Starting tomorrow: December Daily!

 

 Yes, I am trying once again to post here at my kitchen table every day in December.  We will see how it goes, but that's my plan as of now.  I'm also planning to post (mostly different content) daily in December over at my Christmas blog, Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen.

This is my little Christmas gift to all of you.  Lord willing, there will be recipes, decorating and craft ideas, memories, helpful hints and tips, poems, and more -- even a mini Bible study each Sunday.  It'll be fun for all of us, I hope.

Hope to see you all tomorrow!

Upcoming -- Sunday Scripture posts for December!

 

Many readers enjoyed the Sunday Scripture posts I did concerning Psalms, and with that in mind I prayerfully decided to do some similar posts for the Christmas season.  I'm letting you know ahead so that if you wish to download the study I used for yourself, you'll have time to do so.  My plan is to post each Sunday in December -- both here and on my Christmas blog -- from an Advent study I worked through in 2013.  It was another free study from Good Morning Girls, and thankfully it is still available for download.  Here is the link for those who are interested: Keeping Our Hearts Focused on Jesus.  Scroll down to where it says "Free Good Morning Girls Advent Study" and click on the image that looks like this:

It should download for you at that point.  More than just a study, this is an ebook that also includes ideas for activities as well as yummy sounding recipes.

There will be 4 posts from this study here at my Kitchen Table, and 4 different posts over at my Christmas Kitchen blog.  I know that some of you like to read at both blogs during December, and I do try to keep the content different in each.  I hope those who have enjoyed Sunday Scriptures will find this series a blessing as well!

Sunday Scripture

As promised, I'm back with a Sunday Scripture post focusing on thanksgiving.  I mentioned Wednesday that that post, and this one, are from a Thanksgiving/fall study from Good Morning Girls that I did back in fall of 2013.  Sadly, it seems that this little 2-week study -- Focusing our Hearts on Gratitude -- is no longer available.  If anyone is interested in the Scripture verses to do your own little study, just let me know and I can send you the references.

 The verses I chose for today are from Day 6 of the study.  We were to read 1 Chronicles 29:1-20, and the verses to SOAP were 11-13.  ( Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or praise for what it means to you.  And if you've never tried this simple method, I hope that you will give it a try and see if you find it as helpful as I do.)

So without further ado, here is my simple study of 1 Chronicles 29:11-13:

S= "Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory; and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and earth is Thine.  Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all.
"Both riches and honor come of Thee; and Thou reignest over all; and in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
"Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name." (1Chronicles 29:11-13)

O= These verses are part of David's prayer of thanksgiving on the occasion of the people willingly giving gold, silver, precious stones, and more to be used in Solomon's Temple.

One repetition that stands out to me is David's references to God as King:
"Thine is the kingdom, O LORD";
"Thine, O LORD, is the majesty";
"Thou art exalted as head above all";
"Thou reignest over all".

"Power" is another repeated word:
"Thine, O LORD, is the power";
"In Thine hand is power and might".

"Glory" is another repeated theme:
"Thine, O LORD, is the glory";
"We praise Thy glorious name".

Verse 11 begins with one-word descriptions of some of God's characteristics:
*  Greatness
*  Power
*  Glory
*  Victory
*  Majesty

Verses 11-12 continue on with some complete statements about who God is:
*  All that is in heaven and earth is His.
*  His is the kingdom.
*  He is exalted as Head above all.
*  Both riches and honor come from Him.
*  He reigns over all.
*  In His hand are power and might.
*  In His hand it is to make great.
*  His hand gives strength unto all.

Verse 13 notes that therefore -- because of all that is true about God as stated in 11-12 -- we thank Him, and praise His glorious name.  

A=  Because God is Head above all, I must always acknowledge Him as King and as sovereign over my life. 
I must never forget that everything I have is a gift from His hand.
I must always look to Him for strength, as He is the only true source of strength.

God is always deserving of my thanks and praise for all that He has done and for everything that He is!

P= "Lord,  I praise You for all that You are!  Yours is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty!  All that is in heaven and on earth belongs to You!  Yours is the kingdom, and You are rightly exalted as Head above all things!
"All that I have -- all that anyone has -- is from Your hand.  You are the Source of every good thing and of any strength that we have.
"Therefore, I thank and praise You, not only for all that You are, but for all that You have done and for all that You continue to do.  You are most worthy of praise!  In Jesus' name, Amen."

I hope that this fresh look at 1 Chronicles 29 was a blessing to you in this Thanksgiving season!  It certainly was to me -- and what a great reminder in these uncertain times that this Almighty God has all things under His sovereign control.

Friday five

 

Pretty graphic by Gooseberry Patch

 Just popping in with a quick Friday five since I didn't get here yesterday to wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving.  Here are a few things I'm thankful for from the past week.

1.  Getting to hear our granddaughter's orchestra group play for a community square dance last Saturday evening.  It was great to realize that this New England tradition is being carried on by younger people.  (Photo shamelessly stolen from my daughter Carrie.)  The music was great, too.

2.  A wonderful Thanksgiving service and dinner at church last Sunday.  I may have mentioned that our church, without a pastor for over six years, is meeting together with another church with an eye to a potential merger, probably next spring.  It is so good to be part of a larger group and to enjoy learning, worshiping, and growing together as well as planning for community outreach.  Below is the bulletin cover from our Thanksgiving service.  We enjoyed this as well as a praise and prayer service on Wednesday night as well.  Thankfulness is always appropriate!

3.   Getting to have one last campfire, s'mores and a game at our little camp with the next-door grandkids.  Snow and cold weather coming ... but Lord willing we will have many more such times next year.  Photo is from 2020, but it's still the same camp, the same chairs and the same fire pit.

4.   Seeing how God has blessed as our daughter and son-in-law have been working on a much needed addition to their home.  They were able to host Thanksgiving dinner in the new space.  Below is part of the table and some of the lovely autumn decor.  (Again, I borrowed this photo and the one below from my daughter, but I don't think she will mind.)

5.  Getting together with family and friends for Thanksgiving.  There was far too much food (but oh, so delicious!), lots of good conversation, music and game-playing -- and moments of laughing so hard (over Telestrations) that we cried.  I wholeheartedly enjoyed not letting the Grinch steal Thanksgiving.  

 We all have so much to be thankful for!  How was your Thanksgiving, friends?

Thanksgiving Eve Scriptures ...

 Here's what I hope will be a special treat for some of my readers who have been enjoying the Sunday Scripture posts and hated to see them end.  I've put some thought and prayer into this and decided that my last Sunday post for November will be based on a passage I worked through during a Thanksgiving study in 2013.  Then, in thinking a bit more, I decided to choose a second passage from the study and use it for a special Thanksgiving Eve post.

This Thanksgiving study is an older, two-week one from Good Morning Girls.  I did a little research but, sadly, it seems to be no longer available.  I keep getting a "Page Not Found" message.  I'm so thankful that I was able to find the notebook in which I recorded my study, so I can share it with you all.

Although I love working on more in-depth Bible studies, these simpler ones are also a blessing to do, and I was very encouraged by this special Thanksgiving study.  Even though I can't give you the link, I hope that you will be blessed by what is shared here.  Maybe you would even like to start with the same Scripture, or even choose another passage on thanksgiving or thankfulness and SOAP it for yourself.

 I enjoy this SOAP method of Bible study, and the GMG studies use a very similar method.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or praise for what it means to you.

Today's study is from Psalm 100,  verses 4 and 5.  We were to read the whole psalm (easy enough since it's just 5 verses) but to focus on the last two verses.

S=  "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
"For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endureth to all generations."  (Psalm 100:4-5)

O= The psalm is titled "A psalm of praise."  The author is not named.  The psalm appears to be addressed to "all ye lands" (verse 1), but in reading on, it seems more as if it is addressing God's people (verse 3 -- "we are His people").  

I notice that verse 4 contains four commands:
* Enter into His gates with thanksgiving
* Enter His courts with praise
* Be thankful to Him
* Bless His name.

Then verse 5 alludes to three or perhaps four attributes of God:
* The LORD is good
* His mercy is everlasting
* His truth endures to all generations
(In the last one I see both His truth and His covenant-keeping faithfulness to His people.)

A=  I need to offer thanksgiving to God.  I am to praise Him, to be thankful to Him, and to speak well of His matchless name.

God is worthy of my praise for many reasons, but here I specifically see that I need to praise and thank Him because He is good, because His mercy is everlasting, because His truth is enduring and because His faithfulness is great.

P=  "Lord, my heart is overflowing with thanksgiving as I praise You for all that You are, and as I thank You for all that you have done in my life.
"Lord, You are good -- all the time -- and I praise You for Your goodness.  Your mercy is everlasting, and You have been abundantly merciful to me and to all of Your people.  Your truth is enduring and will never, ever change.
"Help me, Lord, to continue to encourage my friends to get to know You better.  And help my life to speak well of You and to live out thanksgiving daily, so that my friends who don't yet know You will see an accurate picture of You at work in my life. 
"Truly, You are worthy to be praised!  In Jesus' name, Amen."

There's our simple Thanksgiving study for today ... Look for another on Sunday.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

An encouraging pre-Thanksgiving read

 

 Just sneaking in on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to encourage my readers to celebrate the upcoming holiday with joy and gratitude.  It is so easy, in light of all of the difficulties folks are dealing with these days, to want to bypass this wonderful family holiday.  Last evening I read an article so encouraging that I wanted to share it with all of you.  Here is the link: Let's Make It Happen: Saving Thanksgiving from the Grinch.  The author is Jeff Minick.  

Whenever I'm browsing through the latest Epoch Times newspaper, I'm nearly always drawn to articles by Jeff Minick.  I so enjoy his writing.  He often expresses just what I would like to say if I were more eloquent. (If you wish to read more of his writing, you can check out his blog, Learning As I Go.  You can also look up his articles in The Epoch Times archives here.  I don't have time to read as many blogs as I would like, so I usually just read his newspaper articles.)

I hope you enjoyed this article as much as I did, and that you will make plans for a grateful celebration in some fashion or other.  Ours will include food, family, friends, music, games, and no doubt lots of laughter -- and for that (among many, many other things) I am very thankful.  Let's be sure we are not letting the Grinch steal Thanksgiving, but that we are celebrating with gratefulness and joy!

Cozy camp breakfasts

 

This morning as we were eating breakfast at our little camp, I happened to think that others might like to know how we've been making breakfast happen there on the mornings after we stay over.  Usually, our breakfast there has been extremely simple: a supermarket bakery muffin (oh, so healthy!😊) and two mugs of coffee.  

But once we embarked on a 40-day sugar fast, we needed to do something a little different -- but it still had to be quick and easy.  One thing I did was to research refined-sugar free muffins.  Chocolate-Covered Katie has some great ones.   The first recipe I tried was Coffee Cake Muffins.  They turned out perfectly!  I used xylitol instead of sugar in the muffin part and coconut sugar in the crumb topping.  I also substituted frozen raspberries for the chopped strawberries.  

Next, I tried Katie's Applesauce Muffins.  I used xylitol in these.  They also turned out very well.  In each case, I packaged the muffins all together in a plastic container and froze them.  Then I put the number of muffins we wanted to take to the camp each time in a smaller plastic container for transport.  In the morning we put the desired number of muffins in a round foil cake pan and placed it atop the woodstove to warm a bit.

 I also made Katie's Apple Bread.  That was very good as well, and I liked being able to pour the batter into a loaf pan rather than taking time to fill individual muffin tins.   I brought the loaf along (frozen in between uses) and in the morning we just sliced off a slice or two and warmed it in the foil cake pan the same way as the muffins.  It is not super sweet (I didn't add the coconut butter "frosting" pictured in the recipe) but is quite tasty.  I upped the cinnamon to a teaspoon (recipe called for 1/2 tsp.) but I think another time I would add at least 2 teaspoons.  It just didn't taste cinnamon-y enough to me.

As time has gone on and the weather has gotten colder, we've found it seems really important to have a warm breakfast.  The two smaller rooms are uninsulated, so it gets rather chilly "around the edges" away from the woodstove.

One sugarless breakfast that really fills the quick and yet warm requirement is crockpot oatmeal, so some mornings we've been having that.  I will share the best recipe I've come up with for it, which I adapted from one in Gooseberry Patch's Fall, Family and Friends:

COZY CROCKPOT OATMEAL

2 cups almond milk
1 cup old-fashioned oats (uncooked)
1/4 cup brown sugar or alternative sweetener; I used xylitol in the best version I made
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons maple syrup, honey or agave
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 medium apples, cored, unpeeled, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Spray the inside of a 3-quart slow cooker with non-stick vegetable spray.  Place all ingredients in slow cooker and mix well.  Cover and cook on Low setting for 7 or 8 hours.  Stir before serving in bowls.  We topped ours with a pat of butter and some half and half cream.  Makes about 4 servings.

Probably no one but me will need these details, but since we brought this over in the late afternoon and wouldn't start cooking it until bedtime, I put the oats, sugar, butter, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts in the slow cooker for transport.  I brought the apples separately and put the milk and maple syrup into a quart jar, refrigerating the jar when we reached camp. 

(I had previously tried it the other way around -- placing the milk and syrup into the slow cooker and bringing the dry ingredients in a ziplock bag.  Well, the camp is located on a very bumpy dirt road and by the time we reached there, milk had spattered all over the inside of the crockpot lid.  Not a huge deal, but it worked better bringing the liquids in a jar.)

Just before bedtime, I chopped the apples and mixed everything together in the slow cooker.  It was ready in 7 hours and we enjoyed every bite.

If you are trying to avoid sugar too, you might find that one or more of these recipes will add interest to your breakfast routine.  Our sugar fast finishes tomorrow, but we'll be starting another in January, so we will be enjoying these breakfast treats again soon!

Sunday Scripture

 

Regular readers know I've been posting each Sunday for several months about a simple study of Psalms that I worked on throughout summer 2020.  It was a perfect study to be working on amid the uncertainties of that year -- and some of it was done sitting at picnic tables while camping in the midst of God's glorious creation.  There just couldn't have been a better backdrop --so awe-inspiring, and so many great reminders of God's amazing power and wisdom.

Although the study book covers all the rest of the book of Psalms, I only got as far as Psalm 129, so today's post will be the last in this series.  I'm not sure if I will continue these Sunday posts, but I may -- possibly with an Advent study I've previously completed.  We will see.

This Psalms study is another from Good Morning Girls.  Although I love working on more in-depth Bible studies, these simpler ones are also a blessing to do.  In fact, once I finish the GMG Psalms study, I hope to tackle a more in-depth study of the same Psalms,  from the The Daily Grace Co.

 I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the journal from GMG uses a very similar method.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or praise for what it means to you.

Today's study is from Psalm 129.  Today we were to focus on verse 8, but I chose to look closely at verses 4-6 along with verse 8.

S= "The LORD is righteous; He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
"Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
"Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth before it groweth up.
"Neither do they which go by say, the blessing of the LORD be upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD."  (Psalm 129:4-6, 8)

O=  In the Scofield Reference Bible, C.I. Scofield has titled this chapter "A plea from the persecuted."  Israel has been afflicted by her enemies from the beginning.  Yet Israel's enemies had not completely defeated the nation.  A cross-reference to verse 2 (which states, "Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me") is Jeremiah 1:19 -- "They shall fight against thee, but shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee."  Here in verse 5 the psalmist is praying that his enemies will be confounded and turned back and that God would withhold His blessing from them.

A=  It's good to know that although our enemies may fight against us, since God is with us, He will not allow them to prevail against us. 
       We're in a difficult situation as a country.  The enemies of freedom are at the door and pushing hard to get in.  We pray that the Lord will confound them and turn them back -- and, as God's people, we know that He is with us and our enemies cannot prevail against us.

P=  "Lord, I pray that You will confound the enemies of freedom who desire to put our country in bondage.  I pray that You will turn them back and prevent them from their evil intents.  I pray that in Your grace and mercy you may bring their efforts to nothing.  I praise You that You are the righteous God and that You always act in righteousness.  I thank You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

And that's the last post in our Psalms study for now!  I hope to be back with another Scripture series (or eventually a continuation of this one) fairly soon.

Friday five

 

 Just jumping in for a quick Friday five!

1.  Reaching a new milestone in our walking goals this week.  It was pretty exciting to conquer a super-steep hill two days this week.  The photo below is from our walking route, a couple of autumns ago.

2.  Having mild enough temperatures last night to be able to stay at our little camp.  Our daughter and some of the kiddos came over for an hour or so and it was such a joy to have them.  Photo below is not from last night, but it could have been.  Vacuum cleaner and all.

3.  A hospitable daughter and capable son-in-law who helped us out early this morning when one of our brand-new tires went flat at the bottom of their driveway (we were headed from our camp to the grocery store, then home, when this untimely event took place).  Jim is at left below in this photo from Columbus Day.  So thankful for him.

4.  A phone chat this morning with a friend I haven't seen in months.  It was a blessing to catch up a little bit!

5.  Getting to spend a little time at my crafting desk as the snow swirls outside the dormer window.  I'm making one of these 

 -- only the name will be Rosemary.  I have already made the "Happy Birthday" part and the families have them, but add a separate name banner for each new child.  Rosemary will turn 1 in a couple of weeks!

And there you have it.  So thankful for God's many blessings this week!

A hodgepodge of grateful thoughts

 

 It's Wednesday again, where Joyce asks the questions and bloggers answer on their own blogs, linking up to the Wednesday Hodgepodge.  Here we go with the questions for this week:

1. It's often said we should be grateful for small blessings. What is one small blessing you are feeling especially grateful for today?

This is a very small one indeed in the scheme of things, but it is lifting my spirits this fall -- just the way even the smallest trees -- or maybe especially the smallest trees -- still have such glorious color.  The photos below are from the camp, a couple weeks ago, but this morning while walking I noticed some even tinier trees, hardly more than bushes, have some of the most beautiful, glowing red leaves.  Just a spirit lifter from the Lord!

2. How do you feel about leftovers, not just on Thanksgiving but after any meal? Favorite thing to make/eat using your Thanksgiving leftovers? 

We love leftovers in this house.   I like to incorporate them into another meal, but if there is only a small amount of something left over one of us will have it for lunch or even for breakfast.  For Thanksgiving leftovers, pumpkin or apple pie makes a great breakfast!  I also like, as mentioned in a previous hodgepodge post, a sandwich made with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, lettuce, and plenty of mayo.

Pumpkin/Dutch apple pie -- one of our favorites

3. Sherwin Williams unveiled its 2022 Color of the Year-Evergreen Fog. Are you a fan? Would I find this mid-tone gray green shade anywhere in your house? Does your house need painting? Inside or out? What one space is most in need of a paint job? Are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire a professional? 

Oh!  I am a fan! This color is beautiful.  I love how calming it feels.  It's possible you might find this in my house.  It would be nice in the dining area if the kitchen colors were different -- or possibly on a bedroom wall.  Only a few walls in our home have paint and some have wallpaper; both need redoing but we are looking to cover most of them with V-groove pine.  We are definitely do-it-yourselfers.

4. What is one aspect of the way you were parented that you are grateful for today? 

Supper together around the table every night.   I'm beginning to realize that this can be a rarity for families today, and I believe that kids crave this time.   I'm very grateful to have grown up with this.  My mom was an amazing cook, and the supper table was a cheerful, comfortable place.

5. Write an acrostic for the word-thankful

T - Trustworthy God
H - Home (heavenly as well as earthly)
A - Abundant blessings
N - New life in Christ
K - Kids (and grandkids)
F - Friends and family
U - Undeserved grace of God
L - Life eternal; love, laughter and liberty

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I just learned that a friend in another country who was very ill some months ago just had a checkup and is doing so well.  His lung function has increased to 92%.  A huge answer to prayer! 

 And that's the Hodgepodge for this week!  (Wouldn't you like to join in on the Hodgepodge, too?  To get the questions and link up, head over to From This Side of the Pond.)

Sunday Scripture

 

For those who may be coming in late, I've been posting each Sunday for several months about a simple study of Psalms that I worked on throughout summer 2020.  It was a perfect study to be working on amid the uncertainties of that year -- and some of it was done sitting at picnic tables while camping in the midst of God's glorious creation.  There just couldn't have been a better backdrop --so awe-inspiring, and so many great reminders of God's amazing power and wisdom.

Although the study book covers all the rest of the book of Psalms, I only got as far as Psalm 129, so there will only be one more post in this series.  I'm not sure if I will continue these Sunday posts, but I may -- possibly with an Advent study I've previously completed.  We will see.

This Psalms study is another from Good Morning Girls.  Although I love working on more in-depth Bible studies, these simpler ones are also a blessing to do.  In fact, once I finish the GMG Psalms study, I hope to tackle a more in-depth study of the same Psalms,  from the The Daily Grace Co.

 I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the journal from GMG uses a very similar method.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or praise for what it means to you.

Today's study is from Psalm 128.  Today we were to focus on verse 1, but I chose to consider both verses 1 and 2. 

S=  "Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD, that walketh in His ways.
   "For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee."     (Psalm 128:1-2)

O=  In the Scofield Reference Bible, C.I. Scofield titles this psalm: "Blessings on the home of the God-fearing."  We know that the word "blessed" means "happy".  So the person who is blessed is the one who:
* fears the Lord;
* walks in God's ways.
A marginal note directs me to Psalm 19:9 -- where a note explains that the "fear of the Lord" is an Old Testament expression meaning "reverential trust".  It includes the hatred of evil.
Verse 2 of Psalm 128 goes on to explain that the blessed person will eat the labor of his hands, will be satisfied, and will find that things will be well with him.

A=  God has definitely blessed me and has given me a deep-down, abiding happiness as I have sought to reverentially trust Him and to walk, however haltingly, in His ways.  I think the reverential aspect of trust comes as I consider God's character each day, and think of how He will bring His attributes to bear on my particular situation.  Going forward, whatever this uncertain life holds, I need to continue to fear the Lord and walk in His ways.

P=  "Lord, how I thank and praise You for Your Word and how it gives us all that we need for life.  I am so thankful for Your working in my life.  I pray that You will help me to maintain that reverential trust in You as I seek to walk in Your ways every day.  I thank You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is the next-to-last study in this little series.  I hope that it will encourage someone today!

Hodgepodge for November 10

 

So it's Wednesday again, and time for the Hodgepodge, where Joyce asks the questions and bloggers provide the answers on their own blogs.  Today Joyce reminds us that it was this very week in 2010 when she began the Wednesday Hodgepodge, and she is using some of the very same questions from that first Hodgepodge post.  Here goes:

1. How did you name your blog and do you now wish you had thought about it maybe another five minutes before hitting publish? Would you change your blog title if it were not a huge pain in the derriere? 

I chose the name Across My Kitchen Table because I wanted to use my blog to share the sorts of things that friends would share across a kitchen table: memories and stories, good recipes, craft ideas, even Bible studies, testimonies and devotional thoughts.  I have never wished for a different blog title and wouldn't change it even though I know of at least one other blog with the same name.  I also have a Christmas blog called Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen, and I still like that name as well.  It says it all.

2. What bill do you least like to pay? 

Hmmm ... good question.  Probably the property tax bill which comes twice a year.  We live in a university town and much of the town is university property so ... tax free.  And every time the college takes another house down and puts a parking lot there, that's another house off the tax rolls.  You know what that means, I'm sure, for property owners in our town.   We take up the slack, so taxes are high.

3. What is your favorite word? Okay okay, calm down. How about one of your favorite words? 

One of my favorite words: grace. 

I scanned this image from a church bulletin a dozen or more years ago.  Now I wish I knew who the artist is so I could give credit where it's due!

4. Is the glass half full or half empty? Elaborate. 

I don't see it as either half full or half empty.  My cup actually runs over!  I just feel so incredibly blessed by every day of life. 

Image from The Graphics Fairy

5. Were you here for that very first Hodgepodge post? If so, were your answers then similar to what they are today? Tell us what was happening in your life in November of 2010? 

I wasn't there for the very first Hodgepodge post.  I had to look up the November 2010 archives on my blog to see what we were doing.  According to my blog post for November 11 in 2010, we were enjoying a comforting autumn meal of soup and bread.  Read about it at the link -- it was cream of lentil soup and herbed oatmeal pan bread -- links to recipes were included in the post.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm writing this on November 9 -- it's this little girl's 7th birthday!    In the photo below she is holding two matching pieces of broken pottery she found in the old cellar hole at our little camp.  What a pretty dish it must have been!  And what a delightful little girl she is, too.

And that's the Hodgepodge for this week!  (Wouldn't you like to join in on the Hodgepodge, too?  To get the questions and link up, head over to From This Side of the Pond.)

Sunday Scripture

 

Once again, just a quick note for those who may be coming in late -- I've been posting each Sunday about a simple study of Psalms that I worked on throughout summer 2020.  It was a perfect study to be working on amid the uncertainties of that year -- and some of it was done sitting at picnic tables while camping in the midst of God's glorious creation.  There just couldn't have been a better backdrop --so awe-inspiring, and so many great reminders of God's amazing power and wisdom.

Although the study book covers all the rest of the book of Psalms, I only got as far as Psalm 129, so there will only be a few more posts in this series.  Some of you may be relieved!

This Psalms study is another from Good Morning Girls.  Although I love working on more in-depth Bible studies, these simpler ones are also a blessing to do.  In fact, once I finish the GMG Psalms study, I hope to tackle a more in-depth study of the same Psalms,  from the The Daily Grace Co.

 I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the journal from GMG uses a very similar method.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or praise for what it means to you.

Today's study is from Psalm 127.  Today we were to focus on verse 2. 

S=  "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late; to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He giveth His beloved sleep."  (Psalm 127:2)

O=  This psalm carries a heading of "A Song of degrees for Solomon" -- and, according to C.I. Scofield, Solomon was its writer.  That interested me, because as I read the psalm I felt it read more like something from the book of Proverbs.  (Although I've read through Psalms a number of times in the past, this is the first time I noticed this.)  

It's true that hard work is important, but our trust must not be in work we've done but rather in the Lord.  He provides the work, gives the strength to work, and at the end of the day gives His people the gift of refreshing, renewing sleep.

A=  The older we get,  the more acutely aware we become of our need for sleep.  I've noticed that some people, as they age, seem to need a lot less sleep.  I personally (and my husband) seem to need a lot more sleep.  I am so thankful for God's gift of restorative sleep!   Each night I find myself asking God to protect us through the night and to help us sleep soundly and well.  He is faithful to do so.

P=  "Lord, How I thank You for the gift of restorative sleep that refreshes us for the labors of the coming day.  I praise You that we can lie down in peace, and sleep, knowing that in Your care we can rest safely.  I pray that You will help us to sleep peacefully each night, secure in our knowledge that You are taking care of us and You are in control.  I praise You in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is this week's Sunday Scripture.  I must admit I'm feeling like a nap right about now ... what about you?  A Sunday afternoon nap can be a very good thing indeed!

November 3 Hodgepodge

 

Wednesday again, and time for the Hodgepodge!  Here we go with the questions from Joyce for this week:

1. Three things you're grateful for this first week of November? 

1) The incredible gift of salvation through Christ's sacrifice on our behalf.

2) God's Word, the Bible, which is our love letter and instruction book from God.

3) A blessed day on Sunday (okay, technically that was October.  But it's this week).  We had such a wonderful day in church and were surprised when our dear friends Sam and Jenn arrived to share it with us, being in town for the weekend.  Later, they joined us and our next-door family at the camp for a nice visit, campfire, and s'mores. 

 

Graphic by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

2. Is Daylight Savings Time a thing where you live? Do you think we should continue setting the clocks forward and back? Why or why not? If you could add an extra hour to your day would you want it added morning-noon-night? Do you think it likely you'd be more productive or more likely that you'd just waste more time? 

Yes, we have Daylight Savings Time here in New Hampshire.   I really don't have an opinion one way or the other as to whether or not to continue with it.  I don't like the way it gets dark so early after the time change, but on the other hand the light arrives earlier in the morning than it has been doing, so it's sort of a trade-off.  If I could add an extra hour to my day it would probably be in the morning when I am fresher and have some ambition for accomplishing things.  I would hope I'd be more productive with that extra hour.

3. Who is  your favorite author? Your favorite book by your favorite author? 

For non-fiction,  my favorite author is likely Gladys Taber.  Stillmeadow Daybook is one of my favorites of her many books, but I don't know if it's my very favorite.  For fiction authors, I love L.M. Montgomery, Jan Karon, and Jamie Langston Turner.  I would be hard-pressed to choose a favorite by any of those authors, because I enjoy all of them so much.

4. It's National Sandwich Day...will you celebrate? How often do you eat a sandwich? What's your favorite? 

I'll probably be celebrating by eating a sandwich because I eat a sandwich for lunch most days, but not always.  It's usually a wrap made with a low-carb wrapper, but today it's likely to be peanut butter and grape jam (the kind with fruit juice instead of sugar).   My very favorite sandwich: maybe a cheeseburger, or a Thanksgiving sub sandwich made with turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing.  I might actually make one of those this week, come to think of it, because I'm cooking a turkey that's been in the freezer since Easter and it is just time.

The Thanksgiving Toasted, by D'Angelo Sandwich Shops, has long been a favorite of mine.

5. Have you started your Christmas shopping? If so when did you start? If not when will you start? Do you give more or fewer gifts than you did five years ago? 

Yes, I have started my Christmas shopping.   I'm thinking that I started it in May, since that is when I made a Shutterfly ornament as a potential Christmas gift for friends.    I'm not sure if I give more or fewer gifts than five years ago.  Probably fewer.   I may be 1/4 done with my Christmas shopping for 2021, maybe a little bit more.  You can read about the ornaments and other photo gifts in this post.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Sort of harking back to the first question, but not really because I had this thought just this morning as we were driving a dirt road overhung with glorious golden autumn trees:   We should be so incredibly grateful for every minute of every day of life God gives us.  I think we just tend not to say "thank You" often enough, and we should just be so thankful for each and every blessed moment.

A Thanksgiving card we received one year

And that's the Hodgepodge for this week!  (Wouldn't you like to join in on the Hodgepodge, too?  To get the questions and link up, head over to From This Side of the Pond.)

Some goals for November

 

November 2 already, and time to set some goals for the month:

* Memorize at least 4 Bible verses and review some older ones
* Read and study the November chapters in the Daily Walk Bible
* Continue our Daniel Bible study with younger believers
* Help our widowed friend Terry with the challenges of life in general
* Continue studying A Woman After God's Own Heart
* Get to bed by 9 pm each night  
* Limit sugar
* Drink enough water each day
* Walk and/or exercise each day
* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week (with some help from Clean Mama)
* Do something creative each day
* Post in this blog as often as possible
* Post in my Christmas blog whenever I can
* Write and schedule a good number of December posts for both blogs
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Spend a little time on some UFO craft projects
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Keep up with Etsy and trust bookkeeping
* Keep the ball rolling on selling a trust property
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Possibly go up north to visit a friend for a day or two
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
*  Continue a 40-day sugar fast
*  Prepare for and attend a monthly women's Bible study
* Help and encourage my husband as he leads our church through whatever the future holds
*  Get some good work accomplished on readying our camp for winter
* Host a sleepover and breakfast at the camp for the next-door grandkids
* Possibly meet up for a meal with friends from Vermont
* Plan and prepare for Thanksgiving
*  Celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends
*  Work diligently at getting Christmas shopping and crafting completed (it is started!)
* Have some friends over to the camp for a meal or a campfire
*  Volunteer our time to help with maintenance at a Christian camp as needed
* Plan a special time with our oldest granddaughter

 HEALTHY HABITS FOR NOVEMBER:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/limit sugar
WORD FOR 2021: Steadfast 

Some may wonder how I did with October's goals.  I used to be very accountable, adding "DONE" or "NOT DONE" to each item on the list.  Now Blogger has made that more difficult; I can still do it, but it takes time, so I tend to not add this notation.

I can say I accomplished most of October's goals, or that I accomplished something on each goal.   I'm still not up to memorizing 4 Bible verses or passages per month.  In October I accomplished 2 passages.  We have a memory passage for church and one for the women's Bible study I attend monthly, but I also have a list of my own that I'm working through.  

And I'm still not up to speed on my homemaking zones of the week.  I'm hoping that once we are staying at our camp less (it's not really suitable for winter visits yet), I will have more time at home.  We will see!