Christmas Memories at Home

Grandbaby Kyla opening her doll baby


















Giving the doll baby kisses


















Kyla's first taste of eggnog: She gulped it down and wanted more! Obviously takes after her papa, not me!














My Peter got me a new camera for Christmas!

Kyla wanted some of Uncle Anthony's Twix bar!

Kyla reading her new Peter Rabbit book with Papa

Kyla playing with Papa

Kyla and her Nana (me)

My daughter Chrystal got me a new toaster oven! She also got me the sweetest Christmas card!

This is the song that was played as I came down the boardwalk to marry my Peter at our beach wedding. It still expresses what we feel.

We Are So Blessed
Gloria Gaither, Greg Nelson, William Gaither

We are so blessed by the gifts from Your hand,
I just can't understand why You love us so much!
We are so blessed, we just can't find a way
Or the words that can say,

Thank You, Lord, for Your touch.

When we're empty, You fill us 'til we overflow!
When we're hungry, You feed us and cause us to know
We are so blessed! Take what we have to bring,
Take it all, everything! Lord, we love You so much!

We are so blessed by the things You have done,
The vict'ries we've won,

And what You've brought us through!
We are so blessed! Take what we have to bring,
Take it all, everything! Lord, we bring it to You.

When we're empty, You will us 'til we overflow!
When we're hungry, You feed us and cause us to know--
We are so blessed! Take what we have to bring,
Take it all, everything! Lord, we love You so much!
Lord, we love You so much!

Merry Christmas!

Photo from tatepublishing.com

My Tea Spot

As promised... here's where I have tea with God--at least at this juncture of life! It frequently changes with the seasons. My red chair is a happy, contented place for me to be!

Across the room is our stereo, and I love having a remote control--so I can be lazy!--to turn on relaxing, instrumental music to quiet my heart before the Lord. It helps me to listen for His voice and be content to stay in my chair until I hear from Him. There are other times when I need a lift, and I play an upbeat Southern Gospel CD.

Next to my chair, I keep a basket with pens and coloured pencils/pencil crayons to mark things in my Bible, a pencil sharpener, missionaries' prayer cards that I've collected through the years, and my prayer notebook.

My prayer notebook is where I write specific prayer requests, things that I am asking God for, with the date requested. When it is answered, I circle it in red and write the date answered.

We know that, based on Scripture (Jeremiah 33:3 and countless others), God always answers, even when He seems silent. He is a loving Father, not an absent or aloof Father. Maybe for a time, His answer is "Wait" because He is teaching me something, or He has something better than what I asked for! It is exciting to keep track of His specific answers and to be able to look back and see how He is working in my life!

Comment below and tell me where your tea spot with God is, or share an exciting answer to prayer you've had recently! I'd love to hear from you!

The Sanctuary

"...And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them."
~ Exodus 25:8

"Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate Deity!"
~ "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

Do you have a special "sanctuary" in your home for God? I'm not talking about a shrine, idol, image, or crucifix. I'm talking about a special place where you and God meet every day? Where do you and God talk?

We know that we are to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17), but the Bible also speaks many times of meeting God in a "secret place."

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1)

"...I answered thee in the secret place of thunder..." (Psalm 81:7)

"For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." (Psalm 27:5)

"Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues." (Psalm 31:20)

God wants to meet with you and have a personal relationship with you. Do you have a special place for Him? If not, think about where you can create one in your home. It could be a special chair or even a separate room set aside just for your "tea with God." This past summer many of my quiet times with God were spent at the picnic table in the backyard, with a view of the horses' paddock. I greatly enjoyed meeting God there and watching the sun come up over the pines! It seems that when you have a special meeting place, you're more likely to keep your appointments! At least, that's the way it works for me.

Photos of my secret place and some ideas of things to have in your secret place will follow in my next post.

Kitchen Money-saving Tips

"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil." ~ Proverbs 31:11

I occasionally purchase lettuce in handy square or rectangle plastic containers. These are great to hang onto and reuse when I buy heads of lettuce. I tear the lettuce heads up into the container, which keeps the lettuce fresh and crisp much longer than normal, and the lettuce is easy and quick to use.

Lately I discovered another use for the containers: freezing my Christmas baking in them, between sheets of wax paper!

Speaking of wax paper, a friend gave us some homemade, frosted donuts recently and I noticed that her wax paper was actually cereal bags (the kind from inside cardboard cereal boxes)! She carefully opened them up along the seams to flatten them, wiped them clean, cut them to fit the plastic container, and used them for between her donuts! So now I save all my cereal bags and make use of them the same way! Free wax paper--and much more sturdy! Great idea, Sara!

Another money-saving tip I learned from another friend: save and rinse out your milk bags. These make great freezer bags for garden vegetables in the summer and fall! Thanks, Monique!

More on the Proverbs 31 Woman...

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." ~ Proverbs 31:27-28

December Photo Project: Silent Night

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

(But I WILL Bless the Lord!)

It's -8C with light snow flurries! Brrr!

Kali has built a fire in the fireplace, and I'm debating whether or not to venture to the grocery store for things I need to continue my Christmas baking! I have more things that need to be baked by Friday.

This morning, it felt delicious to Christmas shop in my bathrobe... online! I hate how late I am! But I am enjoying Christmastime!

My husband preached two great messages this past Sunday on thankfulness, blessing the Lord, and cultivating a heart of gratitude.

Notice in Psalm 34:1, David says, "I will bless the Lord..." It's a choice. Then he says, "His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

The difference between the words "continually" and "continuously" are important. "Continual" is intermittent, yet consistent or regular; "continuous" implies lack of interruption. David acknowledges that he isn't perfect. He will not continuously bless the Lord because he's human. There will be interruptions to his praise. But he will, by choice, continually bless and praise the Lord! That's what I'm seeking to do this week.

How about you? Will you make a conscious decision to bless the Lord for something specific in your life? Comment below and let me know how you are praising God.

December Photo Project: Praise Him with the Harp!

"Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings." ~ Psalm 33:2

Participate in the December Photo Project by clicking here:

December Photo Project: Snowy Paddock at Sunrise

Participate by clicking here:

December Photo Project: Tea Time with God

This looks fun! Every day you post a photo to your blog... then take a trip over to the December Photo Project page to see the featured photos.

Want to join? Click here:

Here's my photo for December 2:

It's Christmas!

I love the ambience of Christmas. My daughter Kali and I decorated the tree last week. The ornament theme is Victorian and music.









Tea with God


This morning I had my quiet time with God with a cup of tea in one of my favourite Christmas mugs and crackers, cheese, and salami on a favourite Christmas plate.

"And the joy we share and we tarry there, none other has ever known!" (...Not merely because of the Christmas dishes and snack!)

A quote I read today: "I have suffered much... from troubles that never came." I was reminded again that there is a rest for the people of God (Hebrews 4:9-10). Are you worried today? Decide now to leave your worries in His hands. Tell Him that you are doing so right now. Enter into His rest. Dr. Lee Roberson said, "Contentment is thought without worry; care without anxiety; rest without apathy."



Repurposing Idea

I have a little Victorian heart-shaped box into which I have placed slips of paper. I take out this box every year, and it sits on my coffee table.



The slips of paper are little reminders of ways you can focus on others during the Christmas season. Things like "Bake some cookies for someone else and deliver them today." Or "Do a job (big or small) for someone else." Do you have a special box or pretty gift sack that you could use for this purpose?



Gift Craft

Today I packaged up my Swiss Mocha Mix gifts. I had made up a batch of the mix last week, and purchased small craft Ziploc bags from the dollar store (about 24 for $1). Today I made up the instructions tags on the computer, printed them out on coloured paper, cut them out with craft scissors, and voila! Swiss Mocha Mix packets that make two cups each! I will put these into Christmas cards as a small token of love.







Later I enjoyed a mug of my own Swiss Mocha. Mmmm!

Thank you for sharing my joy! Comment and let me know how you're enjoying the Christmas season!

*If you're interested in the Swiss Mocha Mix recipe, click here.

Peppermint Cream-filled Cake

Some asked for the recipe for Kali's birthday cake, so here it is:

Peppermint Cream-filled Cake
From Betty Crocker's Chocolate Cookbook

For the cake:
1/2 C. cocoa
3/4 C. boiling water
1-3/4 C. sugar
1-1/2 C. flour
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 C. vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla
7 egg yolks
1 C. egg whites (about 7-8)
1/2 t. cream of tartar

For the Peppermint Cream:
1 C. powdered sugar/icing sugar
2 C. chilled whipping cream
1 t. peppermint extract
6-8 drops food colouring

Heat oven to 325F.
Mix cocoa and boiling water; let stand until cool.
Mix sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt in 3-qt. bowl. Beat in cocoa mixture, oil, vanilla, and egg yolks with spoon until smooth.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a 3-qt. bowl on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Pour egg yolk mixture gradually over beaten egg whites, folding with rubber spatula just until blended.
Pour into UNGREASED tube pan, 10x4 inches.

Bake until top springs back when touched lightly, about 1 hr., 15 min.
Invert pan on heat-proof funnel (or on a glass bottle with a thin neck); let hang until cake is cold.

Remove cake from pan; place cake upside down.
Slice off top of cake about 1 inch down; reserve top.
Make cuts down into cake 1 inch from outer edge and 1 inch from edge of hole, leaving substantial "walls" on each side.
Remove cake within cuts with a small spoon, being careful to leave a base of cake 1 inch thick.

Prepare Peppermint Cream, beating all the ingredients together in a chilled bowl until stiff.
Spoon mixture into the cake cavity.
Replace top of cake; press gently.
Frost side and top of cake with remaining Peppermint Cream.
Just before serving, garnish with chocolate leaf mints, crushed peppermint candy, chocolate shavings, or other garnish of your choice.

Keep uneaten cake refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Our Daughter Kali Is 17!

Isn't she beautiful? She is so sweet, and I'm blessed to have her as a daughter.

Here's the Peppermint Whipped Cream Chocolate Cake I made for her. Yes, of course, that's lime green tinted whipped cream! Everything has to be lime green for Kali!

It was delicious!

God bless our Kali.

Then Understood I

"When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I..." (Psa 73:16-17)

Sometimes I, like the Psalmist, do not understand why people who do not love and serve God as I do, continue to prosper--sometimes even more than I prosper! Why does it seem that they have it all together? That they have no troubles?

Asaph says when he went to the house of God, then he understood! This is so true! When I spend time with my spiritual family, my brothers and sisters in Christ, I am comforted and I see things much more clearly than before. God uses the fellowship of other believers to strengthen and encourage me.

Last night was an amazing evening at our church! The spontaneous singing and testimonies went on and on until 9:00! We didn't even have any preaching, but some of the testimonies were just as encouraging and uplifting--even convicting!

Asaph must have had the same experience in the house of God. His conclusion close to the end of his Psalm says:

"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." (Psa 73:24-26)

His time in church made him realize once again that God was his strength and his everything! He realized that all that mattered was: he had God!

I can also experience this every day when I come into the sanctuary of His presence, reading His Word, praying, and spending time in the quiet, seeking to hear His voice in my heart.

Many times I do not understand the stuff of life. I am discouraged. I get angry. I become confused. I even question God. But when I go to the sanctuary, then understand I!

Finally Free: The Answer to My Migraines

I've suffered from migraines for years--since I was a teenager! This fall God gave me the answer! I wanted to share with you the all-natural products I'm taking that have taken away the migraines. I've been on them for a month, and the results have been amazing! Praise the Lord! Even when I didn't have a migraine, my head always felt a thickness or tightening in the back, and I normally had a general "yucky" feeling with little energy--especially in the morning. Even that is gone!

I went to our local health food store and "randomly" went up to a worker who was not already helping someone. Lillian had suffered migraines for 30 years herself and had just this spring started these products. She has not had a migraine since! I truly believe that God led me to Lillian!


1. Bio-Strath drops (30 drops/1 ml, 3-4x/day before meals) -- This is like an herbal "multi-vitamin" supplement that boosts your immune system and helps you absorb the second product, listed below. The drops contain filtered herbal yeast plasmolysate (prepared in Switzerland, distributed by BioForce, Montreal, Canada) Cost $25CDN for 100 ml. Available here.

2. Dr. Schuessler's Combination 12: Salt H13-6x (2 tablets under the tongue 3-4x/day before meals) -- Also referred to as tissue salts, these contain 12 different kinds of cell salts that your body tissues absorb. Each tablet contains 6x of each of the following salts: calcium floride, dibasic calcium phosphate anhydrous, ferric phosphate, potassium choride, monobasic potassium phosphate, potassium sulfate, dibasic magnesium phosphate, sodium choride, dibasic sodium phosphate, sodium sulfate, silicon dioxide. (Distributed by Robert & Fils, Montreal, Canada) Cost $12.20CDN for 120 tablets. This was the main key to getting rid of the migraines! Read about them here and here. It is available in another format here.

3. A.Vogel's Avenaforce: (15 drops 3x/day) -- Fresh organically grown flowering oats (avena sativa) herb tincture, 427 mg. (Manufactured by Bioforce AG, Switzerland; distributed by Bioforce Canada, Inc., Montreal, Canada). I take this only if the weather is crazy--if a pressure system is coming through, it's rainy, or there has been a drastic change in the weather. Available here.

If you're not in Canada, I'd suggest printing this off and taking it to your local natural health food store (not a commercialized one like GNC). Ask them if they have these products, can order them for you, or if they have something comparable. If these don't work, I encourage you to keep searching for YOUR answer. With natural products you have to be willing to do it by trial and error.

If you go the medical route, they tend to only treat the symptom (the pain) and you just end up with stronger meds each time, which can become addictive, and after years, will hurt your liver. (Lillian now has liver problems due to all the meds she took to try to alleviate migraine pain.) Traditional medicine certainly has its place for serious issues, but in my opinion, it's much better to go natural when you can... use what God created to make you well.

If you are helped by these products, please comment and let me know!