Wonderful Counselor...

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders;  and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

I love this prophecy passage and what it tells us about Jesus.  Does it make any of you want to sing?  Handel's Messiah is an amazing composition of music that we normally don't hear until this time of year.  In fact, I'm listening to it as I write.  Probably, the most famous song from Messiah is The Hallelujah Chorus.  My cousin, Sue, put a link to an incredible rendition of this song on her facebook page.  It gave me goosebumps and I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of it that I got a little choked up!  You might want to check it out on You Tube - A Random Act of Culture.  An opera company spread out in the common area of a mall, on several floors, and sang The Hallelujah Chorus to the accompaniment of an organ.  It was totally unannounced and several shoppers joined in the singing. Wow!!

Have you ever wondered what all the names of the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6 mean in Hebrew, the original language?  Today, we will look at Wonderful Counselor.  Wonderful means a miracle, a marvelous thing.  Counselor means to advise, deliberate or resolve. 

Our son in law just became a nationally certified counselor.  Because of what he has learned in seminary and through experience at a counseling center, he is able to help teens and their families work through the confusion and turmoil of their lives.  He is very good at what he does.

Did you know that Jesus is our counselor?  I especially appreciate the word resolve in the definition of counselor.  We generally go to a counselor because we have issues to resolve.  Jesus has the power to resolve any of our issues.  And we don't have to make an appointment.  He is available to us twenty-four hours a day.  

So, how do we appropriate this attribute of Jesus?  We can pray all day, but until we open our Bibles and read and pray, we will find no comfort.  There is no counselor that can help a client unless that client listens to advise, so we must listen and let Jesus advise us through His Word.  It is a marvelous, miraculous thing to have as our personal counselor the One who created us and loves us unconditionally!


Christmas Decorations - Nativity Sets

I have two different nativity items on our mantle this year.  One is a Christmas card that I framed and the other is carved in olive wood from Israel that our oldest daughter gave me when she was in seminary in New Orleans.  It is simple and beautiful.

Today's Recipe - Cranberry Chutney
This makes a festive and colorful appetizer when poured over a block of cream cheese in a pretty Christmas bowl and served with Wheat Thins or rice crackers.

16 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Remove from heat and pour into a container.  Refrigerate at least eight hours.

A great treasure...

I rejoice in your word like one who finds a great treasure.
Psalm 119:162

According to Webster, a treasure is wealth of any kind or in any form stored up or hoarded, a store of money in reserve, something of great worth or value, a collection of precious things, also a person esteemed as rare or precious. I often refer to my grandchildren as Nanna's treasure.  They are precious to me and I am well aware of the power of my influence on them, which can be for godliness or for selfishness. 

As Nanna, I have a different perspective and find myself chuckling, sometimes laughing out loud, when my grandchildren's sin natures show themselves.  When my daughters were young and would be naughty, I often took it as a personal failure instead of realizing that it is all part of the training process described in Proverbs 22:6, Train a child in the way he should go...  It is so much easier as a grandmother!  I can just love them and encourage their parents in the training process. They have the responsibility of caring for a great treasure.

God's Word is my greatest treasure.  It is truly a living book which convicts, comforts, informs and instructs me.  When I don't spend daily time reading and studying my Bible, there is an unrest in my spirit.  It's like having a huge chest filled with all sorts of treasure sitting in my living room and I walk by, ignoring the beautiful things that can be found there. Other pleasant activities fill my time but don't satisfy that longing to spend time with my Father; making wonderful discoveries as a result of digging into the great treasure found only in His Word. 

Throughout December, each day we will look at a different name for Jesus found in Scripture.  I look forward to the study time that will be required to make sure that what I write is true to God's Word.  I hope what is written here will be of great encouragement those who read - a great treasure revealed.  I'm so excited!


Christmas Decorations

This is another of my favorite Nativity items.  Most of them have been found at Hobby Lobby at 50% off or at Cracker Barrel, where they are inexpensive as well. 


Today's Recipe - Yummy and Healthy Slaw
This slaw is healthy and colorful.

2 large carrots, shredded
2 medium apples, shredded
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Raspberry vinaigrette

Using a food processor or a grater, shred the carrots and apples.  Place in a bowl.  Slice the spinach leaves in thin ribbons by stacking them on a cutting board and slicing them with a sharp knife.  Place in the bowl with the carrots, apples and cranberries.  Mix well.  Just before serving, pour some raspberry vinaigrette over the slaw and toss. 
This slaw is delicious with grilled chicken.

Leftovers...

I love Thanksgiving leftovers!  There are so many creative tasty ways to reuse the leftover food - green chile turkey soup, hot turkey sandwiches, spinach raspberry salad with turkey, turkey stir fry, turkey tetrazzini, turkey tortilla soup, omelets with turkey, cranberry chutney, potato cakes (if you have mashed potatoes left)... If you aren't able to come up with ideas on your own, you can always google "recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers" and get more ideas than you will probably ever use.

I love that God can take the "leftovers" of our lives and make something fabulous out of them.  Satan likes to make us think when we've gone through something difficult, that God is done with us.  He puts nagging little thoughts in our minds of guilt and unworthiness.  But, our God is the God of redemption!  He takes what is left and uses it for His glory.  I am amazed and humbled every time He forgives me, comforts me, then uses me to minister to others. He is the King of leftovers!


Decorating for Christmas

We generally decorate for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving.  Honestly, I didn't enjoy it as much as I have in the past.  It's just not as much fun without the kids.  I had to pray about my attitude!  But, as I got the boxes out and started pulling out my collection of nativity sets, I began to get excited about our home being a place where the story of Jesus' birth is so evident this time of year.  Jesus was not born on December 25, the day we celebrate His coming, but was probably born sometime in September.  More on that to come...

Unfortunately, our outdoor lighted nativity has lost so much of its paint that the baby looks like he has third degree burns where I have tried to touch it up.  Maybe my honey and I can put our heads together and come up with a replacement. 

This week's decorating pictures will be shots of some of my nativity collection.  I need to get a plastic set to put on the fireplace hearth that the grandkids can play with when they are here...

I love this plate!  It is always the first nativity item that I put out each year.  The looks on the faces tell a story:  Mary is overwhelmed with love and exhaustion, Joseph is looking towards heaven with worry creases in his forehead,  the oldest shepherd is in awe, the young shepherd has his hands raised in praise and the child shepherd is simply smiling and enjoying the wonder of the baby boy and what is happening around him. Baby Jesus looks right at whomever is looking at the plate!  Hmm...


The small white nativity item is an ornament with the hanger removed.  Between the two are several silk poinsettias.  I purchased several "bushes" of poinsettias over twenty years ago and cut them apart with wire cutters.  I used to put them in the Christmas tree near the trunk to cover up wires and add color.  But, I bought a wide transparent garland last year.  So, now the poinsettias get spread around the house for little touches of Christmas everywhere.


Today's Recipe - Pasta with Broccoli (Dr. Andrew Weil)

With all the rich foods that are consumed this time of year, it's important to eat healthy whenever you can.  This is one of my favorite pasta recipes and it's spicy enough for my husband.  You can add some of your leftover turkey, if you desire.

1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets
1 pound dried pasta (twists, penne, or rigatoni)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt to taste
2 tablespoons capers
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a large pot of water to cook the pasta.  Add the pasta to boiling water.  While the pasta cooks heat the olive oil in a small pan and add the garlic, red pepper, and salt to taste.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, then remove from heat. 
When the pasta is 2 minutes short of being al dente, add the broccoli.  As soon as the broccoli is crunchy-tender, drain the broccoli-pasta mixture in a colander, return it to the pot and add the oil mixture.  Add the capers and season with salt to taste.  Serve with the grated Parmesan cheese.

Thanks to God...

Thanks, O God, for bound-less mercy from Thy gracious throne above;
Thanks for every need provided from the fullness of Thy love!
Thanks for daily toil and labor and for rest when shadows fall;
Thanks for love of friend and neighbor and Thy goodness unto all!


Thanks for thorns as well as roses, thanks for weakness and for health;
Thanks for clouds as well as sunshine, thanks for poverty and wealth!
Thanks for pain as well as pleasure, all thou sendest day by day;
And Thy Word, our dearest treasure, shedding light upon our way.


Thanks, O God, for home and fireside, where we share our daily bread;
Thanks for hours of sweet communion, when by Thee our souls are fed!
Thanks for grace in time of sorrow and for joy and peace in Thee;
Thanks for hope today, tomorrow, and for all eternity!

August Storm and John Hultman


This old hymn is a wonderful reminder of looking at life from God's perspective.  I don't know about you, but I need that reminder.  I have been sorely tempted the last couple of days to feel sorry for myself and my honey.  None of our children are going to be able to come home for Thanksgiving.  I have to keep reminding myself that we will get to spend two weeks with our oldest daughter and grandson and we will see everyone for two days at Christmas.  Two days...(sigh) 

I am thankful for oovoo and iphone face time and that we can see family through video conference. I am thankful that they are all serving the Lord and they all live within a ten hour drive. They could be serving overseas.  They could be living for themselves.

I am thankful that we will spend Thanksgiving will some of our spiritual kids and grandkids.  They are precious to us and we will have a wonderful time of fellowship with them.  I am thankful for Romans 8:28:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.

I am thankful that God is at work for our good, especially in the difficult things of life.  They are not without purpose!  He's not being mean, He's using everything that comes about in life for good.  If we look back over our lives and really think honestly about the hard times, we can see the hand of God working and molding us.  His purpose is to make us more usable in His kingdom. I am happiest and most at peace when I live my life trusting in His purpose, whether I understand or not. 

Today, I choose to give thanks to God!

Today's Recipe - Pumpkin Waffles (cooks.com)

In large bowl mix:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 tsp cinnamon

In small bowl mix:
2 slightly beaten egg whites
1 1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Add small bowl mixture to large bowl.  Stir just until moistened.  Heat waffle iron, brush lightly with oil. Pour batter in hot waffle iron.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Makes 5 round waffles.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving! I will be back on Monday.

Thankfulness...

When we consider all God's gifts
And all that we possess,
A grumbling mood of discontent
Gives way to thankfulness.      - Sper

This powerful little poem comes from Our Daily Bread (Radio Bible Class Ministries), a devotional booklet that I have enjoyed for most of my life. Now, I love poetry and used to teach a poetry unit in my language arts classes the first month of school. We always started out with haiku poems which are simple three line poems with a certain amount of syllables in each line.  I was amazed each year when the students that complained the loudest about having to write poetry - the boys - wrote the best poems.  They took me seriously when I told them they could write a poem about anything.  Some of them made me laugh out loud, like the poems about snot or what happened when someone put their tongue on a piece of metal in the freezer. Some of them had profound messages, like the poems about abuse or abortion. Amazing what can be penned in a little poem!

The above poem talks about gratitude and counting our blessings.  When we stop and take time to do so, the opposite of discontent happens - thankfulness.  I had a friend in college who taught me a little game.  Whenever someone was complaining about something, he would shout out, "Thankful Game!" We all would groan, but get the point as we all had to name five things we were thankful for.  Hmm...that would be a great game to teach my grandchildren!

Today's Recipe - Pumpkin Pie Cake (homecooking.about.com)
This cake is so good, you won't even miss the pie!

15 oz can pumpkin puree
12 oz can evaporated milk (not condensed milk)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter melted and cooled
1 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 package butter cake mix

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 tablespoon milk or cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 baking pan or a bundt cake pan.  In a large bowl, beat pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, sugar eggs, melted butter, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.  Add cake mix and stir only until combined.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let cool to room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting - Mix frosting ingredients until smooth and fluffy.  Frost cooled cake.  Sprinkle pecans evenly on top.  Serves 24-36

An attitude of gratitude...

It somehow seems easier to come up with something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.  After all, that's what the holiday is for and, just in case someone asks, it's always good to have a ready answer.  But what if we had an attitude of gratitude every day and regardless of what is going on during that day, we voiced our gratitude for at least one thing every day.  Here's a good one:

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to participate in a new day.

That certainly would start your day off well, wouldn't it?! So many times I wake up and my to do list starts running through my mind.  I have to purpose to stop and spend time with the Lord and to exercise.  If I don't, I crawl into bed at night regretting that I saw those two activities as a chore on my list instead of a preference and let the unnecessary replace the necessary.  What if I saw each day as an opportunity to participate in life from God's perspective?  What amazing opportunities do I miss because I automatically get up and get started on my to do list instead of spending time in prayer, asking God what He has for me that day?  Starting the day with an attitude of gratitude and obedience to His purposes for me and my day are definitely a better choice!


Thanksgiving Decorations

I purchased a bag of faux pumpkins and squash on clearance a couple of years ago and place them in different spots around the house.  With these, I added two faux pears with leaves and some wooden acorns that I had. Quick and easy.

One of our table decorations has become a tradition with a definite purpose to promote an attitude of gratitude.  During the leanest time of the Pilgrim's first winter in Plimoth Plantation, the food was so scarce that they only allowed themselves five kernels of corn each day. So, I place five kernels of corn (candy corn, if I remember to buy it at Halloween) on each plate at the table and we take some time before we eat to reflect on at least five things for which we are thankful.


Today's Recipe - Maple Sweet Potato Cups (Southern Living)

I made these for Christmas dinner last year and liked them so much I am making them for Thanksgiving this year.  They are quick and easy and look so fancy!  It is also an easy way to help prevent gluttony - everyone gets one serving.  It's not like anyone is going to starve!! And you can make up a small casserole to set aside for leftovers.

2 - 24 oz. packages frozen steam-and-mash sweet potatoes

1/2 cup butter, cut up
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
3 tsp orange zest (opt)
1 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Steam potatoes according to package directions.  Mash together sweet potatoes and next five ingredients.  Spoon mixture into 8 (6 oz) custard cups.  Place on a baking sheet.  Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.  Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved.  Dollop meringue over sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Interesting...

I just spent an interesting morning on the Internet reading through a website I learned about on the Glenn Beck show yesterday.  Now, I don't normally watch Mr. Beck but heard that he was going to talk about being prepared in case of an emergency.  The topic keeps coming to my attention.  Interesting...

The website is The Survival Mom (thesurvivalmom.com).  It contained tons of information, practical ways to get started, lots of links to other websites, and even an article debunking myths.  I was intrigued by the fact that she mentions several times the importance of putting a compact Bible in your emergency pack.  Interesting...

There was a lot of information on food storage, solar energy, and survival skills. What I found to be very helpful was the information on getting healthy and staying healthy.  This is great information to have if you like to avoid having to go to the doctor, whether you believe we are on the verge of a global economic meltdown or not.  Interesting...

Two other websites mentioned on the show are, As A Mom (asamom.org) and 912 Super Seniors (912superseniors.org).  These websites help you keep track of inflation, especially as it affects what you purchase.  Interesting...

Are we in the end times?  I don't know, but there are plenty of signs that we are getting there.  Again, I would encourage you to read Joel Rosenberg's weblog for a Biblically-based source for what is going on in today's world.  His fiction books are really great as well. They are the type of books that you can't put down once you start reading.  His latest book is The Twelfth Iman and is based on Biblical prophecy.  Should we be afraid?  No!  The Bible tells us how things will turn out and it is great - if you are a Christ-follower.  Interesting...


Thanksgiving Decorations
After reading this information all morning, I am ready to turn my mind to something lovely - being thankful and looking at something pretty.

I was so excited when I found Pilgrims with colorful clothing!  It is historically accurate and a better reflection of what they believed and lived. (see note in yesterday's blog post)

And, of course, there would have been no Thanksgiving celebration without the local Indians.  They helped the Pilgrims survive by teaching them the farming methods they used, among other things.

Oops, I just noticed the candle is crooked.  I will fix that asap! 


Today's Recipe - Egg Sausage Casserole
There are many varieties of this recipe.  This is a basic recipe - you add whatever you like to the mix.

6 eggs
2 cup milk
6 slices bread, crumbled
1 pound sausage
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried mustard
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
7 oz can diced green chiles (my own personal tweak to the recipe)

Cook sausage, drain.  Beat milk, eggs, salt, and mustard. Blend in the bread crumbs, sausage and cheese.  Pour into sprayed 9x13 baking dish.  Soak overnight.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes until edges pull away.  Serves 12

Note: Also delicious if you add 1 cup sauteed vegetables - onion, asparagus pieces, bell peppers and garlic.