Red and White Thoughts...

The following information and thoughts are not my own. I read an article written by John Faulk a CBN staff writer, and wanted to pass it along to you...


   "The red and white stripped candy cane is one of the most popular symbols of the Christmas season. The connection to Christianity began in 1670, when a German choirmaster is said to have handed out white sugar sticks to the young singers to keep them pacified during the live Nativity ceremony. In honor of the occasion, he had the candies bent into the shape of shepherd's crooks. The idea caught on, and the candy sticks became common at live nativities all over Europe.
   The curved confection surfaced in America in 1847 when a German-Swedish immigrant living in Ohio decorated a small evergreen tree with paper ornaments and white candy canes.
   About 50 years later, the familiar red and white stripes first appeared. no one knows exactly who originally added the red stripes, but Christmas cards prior to 1900 showed only all-white candy canes. Christmas cards after 1900 showed illustrations of striped candy canes. Around that same time, confectioners added peppermint and wintergreen flavors to their candy canes and those flavors became the traditional  favorites.
  For decades, the the tale of the candy cane has been told and retold as a Christian witness-the red and white stripes representing the Lord's blood and purity; the three red stripes symbolizing the Holy Trinity; and the hardness of the candy representing Jesus, our Rock and refuge. The peppermint flavor is said to signify the use of hyssop, a mint-like medicinal herb referred to in both the Old and New Testaments.
   Generations of parents have taught their children the candy cane's sweet symbolism of Jesus' love.
Share a candy cane with someone and tell them the sweet story of the Savior who was born to set us free." 


   The symbolism of Christ and what Christmas is all about is everywhere...yet, it seems as if the world would like to celebrate a "holiday" without acknowledging what holiday it is and what it celebrates. I refuse to let "Happy Holiday" replace "Merry Christmas" in my world.
   I challenge all of you who celebrate Christmas to not allow the name and meaning of this holiday disappear...wish everyone a "Merry Christmas". When I have grandchildren someday, I don't want one of my reminiscent stories to be recalling the days when people would wish others a "Merry Christmas" I want it to be a natural part of their life at Christmas time.
   I hope that you are finding time to enjoy the celebration of the greatest gift ever given....and if you have never reached out to accept this free gift, I hope this will be the year you unwrap the love of Christ in your heart...he came for you....yep, He left the glory of Heaven to a humble stable so that you could join Him in glory someday for all eternity...I hope to see you there one day!

Merry Christmas!!!

Kicking off the Christmas Season

   Well it's December! I can NOT believe how fast the past two months have gone! I have so many deadlines to meet by the end of the year, but I refuse to let anything steal the joy of this wonderful season. Hopefully I will also find time to share with you some of our family traditions that make our Christmas special.


   The first kick-off was getting together with my wonderful friend Tammy to bake some cookies. We have been doing this since our kids were small and needed to stand on chairs to reach the kitchen counter....now our oldest two are freshmen in college!

My sweet friend Tammy

   Over the years the kids got more interested in playing and hanging out with each other than "helping" us make the cookies, but that's OK they were building memories of their own. Of course they always showed up for taste testing :)


   In years past we made many different recipes on baking day, but with our limited time we just picked two kinds to make and will have another day before Christmas to make some more...can't wait!


   We made our family's favorite Chocolate Chip cookies that are "must haves" for our husbands and kids. We have been using the same recipe for years and won't be changing that one!

Yummy!

   The next cookie we made was a new recipe I found on Pinterest ( oh how I love that site for recipes!) It's a Peppermint Sugar Cookie and you can find the recipe HERE. We added our special touch by topping them off with drizzled white chocolate and crushed candy canes...OH YUM!!!

Candy canes transform into pretty yummy pieces that go inside and on top

Rolled in powdered sugar and pressed with a fork...the smell is minty sweet!

My 12 year old Colton helping sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes.

I wish you could smell these!And taste them too!

Colton's reward for helping :)

Tammy made a friend with one of the many Asian beetles that have decided to make our home their home ( I am so not impressed with them!)

Good friends & sweet memories!

   Are you feeling the hustle and bustle of the season? Or are you feeling the peace and joy? Make some time to do something that puts you in the spirit....make some cookies....put on some Christmas music...have coffee with a friend...find a way to serve others...don't forget to spend daily time with "The reason for the season" my wonderful Savior Jesus Christ.


   Comment below and tell me how you "Kick-off" the Christmas season.

Weird Mornings And A Treasured Realization

   Whew! It is 10 am, and I have had a weird morning! Nothing strange has really happened, just kind of "off". Every other Tuesday I have "free" no working/no volunteering....Oh how I look forward to them :)... And today is one of those Tuesdays. Normally I try to get the kids a better than normal breakfast and I get everyone doing their school work and my oldest out the door to college (although, much to my surprise, he doesn't need much pushing or assistance to get up and out the door). Once everyone is busy, I usually try to do some cleaning and then have a moment with my laptop and cup of coffee. I check up all the news on Facebook and read emails, and then I usually go into the world of blogging. I check up on all my bloggie friends and try to post a new entry myself.
   As I sit down to write, I feel like I haven't accomplished anything! I've been distracted and half doing things...what is up? Well, I forgot something....do you see it missing from my list up there? I missed spending time with the One who gives me strength. I got up a little later than I wanted to and jumped right into breakfast and swishing the kids to their places and....I forgot. But I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and patiently waits for me to pause long enough to hear him call to me. I heard him...and I'm so thankful that I didn't get any further in the day to hear him or my whole day would have felt "off".
   I have been so busy lately that my time with God has been very fragmented, not completely cut off but...distracted. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with a friend on the phone and you can just tell that they are listing to a family member, or trying to do something while they are on the phone with you? It's like they're half-listening...or a child playing a video game while you are explaining the chores that they need to do...all they say is "m-hmm, OK"...you get the picture. Well, that is probably what God has been having to deal with when talking to me lately. My mind is so cluttered with trying to figure out what I should do about certain situations and trying to keep all these plates spinning that I have decided to put up on these ridiculously high balancing sticks....
   But then today I heard him! He reminded me to sit  at his feet for a bit. I have a friend who faithfully texts me a verse each morning ( I love her for that, thanks Tam) This morning it was Philippians 2:13 reminding me that it is God that works in me...have I been allowing him to? And then in my devotional Jesus Calling (which I highly recommend) was Isaiah 41:10 " Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" The next verses remind me that God will fight my battles,.... HE will keep my plates spinning.... but only the necessary ones, and HE will protect the fragile ones I can't seem to take my eyes off of...
   Does my God know me or what?! He knew exactly what I needed to hear at the just the time I needed to hear it! Don't tell me God isn't personal or doesn't care about what we go through!
  Dear friend, do you feel "off"?.....trying to keep some plates of your own spinning?....Feel weak and tired?....Do you know your Father in heaven?....Have you paused to hear Him call to you?...He knows what you need to hear right now, He loves you and is patiently waiting for you to turn your attention to Him...got a minute?

Autumn Snow and Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

   Well, things have been busy as usual around here. I had wanted to post this weekend about the snow we had on Saturday, but it was a very crazy weekend. 

   We went to bed Friday night thinking we would get some flurries like the weather man said, but we got a little more than that! I absolutely LOVE fall, but when I woke up Saturday morning I was so surprised! I felt like a little kid! Everything was covered in a heavy blanket of white! ( I know I'm weird, I like snow...I'm not ready for winter yet though) Below are a few shots I took before our crazy day started....

....Oh, and I'm joining the Chats on the Farmhouse Porch again with "Everyday Ruralty". Don't forget to pull up a seat and join in the chat in the comments section. The snow is gone and today is a beautiful sunny fall day :)

Farmhouse Porch Questions:

1. Alison asks: What's the biggest obstacle you've overcome or need to?
2. Julia asks: If you won $100,000 what changes would you make?
3. McGuffy Ann asks: What's the most unusual pet you've had?
4. When do you start decorating for Christmas?
5. What's your favorite type of magazine to read?

My Answers:

1. Learning to trust in God's plan rather than my own...I have had to learn this one many times over. I am a planner and there have been several times in my life when I could not see the next step ahead. It's in those times I have learned to just wait on God to move me or  shine the light on the next step to take. I am on a dimly lit path right now waiting for God to move that light to where I need to step...hopefully I have learned to wait in faith and will not try to run ahead on my own.

2. If I had that money fall in my lap, I would pay off the rest of our debt, tithe to bless where God led, and put some away.

3. I had a pet rooster for awhile that would come up to the kitchen door and peck (knock on the door) and beg for corn flakes. His name was Chester Cornelius :)

4. We usually start decorating the weekend after Thanksgiving ( I have a rule about completing one holiday before moving to the next, and yes, department stores drive me crazy with this). I put up multiple trees with different themes, but we always put a live tree in our living room. We usually put it up later, so the needles stay nice.

5. My favorite Magazines are Mary Jane's Farm, Real Simple, and Country Sampler. I love to read about people and decorating and simple recipes and cleaning solutions :)

Well have a wonderful rest of your week, stop back soon!

If you want to sit on other porches for the chat go here.