pass my way, but a recipe for truffles.

Truffles?

Yes - with no added sugar.

They are sweetened entirely with dates.

Hubby says they are phenomenal.

They look good.

Are you looking for the sweet taste of Christmas without the added sweets?

Even a little health value to your Christmas treats?

Try this one!

Vegan Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bites

MAKES15 to 18 truffles

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pitted Medjool dates

1 1/2 cups raw almonds

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder, plus 

1/4 cup crushed candy canes, for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

Soak the dates in a bowl of warm water until they soften up a bit, about 10 minutes.
 Drain the dates and place them in a food processor with the almonds, coconut oil, salt, peppermint extract, water, and cacao powder.
Process for one minute or until the mixture forms up into a ball.

(I used the vitamix and recommend doing the almonds alone first, then adding the rest - 

I was glad for the thermal shut off - the dough gets very thick)

Remove the "dough" from the food processor and form 15 to 18 small round truffles with your hands. 

Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set.
Remove from the fridge and top each truffle with crushed candy canes.
These can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for several weeks.
(Don't store with the candy cane garnish. Save that touch for right before serving).