Quieting My Heart: The Most Treasured Gifts

"In the moment

of realizing your limitations,

your shortcomings,

your inescapable sins,

all that you aren't -

in that moment

of surrendered lack,

you're given the gift

you'd receive no other way:

the gracious hand

of an unlimited God."

(Ann Voskamp)

A sacred place

of surrender -

over and over again,

on these busy days

of Christmas,

and everyday ...

today, this day -

realizing my need,

and receiving

the gift of Him ...

unlimited grace,

unending love.

The most

treasured gifts

of all.

⠀

Chocolate Chip Cranberry Scones

Last week I spent some time in the kitchen baking some breakfast items for when our family will be home for Christmas! It's important for me to plan ahead, and put as much as I can in the freezer for the days ahead. 

I tried out this new recipe of Chocolate Chip Cranberry Scones, and also made a recipe that I found a few years ago ... Pumpkin Spice Scones. I love scones, and they are easy to make, and also freeze well. 

Scones are also great to serve for just one or two ... and having them in the freezer works well as you can just pull them out one at a time, and heat up in the microwave. 

Click on the "Source" link under the photo (below), to print recipe ...

Chocolate Chip-Cranberry Scones

Source: tasteofhome.com

Course: Breakfast

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Total Time: 30 min

Yield: 12 servings

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon baking soda
• ¹⁄₄ cup cold butter
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¹⁄₂ cup dried cranberries
• ¹⁄₂ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Directions Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, whisk the first six ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, whisk yogurt and egg yolk; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips.
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead gently 10 times. Pat dough into an 8-in. circle. Cut into 12 wedges. Place wedges on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
3. Freeze option: Freeze cooled scones in resealable plastic freezer bags. To use, thaw at room temperature or, if desired, microwave each scone on high for 20-30 seconds or until heated through.
4. Yield: 1 dozen.

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Quieting My Heart: The Most Important Thing

Maybe
in the midst of these
full and wonderful days
of Christmas,
our most productive thing
is to pause, 
and to be still.
⠀

For in pausing -⠀
letting our souls catch up⠀
and be refreshed -⠀
we find what ⠀
we all long for.⠀

⠀

And in our pausing,⠀

our eyes are opened⠀

to the beauty⠀

and the peace that⠀

He came to give us.⠀

⠀

“For it is in⠀

filling up with Your love⠀

in times of stillness⠀

that my capacity⠀

to give love away⠀

increases.”⠀

(Shelly Miller)⠀

⠀

Filled up, to give away -⠀

the gift of His Presence,⠀

enabling us to be ⠀

a gift to others.⠀

(free photo from pixabay)

Cranberry Gelatin Salad

This recipe has been in my collection for quite a few years, but I have never posted it here. Often my days are so full around the holidays, that I don't have the time to post some of my favorites.

I've used this jello salad for both Thanksgiving, and also Christmas. This year I made it for Thanksgiving, and I was reminded how easy and good it is. Sharing it here for my own records, and also in case, you are looking for a recipe like this to use for Christmas!

Click on the "Source" link under the photo (below) to print recipe.


Cranberry Gelatin Salad

Source: tasteofhome.com

Course: Salads

Prep Time: 10 min

Total Time: 10 min

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 6 oz. pkg. cherry gelatin
• 1-¹⁄₂ cups boiling water
• 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple undrained
• 1 16 oz. can whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 1-¹⁄₂ cups seedless red grapes halved
• ¹⁄₄ cup pecans chopped

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in water. Stir in pineapple and cranberry sauce.
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Stir in grapes and pecans, and pour into a 2-qt. serving bowl.
4. Refrigerate until firm.
5. Yield: 8-10 servings.

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Welcoming December: Christmas Peace

It's the most wonderful time of the year ... I love this season! There are so very many, many things I love about this season. And as a wife, mom, grama, and friend, my heart is full and overflowing throughout this season.

But, as is also true for most everyone else, this season can also become stressful at times for me. This stress hit me quite unexpectedly the first day of November this year, as I realized all the many things that I needed to do to prepare for Christmas. This undercurrent of stress stuck with me for a few days ... and then God, in His mercy, lifted my heart! 

Can I share my heart, and offer some thoughts, some perspective? 

Just maybe this will be encouraging to you, as well?

In the midst of the busy days, and the full calendars, and so many things to do during this Christmas season ... we can have P-E-A-C-E. And also HOPE, LOVE, and JOY! All traditional themes of Advent! 

The one of these that has calmed my heart as I prepare for this beautiful and wonderful season ... is P-E-A-C-E.

True PEACE ... is the presence of Jesus. 

Is there really any other real, lasting peace? This peace can fill our hearts and our minds, even in busy times - and also as we live in this world of unrest.

But how do we experience this Peace daily?

This is the perspective I needed, and the reminder that God flooded my heart with the beginning of November. It's really quite simple. So simple that we can miss it. And it's really quite familiar to us who follow Jesus ... but maybe we need to be reminded. Often. Daily. Each moment. Today.

Read it slowly, thoughtfully, even as a prayer ...

Don't worry about anything;

instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need,

and thank Him for all He has done.

Then you will experience God's peace,

which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds

as you live in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:6-7)

Let me share the following words from my journal, dated near the beginning of November as I recorded what God, in His love, impressed on my heart ...

"My dear daughter, I know you have so many things on your mind, so many things to do and care for as the holidays come. Not only with holiday prep, but with Cru, helping Gary, and connections you desire to have with family and friends. But I want you to bring everything to Me, each day. Let each day be about 'you and Me'. Not about your tasks. But about walking so close to Me, and letting Me care for your needs."

Pray about everything = talk with Him about everything!

As we talk with Him about everything, even the very smallest and seemingly insignificant things (what to do next on a busy day, which gift to purchase, how we can encourage someone, etc.) ... we invite Him into our days and our moments. And His Presence brings peace, for He is P-E-A-C-E.

And now, at the beginning of December ...

I'm thanking Him for His many gifts! Most of all, for His Presence - peace, hope, love, and joy ... the best of gifts! And also for the unexpected blessings of having my Christmas gift shopping nearly completed now, for our big Cru end-of-year mailing all ready to mail today, for many sweet connections with family and friends these past weeks, and for strength in the multitude of daily tasks and responsibilities. 

And I pray the same for you ... that as we talk with Him about everything, we will experience His Presence, and His Peace throughout this Christmas season!

Now may the Lord of Peace Himself

give you His peace

at all times and in every situation.

The Lord be with you all.

(II Thessalonians 3:16)

(A little note ... in the midst of all the daily activity of this month, much of my focus will also be on food prep for our Family Christmas - with our dearly-loved family home for Christmas - 24 of us here in all!. As I have the time, I will be posting recipes here during the month, adding to my online collection of "Family Recipes". All the holiday baking/cooking is a fun thing for me to do, and posting the recipes here gives me a lot of joy, and enables me to share the recipes with family and friends.)

(Photo: free photo from Pixabay)

Quieting My Heart: Give Thanks

“Give thanks

to Him alone

who does mighty miracles.

His faithful love

endures forever.”

(Psalm 136:4)

A day does not hold

enough moments

to look back

and to look around

at all the gifts of love

and all the miracles

that God showers

on His children -

on you, and on me.

So each day of the year

can be a counting,

and a treasuring

of His gifts and miracles.

Each day can be 

filled with thanks-giving ...

recorded in our journals,

spoken to Him as we

live, work, and play -

and shared through

our words and our joy

to those around us.

There is no end 

to our thanks-giving,

for we will have

a forever eternity

to give our thanks … 

His Greatest 

Gift of Love.

(free photo from pixabay)

Quieting My Heart: Thanksgiving Week

Today,

at the start of

Thanksgiving week

and all the year through ...

This is true -

“you were created

on purpose, and

for a purpose.”

(Ruth Chou Simons, in Gracelaced)

There’s only one of me

and only one of you -

created by God,

to be loved deeply,

to love Him completely,

and to reflect His love,

for His great purposes.

“For everything

comes from Him

and exists for His power

and is intended for His glory.

All glory to Him forever.”

(Romans 11:36)

May we beautifully

and completely,

rest in His love

and live from His love -

this week of Thanksgiving

and each day of the year.

(free photo from pixabay)

Quieting My Heart: The Key to Loving

We hear it often,

and we know it in our hearts -

but exactly what does it mean?

Sometimes it comes easy,

and other times, 

it comes harder, and we grow weary;

for loving others and

sacrificing for others

can leave us worn down, used up,

completely undone.

But if we pause, catch our breath,

rest, and listen …

Just maybe

we will find that our focus

has so easily become distorted.

Do we focus on the loving,

or do we focus first of all,

above all else,

on being loved?

“And continue to walk

surrendered to the

extravagant love of Christ …”

(Ephesians 5:2a The Passion)

Extravagant love for us -

offered on the Cross;

unending, faithful, present love,

today, this moment, now -

always with us, close.

How can we help

but let this love overflow

through our words,

our actions?

“Live a life filled with love,

following the example of Christ.

He loved us, and offered Himself

as a sacrifice for us,

a pleasing aroma to God.”

(Ephesians 5:2 NLT)

(Photo from Colorado 2015)

Quieting My Heart: In the Unseen

What is

most important today?

The things that we see,

or the things that are hidden.

“Martha, my beloved Martha.

Why are you upset and troubled,

pulled away by all

these many distractions?

Are they really that important?

Mary has discovered the

one thing most important

by choosing to sit

at My feet.”

(Luke 10: 41-42 The Passion)

“Squandering time with God 

in the hidden place 

was turning me into one

who would do anything

to bring Him glory

on the earth.”

(Sara Hagerty)

In the hustle and busy

of this month,

in this coming holiday season -

may I freely offer up

precious time to

nurture my soul and heart

in the quiet, in His presence,

in the unseen.

“We live for what is

right in front of us,

while God is ever so gently

calling us to the unseen.”

(Sara Hagerty)

Digital Scrapbooking: October 2017

My monthly digital scrapbook post is going up at the last minute, for these pages are just freshly done! It's been a full month, filled with two trips, another busy season of Cru work, some special family times, and sweet times with friends.

These four pages that I was able to finally finish up earlier tonight capture memories from a trip that we took at the beginning of October. Our little weekend getaway to Branson, MO, was just what we needed and wished for after the two very full months of starting up Cru again for another school year.

- - - - - - -

Note: Most of the page templates and digital products that I use are purchased from Digital Project Life. About six years ago I switched from paper scrapbooking, and took some online lessons from Digital Scrapper to learn how to digital scrapbook using Photoshop Elements. (You can also click here for some great tutorials on the Digital Project Life website - maybe a quicker way to learn than the site that I used six years ago.) Also, besides being able to share my completed pages online, I also print them out at home in 8x8 inch size to fit in the albums that I purchase from Michael's.

Quieting My Heart: Our Most Essential Work

What is it in our lives,

in our daily work,

in the things that we give

our time and our best efforts to ...

what is of most significance?

Surely there is a long list

of what we focus on,

and spend our best time on.

Things that we consider

essential, important.

And along with my list of things,

is prayer, talking with God.

For it is of great importance,

and all I do needs to be

covered in prayer. 

Of course.

But what if the praying - 

the bringing of my daily tasks,

my deepest longings,

my highest goals and desires ...

what if the talking with Him

about everything -

what if this is my most critical work?

What if entering into His heart

for the world, for those I love,

and all He longs to do,

becomes my highest goal?

"Our Lord put all the emphasis on prayer,

and He made prayer

not preparation for the work,

not a sentiment nor a devotion,

but the work."

(Oswald Chambers)

Lord, if we are looking for the significant,

may we keep our best efforts for the best work.

And then we will see You -

"through Your mighty power at work within us,

accomplish infinitely more than 

we might ask or think."

(Ephesians 4:20)