Compassion

“Finding the real joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done, nor is it found in the purchasing of gifts. “When we see shepherds, may we remember to be humble. When we see wise men, may we remember to be generous. When we see the star, may we remember the Light of Christ, which gives life and light to all things. When we see a tiny baby, may we remember to love unconditionally, with tenderness and compassion.”  Bonnie L Oscarson

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This Is Christmas

Luther Vandross - This Is Christmas (Official Video) - YouTube

Don't be discouraged

Don't be dismayed

There's hope for all in this world

'Cause this is Christmas day

Say a little prayer for the world

God teach us love

Though you think that He doesn't hear

I know He does

This is Christmas, let the world sing

Let us all begin to heal

Hallelujah, this is Christmas

And with love we can begin today

Christmas bells ring

People's hearts sing

And I forget about all the troubles I seem to have

And I tell myself to feel how my brother feels

Try to love him and maybe then I'll understand him

Make a little room in our hearts

No heart's too small

Can't we love each other today?

'Cause after all

This is Christmas, let the world sing

Let us all begin to heal

Hallelujah, this is Christmas

And with love we can begin today

(Come, come, come see the little one)

Come (come, come, come see the little one)

Come see the baby, yeah, yeah, ooh

Come (come see the baby) yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, ooh

You know, you know

(This is Christmas) yes it is, (let the) world sing

Let us all begin to heal, all begin, we can all begin

(Hallelujah) hallelujah (this is Christmas) yeah yeah

(And with love) we can begin today

(This is Christmas, let the world sing) yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (let us all begin to heal) ooh, today

(Hallelujah) this is Christmas

And with love we can begin

This is Christmas, let the world sing

Let us all begin to heal

Hallelujah, this is Christmas

And with love we can begin

This is Christmas

~*~*~*~*~

We went to a Christmas dinner last night with friends and enjoyed playing “Jingo” (same as Bingo only using Christmas images instead of numbers) Playing games and laughing together makes wonderful memories.  This site has some fun, easy christmas games for children:  13 Christmas Party Games for Kids of All Ages (thespruce.com) There are also sites which have interactive online Christmas games.  

 

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White Chicken Chili

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 T olive oil

2- 14 oz. cans chicken broth

1 - 4 oz. can chopped green chiles

2 t. ground cumin

2 t. Dried oregano

1 - 1 ½ t cayenne pepper

3 - 14.5 ounce cans great northern beans, drained

1 cup shredded jack cheese

Optional *** hot sauce, sliced jalapeno pepper

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook chicken and onion in oil until lightly browned. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low. With a potato masher, mash 1 can of beans until smooth. Add to the saucepan. Add remaining beans to the saucepan. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and onion is tender. Top each serving with cheese and, if desired, jalapeno pepper

 

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Compassion. The gift of compassion fills our life with joy.   As I mentioned earlier, showing compassion, reaching out with a helping hand gives people hope. There are many activities you can do to help your children develop compassion. We did the 12 Days of Christmas for a neighbor family one year. We tried being sneaky about it, determined not to get caught. It all went really well until the night when the mother in the family (and you probably know who that was) realized it was HER turn to drop off the mystery item. It was late, she was in her nightgown with fuzzy monster slippers on her feet. She got into the car without a coat and made the drop off. She hurriedly raced back to the car and discovered her keys were in the ignition, and she was locked out! This was before cell phones, so she had to return to the door and ask to use the phone. Nightgown, monster slippers, and no coat – she was the recipient of a lot of giggles and snickers and even some rolling on the floor with laughter, but also much compassion. We never know when WE will be the one in need.

From the scriptures, we learn that Our Savior loves:

CHILDREN “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God”, 

WIDOWS “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.” 

THE POOR “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.”    Matt 25:40  This Christmas, let us follow the Savior’s example and give to those around us

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  

 ~~ Marilee

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Christmas in the Sticks

By Debby Mongeau

 

The year I moved to Alaska, I lived with my husband's family while he stayed in Montana and worked. I had never been around a huge family before, and he was the oldest of ten children, most of them married with kids of their own. They all lived within a forty-mile radius and used any excuse for a family gathering.

 

No one had any money. Kids were small, families were young, and many of the parents worked more than one job just to pay the bills.

 

But that first year, the Christmas of 1981, they showed me what giving was all about.

 

I had only been there for about six months and was still in awe of the strength and power that the love of a big family can generate. What they did that year was a long-standing tradition for them, but I had never seen anything like it.

 

Two days before Christmas, the entire family gathered at Mom's house. Each couple threw one hundred dollars into a pot; singles tossed in fifty dollars if they could; kids pitched in allowances or baby-sitting money.

 

Then the church assigned us a name and an address, and we got "our family." We were all eager to help once we knew the situation: Dad's been out of work; the baby's been sick; Mom didn't want to put up a Christmas tree because she didn't want the children to be disappointed when Santa didn't come; the power company had shut the gas off once, but the church had paid the bill.

 

First, we went to the grocery store. Ten adults, a dozen or more kids, we took the store by storm. Stomping snow off our boots and shedding hats and gloves, we worked up and down the aisles with five carts, soon full of turkey, dressing, potatoes, pies and Christmas candy. Someone thought of simple stuff, how about toilet paper? Did anyone get butter? What about orange juice and eggs for breakfast?

 

Then the kids got to work. I watched, amazed, as a six-year-old gave up her two-dollar allowance so another little girl could have new mittens. I saw a ten-year-old's eyes light up when he found the illuminated sword he'd wanted, and then put it in the cart for a little boy he didn't even know. A warm, fuzzy blanket for the baby was my four-year-old nephew's choice.

 

Back to Mom's to wrap the gifts. There were two separate boxes of hand-me-down clothes, sized, pressed and folded. Soon ten grocery-store boxes, overflowing with holiday food, joined them.

 

The kids created an assembly line to wrap gifts: big gifts, little gifts, special mugs and warm driving gloves. Paper and ribbon were everywhere. Laughter was woven in and out of satiny bows; love was taped to every tag.

Colorful plastic sleds were shoved in the back of the Bronco and stashed in the available trunk space of warm cars idling in the sub-zero Christmas chill. The moon was out, and the trees were covered with hoar frost, glittering like a snow globe in a happy child's hand.

The favorite uncle got to play Santa. Dressed in a dapper red suit, he led the caravan to the trailer stuck back in the scrubby alder woods. Once we had to stop because the ruts in the snow got too deep, and someone's car bottomed out. We transferred gifts and people, and we carried on.

There were no other houses around the frosty mobile home, but the lights were on and a dog on a long rope barked from the wooden porch when we pulled up. Most of us stayed out on the main road, but we loaded the boxes on the sleds, tied them together and sent "Santa" and a few of the older kids to the door. We hung back and sang "Silent Night."

Santa and his helpers knocked and went right in when the door opened. The young family had, after all, decided to put up a tree, and they were stringing lights when we got there. They stood, stunned, as the Santa's helpers unloaded box after box, piled gifts upon gifts. It wasn't long before the tree was dwarfed by a mountain of presents.

Santa said the mom didn't start crying until she pulled the wool coat out of the clothing box. She only said, "Where did you come from?" and then, softly, "Thank you so much."

With the standard "ho, ho, ho" and lots of "merry Christmases!" the delivery crew sprinted back to the car.

We sang one last verse of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas!" jumped in our magic sleighs and disappeared into the night.

 

Dec. 7, 2022

“Christmas is a season which almost all Christians observe in one way or another. Some keep it as a religious season. Some keep it as a holiday. But all over the world, wherever there are Christians, in one way or another Christmas is kept.” —J. C. Ryle

 

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BarlowGirl - Hallelujah (Light Has Come) [Official Music Video HD] Lyrics,Subtitulado,Tradução

Hmmm my baby

Heaven sent you to me

All the worlds been praying

Who will save?

But who am I

That here tonight

I hold the one

Who'll bring us life

Hallelujah, we've been found

A child is born to save us now

Hallelujah, light has come

A Savior who will set us free

A Promise for those who believe

Do you hear the Angels (Angels)

Sing for you my baby

Men and kings have come to

Bow to you

But here in my arms

So close to me

The son of God

Now all can see

Hallelujah, We've been found

A child is born to save us now, Jesus

Hallelujah, light has come

A savior set us free

So praise to God on high

He has heard our cry

So praise to God on high

He has heard our cry

Hallelujah, We've been found

Hallelujah, We've been found

A child is born to save us now, Jesus

Hallelujah, light has come

A Savior who will set us free

A Promise for those who believe

~ * 🎄 * ~

Chicken Skillet Stew

⅓ flour

½ t. Salt

Dash pepper

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1” pieces

3 T butter

1 medium onion sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾” cubes

3 medium carrots cut into 1/4” slices

1 cup chicken broth

½ t dried thyme

1 T ketchup

1 T. cornstarch

In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and turn to coat.  In a large skillet, melt butter; cook chicken until juices are clear. Add onion and celery; cook for 3 minutes. Stir in potatoes and carrots.  In a small bowl, combine the broth, thyme, ketchup and cornstarch; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

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Decorating tip:

I was always concerned about hanging stockings on the mantel by our free-standing stove, so I came up with an idea:  Put your Christmas stockings on the chairs at your table.  Secure them with pretty ribbon and industrial strength tape.

~ * 🎄 * ~

The Christmas Candle (2013)

Last night Dean and I watched the Christmas Candle.   The critics were not kind to this movie, but we both enjoyed it.  It is 1890, and “deep in the heart of the English countryside lies the enchanting village of Gladbury. Legend has it every twenty-five years an angel visits the village candlemaker and touches a single candle. Whoever lights this candle and prays before it receives a miracle on Christmas Eve, but in 1890, at the dawn of the electric age, this centuries old legend may come to an end. When David Richmond, a progressive young minister, arrives in Gladbury, the villagers discover a new formula for miracles: good deeds and acts of kindness.” (excerpt from The Christmas Candle (2013) - IMDb). The minister did not believe in miracles, and he wanted the people of Gladbury to realize that we make our own miracles by reaching out and helping each other. I loved the service they rendered to each other. By the end of the movie, they all changed.  People saw the positive difference that can be made through service, while the minister came to believe in miracles and the power of prayer.

~ * 🎄 * ~

Another gift from our Savior is the gift of seeing the best in other people. He sees us. He knows us. He loves us. My mother always used to say that I look at the world through “rose-colored" glasses and that someday someone would knock them right off of me. Those glasses might have been jostled a time or 2 over the years, but I have discovered that when we expect people to respond in a positive manner, they usually do. Each one of us is unique. The world would be a boring place, if everyone was just like “me”. So:

1) Choose to look for the good.

2) Look for the things you have in common

3) Keep your sense of humor. The sound of laughter is universally understood. It’s the language of happiness and the underlying spirit of humanity – joy.  Laughter is light, and while there is much darkness in this world, it’s easier to see the best in people when we smile, laugh and welcome those around us. ~~ Marilee

~ * 🎄 * ~

John Westall lived from 1816 to 1890. He was a book illustrator, as well as a poet.

“O How Shall I Keep My Christmas?” by John Westall

O, how shall I keep my Christmas?

My heart whispered softly to me,

For I had been reading the story

Of the Lord’s nativity;

And slowly and clearly before me

The words like pictures rise,

And the scenes appear in the beauty

Of the starry Syrian skies.

O cradled He was in a manger!

For lowly and poor was He,

Whose throne is the splendors of heaven

Whose power is infinity;

And He bore His cross to save us,

To save us from death and sin,

And He trod all alone the winepress

To make us pure and clean.

In glory, the hosts of the angels

Came singing His song of praise,

And filling the heav’ns with their music

In those wonderful old days;

Singing Glory to God in the highest!

And peace upon earth,

And the mighty chorus of voices

Pealed forth goodwill to all.

O, how shall I keep my Christmas?

As they keep it in heaven above;

O keep it with peace and thanksgiving,

And kindliest deed of love

And share with the poor and needy

The joys which the Lord gives thee;

And thy heart shall keep with the angels

The Lord’s nativity.

Hope

 

“Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.” — Kathy Calvin

 

⭐~🌲~⭐

 

Love Grows at Christmastime

Love Grows at Christmastime from the movie "Christmas Jars" | by One Voice Children's Choir - YouTube

Snow falls, nature slumbers, Winter's flurry stops new growth

December brings the season, filled with laughter and new hopes

Kindness abounds, good deeds seems to thrive,

Hate is put down while true brotherhood comes alive

Love grows at Christmastime,

When best that's within us is willingly given

Hearts heal at Christmastime

When seeds of forgiveness are planted within our hearts

Soft words, spoken freely, fill the air with joyful sounds

Warm smiles shared with gladness life the spirits of those worn down

Families comes home strangers makes new friends (2×)

Happiness flows when we reach out with open hands

Love grows at Christmastime,

When best that's within us is willingly given

Hearts heal at Christmastime

When seeds of forgiveness are planted within our hearts

A little tenderness can spread untill whole

World fills refreshed, we all are blessed with love

Love grows at Christmastime,

When best that's within us is willingly given

Hearts heals at Christmastime

When seeds of forgiveness are planted within our hearts (2×)

 

⭐~🌲~⭐

 

This is what Dean is having today.  It’s just about ready.  It’s a great soup for a cold, snowy day.

 

Chicken Dumpling Soup

6 T. butter

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup matchstick carrot

1 cup diced celery

1 pound chicken thighs cut into 1” pieces

2 t salt

1/2 t dried thyme

½ t. Pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 T flour

6 c. chicken brother

¼ c. fresh parsley (chopped)

For dumplings:

2 c. flour

3 t. baking powder

1 c. milk

3 T melted butter

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter and then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken, salt, thyme and ground pepper.  Stir until chicken is cooked through (about 5 minutes)

Add the garlic, stir.  Add the flour and stir until the chicken is well coated.  Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  

While soup is simmering, make your dumplings by combining flour, salt and baking powder.  Make a well in the center of the flour, pour in the milk and melted butter.  Stir until mixed, not overmixed.  Drop dumplings by spoonful into the simmering soup until all dough is used.  Cover with a tight lid and cook for 12 - 15 minutes.  The dumplings will float to the top of the soup when done. Test a dumpling by cutting it in half.  If it is still doughy in the center.  Cook a few minutes more.

 

⭐~🌲~⭐

 

The gifts of a Savior, of prayer, of time, of love are all blessings in our lives.  Another important gift is HOPE.  Hope signifies that despite the darkness of winter, spring will come.  At some time in each of our lives, we go through periods of darkness and despair.  We take our own walk through Gethsemane.  To love, to live as the Savior taught is to give those around us hope, even in the darkest atmosphere.  Christmas is a time of goodwill, and cheer - but not for everyone.  Let us open our eyes, and volunteer, volunteer, volunteer.  One of the ladies in my community is an excellent example of one who gives hope.  There are many children who are hungry, families who do not know where their next meal is coming from.  She is organizing (through the schools) for these families to have meals each of the 12 days of Christmas vacation.  Is it crazy?  YES! But she’s following the Savior’s example and making a difference in the lives of children.  Giving trees, angel trees, Sub for Santa programs, The Marine Corps 'Toys for Tots' need donations for those qualifying families/individuals.  Simple acts of kindness are huge.  A few years ago, I was at the store looking for an opportunity to do something good.  I was going to let someone get in front of me in line, or help someone, open the door to someone.  When I got in the store, I was the recipient of so many acts of kindness that it was unbelievable.  As I left the store, a little tiny lady, probably in her 80s, held the door open for me! Our world is kinder and much more positive when our lives are filled with hope.  Some of us are unable to physically or financially do these things, but we can make a phone call to someone who is alone, a visit to a care center, a smile, a wave a cheery hello.  We can open our eyes and see people.  We can be a source of light and hope ~~ Marilee

 

⭐~🌲~⭐

 

A LEGEND

~Author Unknown

 

There's a beautiful legend

That's never been told

It may have been known

To the Wise Men of old

How three little children

Came early at dawn,

With hearts that were sad,

To where Jesus was born.

 

One could not see,

One was too lame to play,

While the other, a mute,

Not a word could he say.

Yet, led by His star,

They came there to peep

At the little Lord Jesus

With eyes closed in sleep.

 

But how could the Christ Child,

So lovely and fair,

Not waken and smile

When He heard their glad prayer

Of hope at His coming,

Of faith in His birth,

Of praise at His bringing

God's peace to the earth?

 

And then, as the light

Softly came through the door,

The lad that was lame

Stood upright once more.

The boy that was mute

Started sweetly to sing,

While the child that was blind

Looked with joy on the King!

 At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart?  Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God's own love and concern.  ~~ Monica Johnson

~*~*~*~*~

Be Born In Me

Francesca Battistelli

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsXOP7aQeqQ

Everything inside me cries for order

Everything inside me wants to hide

Is this shadow of an angel or a warrior?

If God is pleased with me, why am I so terrified?

Someone tell me I am only dreaming

Someone help me see with Heaven's eyes

And before my head agrees, my heart is on its knees.

Holy is He, blessed am I

Be born in me, be born in me, trembling heart,

Somehow, I believe that you chose me.

I'll hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end,

Every moment in the middle, 

Make my heart your Bethlehem.

Be born in me.

All this time we've waited for the promise,

All this time you've waited for my arms

Did you wrap yourself inside the unexpected

So we might know that Love would go far?

Be born in me, be born in me, trembling heart,

Somehow, I believe that you chose me.

I'll hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end,

Every moment in the middle, 

Make my heart your Bethlehem.

Be born in me.

I am not brave, I'll never be

the only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy.

I'm just a girl, nothing more,

I am willing, I am yours.

oh, woah oh ... oh oh

Be born in me, be born in me

I hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end,

Every moment in the middle, 

Make my heart your Bethlehem.

Be born in Me

~*~*~*~*~

I love red beans and rice.  Just thinking of that southern comfort food makes me smile.  I also love Red Beans and Rice Soup.  This crock pot recipe makes it super easy.

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 pound ham hock

1 pound dry red kidney beans (I like to soak mine ahead of time, but you don't have to)

4 cups water

1 T chicken base (or 4 chicken bouillon cubes)

1 T salt (or to taste)

1/2 T minced garlic

2 t. Creole seasoning

1/2 c. butter, divided

3 c. cooked rice, for serving

6 andouille sausages, cooked, for serving (I don't usually put these in)

Melt 2 T butter in medium skillet.  Add onion, green pepper, and celery.  Saute until soft (about 2-3 minutes).  Spay the inside of crock pot with cooking spray or grease with neutral cooking oil (I use grapeseed).  Add ham hocks, red beans, onion, peppers, celery, and water to the pot.  Stir in base, salt, garlic, and Creole seasoning.  

Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours until beans are soft. 

Add remaining butter and rice.  Cook with the lid off until desired consistency is reached.  Ladle into bowl, and add sausage, if desired.

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Each of us have received a great gift from God.  Time.  In our busy world we hear the words, "I don't have time" constantly.  I know that I am guilty of wondering where the minutes have gone and bemoaning the fact that there are never enough.  Well, God gave us all 1,440 minutes each day.  Henry David Thoreau said, "It's not enough to be busy, so are the ants.  The question is, 'What are we busy about?'"  This Christmas, think of what's important, and allocate your time accordingly.  What matters to you?  Family?  Cooking?  Shopping?  Decorating?  Pulling your hair out? (Not serious on that one.)  Give a gift of time this Christmas.  Make your own coupons for things like "Good for one ice cream cone with Grandma", "Good for an evening of babysitting", "Good for a dog walking", "Good for a car wash", "Good for a phone call" or "You have just received 120 minutes as my time to do with as you please".  Extending a helping hand by using your time well and freeing up time for others is a great Christmas idea.  Our Father always has time for us, tell him thank you.  This Christmas, let us: 

Take Time (author unknown)

Take time to pray

            it helps to bring God near and washes the dirt of earth from your eyes

Take time for friends    

            they are the source of happiness.

Take time for work

            it is the price of success

Take time to think

            it is the source of power

Take time to read

            it is the foundation of knowledge,

Take time to laugh

            it is the singing that helps with life's loads.

Take time to love

            it is the one sacrament of life.

Take time to dream

            it hitches the soul to the stars.

Take time to play

            it is the secret of youth

Take time to worship

            it is the highway to reverence.

~

There's just enough time for a cute story -- LOL

A Warm Witty Short Christmas Story

It was the day after Christmas at St Peter and St Paul's church in Borden, Kent, England. Father John, the vicar, was looking at the nativity scene outside when he noticed the baby Jesus was missing from the figures.

Immediately, Father John's thoughts turned to calling in the local policeman but as he was about to do so, he saw little Nathan with a red wagon, and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus.

Father John approached Nathan and asked him, 'Well, Nathan, where did you get the little infant?'

Nathan looked up, smiled and replied, 'I took him from the church.'

'And why did you take him?'

With a sheepish grin, Nathan said, 'Well, Father John, about a week before Christmas I prayed to Lord Jesus. I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I would give him a ride around the block in it.'

Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.” — Dr. Seuss

 

💕

 

Today is my sweetest of heart’s birthday.  I have a lot of fun and get silly, even sappy on my blog for the 5th.  Happy birthday, Dean.  You are my special gift from God, and I cherish you. (He would turn bright red if he heard this song.  It’s amazing what you can find on youtube.)  I guess that's why the background reappeared, to give me a bad time. It's quite mischievous at times. It likes Dean the best.

*~*~*~*

Steven Curtis Chapman - Christmas Kiss - Official Lyric Video - YouTube

Your kiss is all I'm wishing for this Christmas

A kiss from you is all I really need

We'll turn the lights down low

And hang some mistletoe

And slow dance while the music softly plays

Your kiss is all I'm asking for this Christmas

One little kiss, well maybe, let's make it two

If that's alright with you

Piles of gifts wrapped up with pretty bows

Won't thrill me like holding you close

Will you make my Christmas wish come true

And kiss me

Tell Santa not to worry

I'll have everything I need

Just as long as I have you here in my arms

This Christmas Eve

Your kiss is all I'm hoping for this Christmas

One kiss from you or maybe three or four or maybe even more

Well, I've written out my list

And it all comes down to this

Your kiss is all I'm hoping for

Tell Santa I don't need anything more

Your kiss is all I'm asking for this Christmas

*~*~*~*

Love is great gift from God.  I hope that for those who are missing their spouses, their loves this Christmas will find joy in your memories. Here is something we can all do to increase the love aroud us this year. 

 

I love a good romance, so I’m going to review a book instead of a movie today.  This is one of those "feel-good” stories that make you feel good (Aren’t I eloquent ? LOL ). 

Cracked Wheat For Christmas, copyright 1985, 80 pages

Dr. Alexander Pennington III needed a lesson in humility. He learned it in “Cracked Wheat For Christmas”. He was rich and powerful and came from a family which cared for little except success. Christmas had no real significance for him—except that it gave him an excuse to show off his wealth and status.

He left the west coast for the east in his brand new expensive car which broke down on a ranch exit in Utah. He found himself stranded in a raging blizzard on a cold winter night. All the money and influence in the world could not help him. The Stewarts, a family with three small children, took him in and helped him discover what is truly important both at Christmas and all the rest of the year.

*~*~*~*

I asked Dean what his favorite soup is.  He said Clam Chowder.  I use the same basic recipe for clam chowder as my potato soup with just a couple of alterations

 

Clam chowder

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 cups finely diced potatoes

Water just to cover the vegetables plus clam juice

2 cans clams, drained (juice added to cooking veggies)

¾ cup butter (not margarine)

¾ cup flour

2 T vinegar

1 quart half and half

1 ½ t. Salt

1 t. Pepper

Put the prepared vegetables in a saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover the vegetables plus the clam juice. Simmer, covered over medium heat till barely tender. In the meantime, melt butter in another medium saucepan. Add flour. Blend and cook, stirring constantly until the flour is thoroughly incorporated; add the cream. Cook and stir with wire whip, until smooth and thick. Stir constantly! Add undrained vegetables, clams and vinegar. Heat through, but do not boil again.

*~*~*

This is a wonderful love story and a Christmas miracle

Two Lives

Extracted from

4 True Christmas Stories That'll Inspire You This Holiday (culturacolectiva.com)

The evening of December 24, 2009, promised to be extra special for Mike and Tracy Hermanstorfer. Not only was it Christmas Eve, but, more importantly, they were about to have a baby. During labor, however, Tracy’s heart suddenly stopped beating, followed by her breathing. The doctors were forced to react quickly: they had little time to save the baby.

They immediately performed an emergency C-section, but the Hermanstorfer baby, Coltyn, exhibited all the wrong signs: he was limp, and his pulse and heartbeat were extremely weak, to the point that the whole room, including Mike, had little hope. 

As the child remained unresponsive in his father’s arms, another team attempted to resuscitate Tracy, who lay motionless on the hospital bed. But suddenly, as unexplainably as it had stopped minutes earlier, her heart started beating again. And as her life rekindled, so too did Coltyn’s strength. His skin, once pale, flushed with color, and he started crying—showing everyone he was fine. Two lives, having almost gone through to the other side, amazingly came back. 

 

 

“Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus!”  Neal L Maxwell

~~*~*~*~*~~

Sunday is always simple – a story and a song. Good Sabbath, everyone ~~Marilee

                        ~~*~*~*~*~~

This is a beautiful video using Michael Mclean’s song, The Innkeeper - Let Him In.  I have used the music video from the stage production before, but this is new to me (Not from the stage performance).  It's a depiction of the Saviors birth and is gorgeous.

The Innkeeper - Let Him In

The Innkeeper - Let Him In - YouTube

I am a man forgotten

No one recalls my name

Thousands of years will fail to

Fully erase my shame

But I turned a profit

Nicely the day

That I turned the couple away

I turned them away...

I didn't sleep that evening

Though I'd sold out my place

Somehow, I felt uneasy

Something about her face

Why did I wish

That I'd let them stay?

I didn't think they could pay

Or could they have paid?

Restless, I left my bedroom

I walked the streets all night

Lost in the world I lived in

Found by a heavenly light

Staring at one bright star in the sky

I heard a baby cry

And I knew where that cry

Had come from

'Cuz I'd told them where

They could go

But I didn't think I could face them

And so, I walked slowly home

Missing my chance

To share in their joy

I never saw the boy

He never would condemn me

I did that all on my own

He offered His forgiveness

And ever since then, I've known

He lets us choose

Each hour of each day

If we'll let Him in to stay

Let Him in, Let Him in

Let the joy and hope begin

Let Him in, Let Him in

Let the peace on earth begin

And whether it be

In your world today

Or a crowded Bethlehem Inn,

Find a way (Find a way)

Make Him room (Make Him room)

Let Him in, Let Him in

(Let Him in)

Let the hope and joy begin

(It's beginning)

Let Him in

(Let Him in)

Let Him in

(Let Him in)

Let the peace on earth begin

(It's beginning)

Let Him in

(Let Him in)

Let Him in

(Let Him in)

Let Him in

Let Him in

(Let Him in)

~~*~*~*~*~~

Found on multiple Christmas sites.

A Change of Heart

By George Mapson

It was the tail end of the depression, and things were tough. Mum had a hard time raising us kids on her own in our small community of New Westminster, BC. My Dad had drowned in Pitt Lake, five years earlier? I still remember it like it was yesterday. Because Dad had no pension, or benefits, there was not much money, so we went on relief, now called social assistance. We relied on the Salvation Army to keep us clothed, and although our clothes were second hand, we thought they were beautiful.

Looking back, I realize what Mum went through sending us kids to school. Every morning she would tuck a new piece of cardboard in our shoes, because our soles were worn out. When we got home, Mum would have "French Toast" ready for us. This was bread deep-fried in lard. Constant moving was typical for my family in these times. Rent was twenty-five dollars a month, but Mum couldn't pay it, and we knew we would be evicted right after Christmas on the first of January. These were hard and sad years, but we never complained.

Christmas was approaching, and we were entitled to a twenty-five-dollar Christmas fund for social services. The Inspector came to our house and searched it from top to bottom to be sure we didn't have any food hidden away. When he didn't find any, he issued the cheque for Mum. It was four days before Christmas, and Mum said that instead of buying food, she would use the money to pay back rent, assuring us all of a roof over our heads for a little while longer. She told us then there would be nothing for Christmas.

Unknown to Mum, I had been selling Christmas trees, shoveling snow, and doing odd jobs to earn enough money to buy a new pair of boots. Boots that weren't patched, boots with no cardboard in the soles. I knew exactly which boots I wanted. They were ten-inch Top Genuine Pierre Paris, and they had a price of twenty-three dollars.

Well, the big day came on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. I was very excited, as I hurried up the road to catch the bus. It was only half a mile walk, but on the way, I noticed a house with Christmas lights and decorations. It was then I realized that at our house, we had no lights, no decorations, nor any money for Christmas goodies.

I knew then that we would have no turkey or ham for Christmas, and I felt sad. But I knew for certain that we would have French toast.

As I continued walking, I began to feel bewildered. I was eleven years old, and I was feeling a strange sense of guilt. Here I was going to buy a new pair of boots while Mum was home in tears. She would be trying to explain to us why there were no presents. As I arrived at the bus stop, the driver opened his big manual hinged door. I stood there for what seemed an eternity, until eventually the driver asked, "Son, are you getting on this bus or not?" I finally blurted out, "No thanks Sir, I've changed my mind."

The bus drove off without me, and I stood alone in a daze, but feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. My mind was made up and I realized what I had to do.

Across the street from the bus stop was a big grocery store called the Piggly Wiggley. Into the store I went, brimming with happiness and excitement. I realized that the twenty-five dollars I had worked so hard for went a long way for groceries. I bought a turkey, ham, oranges and all the Christmas treats. I spent every dime of my hard-earned money. The owner of the grocery store said, "Son, you can't pack all those groceries and carry them home yourself." So I asked two boys with carriers on their bicycles to run them the half-mile down to our house. As I walked behind the delivery boys, I whispered for them to quietly unload the groceries on the porch and pile them against the door. Once they had done this, with great excitement and tears in my eyes, I knocked on the door. I could hardly wait to see my mother's face! When Mum opened the door, some of the groceries fell inside onto the floor, and she just stood there dumbfounded. Holding back the tears, I hollered, "Merry Christmas Mother!! There really is a Santa Claus!"

I had a lot of explaining to do as we unpacked all the food and put it away. That day I got enough hugs and kisses from Mum to last two lifetimes. To see my Mother's prayers answered more than made up for the boots I never got. It was a Merry Christmas for us after all!

Gift of prayer

Thank you, Shannon.

*****

 “Christmas magic is silent. You don’t hear it. You feel it. You know it. You remember it." — Kevin Alan Milne

*****

Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful

Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful | Music Video ft. BYU Vocal Point and BYU Noteworthy - YouTube

O come, O come ye faithful,

O come, O come ye faithful,

O come, let us adore him,

O come all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold him,

Born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him,

O Come, let us adore him,

Christ the Lord

Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exaltation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;

Glory to God

Glory In the highest

O Come, let us adore him,

O Come, let us adore him,

O Come, let us adore him,

Christ, the Lord

Yea Lord, we greet thee,

Born this happy morning

Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n

Son of the father,

Now in flesh appearing,

O Come, let us adore him,

O Come, let us adore him,

O come ye to Christ the Lord.

Come unto Christ, the son of God

Let us adore him Christ the Lord

*****

Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage

¾ pound Italian sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans chicken broth

¾ cup water

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 package refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 6 oz. package fresh spinach coarsely chopped

¾ r. dried basil

¼ t. Pepper

Optional: 1 T crushed red pepper

In large soup pot cook onion, sausage and garlic. Drain. Add remaining ingredients except tortellinis and spinach. Bring to a boil. Add tortellini. Cook for 5 minutes (tortellini is done when it floats to top of water. Add spinach, cook for 3 more minutes.

*****

Another gift from God is prayer.  Why is it important?  Does it matter? The ancient psalmists knew the power of prayer.

Psalms 4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

To Psalms 3:4 To the LORD I cry aloud, and He answers me from His holy mountain. Selah

Psalms 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.

We matter. He hears us. There is no better time to turn your heart to prayer than this season of love leading up to the celebration of Christ’s birth, of His life, his death and resurrection. Prayer helps the heart and mind to center on what is really important. Christmas is a celebration – a moment of reflection on the greatness of the Father and the Son. What should we pray for? Whatever our heart feels is needed. What can we pray for? Anything. Here’s a few ideas which are right for me, find what’s right for you.

Ask God to “close the doors of hate and open the doors of love” this Christmas (from a prayer by Henry Van Dyke).

Pray for those who are lonely this holiday season—widows, widowers, invalids, the homeless, etc.

Give thanks for the faith of Joseph, who believed the angelic message and provided and cared for Mary and Jesus.

*****

My Christmas Miracle

Reprint Of A Story By Taylor Caldwell

For many of us, one Christmas stands out from all the others, the one when the meaning of the day shone clearest.

Although I did not guess it, my own truest Christmas began on a rainy spring day in the bleakest year of my life. Recently divorced, I was in my 20's, had no job, and was on my way downtown to go the rounds of the employment offices. I had no umbrella, for my old one had fallen apart, and I could not afford another one. I sat down in the streetcar, and there against the seat was a beautiful silk umbrella with a silver handle inlaid with gold and flecks of bright enamel. I had never seen anything so lovely.

I examined the handle and saw a name engraved among the golden scrolls. The usual procedure would have been to turn in the umbrella to the conductor, but on impulse I decided to take it with me and find the owner myself. I got off the streetcar in a downpour and thankfully opened the umbrella to protect myself. Then I searched a telephone book for the name on the umbrella and found it. I called, and a lady answered.

Yes, she said in surprise, that was her umbrella which her parents, now dead, had given her for a birthday present. But, she added, it had been stolen from her locker at school (she was a teacher) more than a year before. She was so excited that I forgot I was looking for a job and went directly to her small house. She took the umbrella, and her eyes filled with tears.

The teacher wanted to give me a reward, but -- though $20 was all I had in the world - - her happiness at retrieving this special possession was such that to have accepted money would have spoiled something. We talked for a while, and I must have given her my address. I don't remember.

The next six months were wretched. I was able to obtain only temporary employment here and there, for a small salary, though this was what they now call the Roaring Twenties. But I put aside 25 or 50 cents when I could afford it for my little girls Christmas presents. (It took me six months to save $8.) My last job ended the day before Christmas, my $30 rent was soon due, and I had $15 to my name -- which Peggy and I would need for food. She was home from her convent boarding school and was excitedly looking forward to her gifts the next day, which I had already purchased. I had bought her a small tree, and we were going to decorate it that night.

The stormy air was full of the sound of Christmas merriment as I walked from the streetcar to my small apartment. Bells rang and children shouted in the bitter dusk of the evening, and windows were lighted and everyone was running and laughing. But there would be no Christmas for me, I knew, no gifts, no remembrance whatsoever. As I struggled through the snowdrifts, I just about reached the lowest point in my life. Unless a miracle happened I would be homeless in January, foodless, jobless. I had prayed steadily for weeks, and there had been no answer but this coldness and darkness, this harsh air, this abandonment. God and men had completely forgotten me. I felt old as death, and as lonely. What was to become of us?

I looked in my mailbox. There were only bills in it, a sheaf of them, and two white envelopes which I was sure contained more bills. I went up three dusty flights of stairs, and I cried, shivering in my thin coat. But I made myself smile so I could greet my little daughter with a pretense of happiness. She opened the door for me and threw herself in my arms, screaming joyously and demanding that we decorate the tree immediately.

Peggy was not yet six years old, and had been alone all day while I worked. She had set our kitchen table for our evening meal, proudly, and put pans out and the three cans of food which would be our dinner. For some reason, when I looked at those pans and cans, I felt broken-hearted. We would have only hamburgers for our Christmas dinner tomorrow, and gelatin. I stood in the cold little kitchen, and misery overwhelmed me. For the first time in my life, I doubted the existence of God and His mercy, and the coldness in my heart was colder than ice.

The doorbell rang, and Peggy ran fleetly to answer it, calling that it must be Santa Claus. Then I heard a man talking heartily to her and went to the door. He was a delivery man, and his arms were full of big parcels, and he was laughing at my child's frenzied joy and her dancing. This is a mistake, I said, but he read the name on the parcels, and they were for me. When he had gone I could only stare at the boxes. Peggy and I sat on the floor and opened them. A huge doll, three times the size of the one I had bought for her. Gloves. Candy. A beautiful leather purse. Incredible! I looked for the name of the sender. It was the teacher, the address simply California, where she had moved.

 

Our dinner that night was the most delicious I had ever eaten. I could only pray to myself, Thank You, Father. I forgot I had no money for the rent and only $15 in my purse and no job. My child and I ate and laughed together in happiness. Then we decorated the little tree and marveled at it. I put Peggy to bed and set up her gifts around the tree, and a sweet peace flooded me like a benediction. I had some hope again. I could even examine the sheaf of bills without cringing. Then I opened the two white envelopes. One contained a check for $30 from a company I had worked for briefly in the summer. It was, said a note, my Christmas bonus. My rent!

The other envelope was an offer of a permanent position with the government -- to begin in two days after Christmas. I sat with the letter in my hand and the check on the table before me, and I think that was the most joyful moment of my life up to that time.

The church bells began to ring. I hurriedly looked at my child, who was sleeping blissfully, and ran down to the street. Everywhere people were walking to church to celebrate the birth of the Saviour. People smiled at me and I smiled back. The storm had stopped, the sky was pure and glittering with stars.

The Lord is born! Sang the bells to the crystal night and the laughing darkness. Someone began to sing, Come, all ye faithful!

I joined in and sang with the strangers all about me.

I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all.

And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses.