Looking to a New Year ... and a few January goals

 

Since I've scheduled a Hodgepodge post for January 1,  I thought I would share a quick New Year post on this last day of 2024.  Astoundingly, this will complete 31 days of December posting in both blogs.  It took time, more time than I had some days, but I'm happy to have met this challenge.

I shared the following last January 1, but I think it's a good reminder (for me, and maybe for you as well)  so I'll share it again:

As I wrote in countless Christmas cards last month, my wish and prayer for each of us is a happy, healthy, and spiritually prosperous year in 2025.  I have often thought about what the apostle John wrote to his friend Gaius in 3 John, verse 2: "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."  Gaius obviously had such a strong, vibrant spiritual life that John prayed for his physical health to be as vigorous as  his spiritual state.  I wonder, what would our physical health look like if someone were to pray that prayer for us?  Something to think about in a new year!

If you could use some fresh inspiration for the new year, you might enjoy a visit to my Pinterest board A New Year, A Fresh Start.  I'll be revisiting it myself! 

It's also time to set some goals for January:

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Get back to working through the "Make Room Challenge" from Make Room for What You Love
* Decorate our home for winter
* Get together with friends in early January
* Have my friend Jennifer and her toddler over for lunch
* Enjoy our church ladies' gathering
* Post in this blog as often as possible
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Begin reading through the One-Year Chronological Bible
* Continue with my study of Psalms for my Sunday Scripture series
* Begin studying and preparing for my ladies'' Sunday School class -- to start in a few months
* Continue through the wonderful Daily Grace Co. study of Habakkuk, Even If (this is intended to be a 3-week study; it has taken me months since I only work on it on Saturdays)
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan menus and begin food preparation for a ministry opportunity in mid-January
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Get back to memorizing the book of James
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Resume the habit of getting outdoors for the morning light
* Start a 40-day sugar fast
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week

HEALTHY HABITS FOR JANUARY:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/intermittent fasting/limit carbs

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

On this last Monday of 2024,  I'm taking a few minutes to join Sandra for this link party over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. 

The Weather:::

At 9 am, it's an unseasonable 42º and cloudy, with a gentle rain falling.  The rain has been heavy at times overnight and is predicted to end by 2 this afternoon.

As I look outside my window:::

We already had a decent amount of snow, so our driveway is now a combination of slush and mud.  The roads are bare but wet.  There is still plenty of snow on the ground, and a light rain continues to fall.

Right now I am:::

 Working on a blog post. 

 
Thinking and pondering:::

 About so much from Glad & Golden Hours, which I am continuing to work my way through.  Here are a few lines:  

"It is a worthy care to keep the family gate, admitting only that which contributes to the well-being of those within.  There are plenty of things that we cannot control in life, but the atmosphere of our living spaces is entirely in our hands."

That last sentence was both a jolt and an encouragement.

On my bedside table::: 

 A lamp, a book, 2 pens and a tube of Blistex.

Listening to::: 

The rain dripping from the eaves.

On the Breakfast plate::: 

I do intermittent fasting so don't have breakfast. Lunch will be a salad of leaf lettuce, cubed turkey,  and cheddar cheese or pepperjack.

On the dinner plate::: 

Kielbasa roasted with onions, peppers and Brussels sprouts

On the menu for this week::: 

 A few meals on my menu plan:

Hamburgers, cauliflower mac'n'cheese

Pork chops divan

Taco pie, green beans

 

On my reading pile:::

 

  Glad and Golden Hours, by Lanier Ivester -- an early Christmas gift from my daughter that I am loving.  I just finished my more-or-less annual reread of Shepherds Abiding, by Jan Karon, and am back to Spiritual Mothering, by Susan Hunt.

 
On my to do list today:::

 

 Spend time cross stitching

Begin work on pillow quilt
Make a couple of freezer meals for my local daughter
Weekly home blessing

Crochet a square for my temperature blanket

We plan to stay at our little camp tonight since the temperatures are so mild

Plans for this week:::

Ironing

Blogging

Start a pillow quilt

Make some fudge and no-bake cookies for kitchen gifts

Begin decluttering our paperwork

Work in zones 5 and 1 

Update my Christmas notebook

Begin planning menus and groceries for a ministry team

What I am creating:::

 

⛄  Winter cross-stitch projects

⛄  Pillow quilt

⛄  A granny square temperature blanket

 

Above is progress on the temperature blanket, which I started February 1, 2024 -- so it won't be finished until the end of January.  Counting the extra squares which are needed to help this blanket come out square, I have 35 more squares to add.

Bible verse, Devotional, Quote:::

 

A thought-provoking quote from Spiritual Mothering:

 

"Kindness is foundational and should characterize our relationships both in and out of the home.  The dictionary defines kind as warmhearted, helpful, tolerant, charitable, considerate, thoughtful.  Paul gives further definition to kindness when he says, 'When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, no because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.'  (Titus 3:4-5)  God extended kindness to us when we neither deserved nor appreciated it.  To emulate our Savior, we are to take kindness to the same level in our relationships -- to those who do not 'deserve' it and appear not to appreciate it."

 

On my prayer list:::

 

Friends & family
Church family
Missionaries
Our country

Those in North Carolina and parts of Tennessee still displaced by the results of Hurricane Helene.

 

I will be sharing an entire post about this tomorrow.

 

And there's the Happy Homemaker Monday  for this week!

 

 

 

 

Sunday Scripture

 

 It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  Today, after our Christmas study, I'm returning to my ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 6.  It zeroes in on verses 6 and 9, but I chose to SOAP verses 2-4 and 6-9.

S= "Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak, O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
"My soul is also very vexed; but Thou, O LORD, how long?
"Return, O LORD, deliver my soul; oh, save me for Thy mercies' sake ...
"I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
"Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it groweth old because of all mine enemies.
"Depart from me, all  ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
"The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer."  (Psalm 6:2-4, 6-9)

O= The biblical heading for Psalm 6 is "To the chief musician on Neginoth, upon Sheminith, a Psalm of David."  In the NKJV it reads "To the Chief Musician.  With stringed instruments.  On an eight-stringed harp.  A Psalm of David."

C.I. Scofield titles Psalm 6 "A cry for mercy".

Cross-references for "heal me" (v.2) -- "O LORD, my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me."  (Psalm 30:2)

"I said, LORD, be merciful unto me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee."  (Psalm 41:4)

Cross-reference for "my bones are vexed" (v.2) -- "For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed."  (Psalm 31:10)

Cross-reference for "vexed" (v.3) -- "For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth near unto the grave."  (Psalm 88:3)

Cross-reference for "how long?" (v.3) -- "Return, O LORD, how long?  And let it repent Thee concerning Thy servants."  (Psalm 90:13)

Cross-reference for "weary" (v.6) -- "I am weary of my crying.  My throat is dried; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God."  (Psalm 69:3)

There are many cross-references for "eye is consumed" (v.7) but I will share only a couple.

"Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are like a shadow."  (Job 17:7)

"My heart panteth, my strength faileth me; as for the light of mine eyes, it is also gone from me."  (Psalm 38:10)

Cross-reference for "depart from me" (v.8) -- "Depart from me, ye evildoers; for I will keep the commandments of my God."  (Psalm 119:115)

Cross-reference for "workers of iniquity" (v.8) -- "How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?" (Psalm 94:4)

Cross-reference for "supplication" (v.9) -- "Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not Thyself from my supplication."  (Psalm 55:1)

In these verses we see that David knew he was weak; not only his soul but even his bones were troubled.  He was asking God for mercy and healing.  He seems to be questioning how long God might wait before answering.  

He asks God to deliver and save him for His mercies' sake.  Based on what he knew of God's merciful character, he asked God to act.

David had shed so many tears that his couch was drenched with them.  His eyes were sore and his vision clouded as a result of all the tears that he had shed.

But in verse 8 David's thinking takes a turn.  He tells all the "workers of iniquity" to depart from him.  He has the assurance that God has heard the voice of his weeping.  God will act on his behalf!  He has heard his plea and will answer his prayers.

A= We too can cry out to God for mercy when we are weak.  We can ask Him to bring healing when our souls are troubled and our bodies are weary, when our trials leave us battered and bruised and even unable to sleep.

I think of how David's enemies often mocked him for his trust in God.  His words "depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity" make me think of how we can tell Satan to "take a hike".

David refuted the lies of his enemies with the truth of God's character: 

* The LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
* The LORD hath  heard my supplication. 
* The LORD will receive my prayer.

And we can refute the lies of our enemies in the very same way.

P= "Lord, how I thank and praise You for all that I can learn from this psalm of David!  I am so thankful that we can cry out to You for mercy because we know that You are merciful.   I praise You for how You have heard and answered my heartfelt cries (and even some that I couldn't voice) out of hard places over the years.  You have even given me sleep in those times!  

"I praise You that we can refute the lies of Satan and other enemies with what we know to be true about You and about Your character.  I praise You that You ARE truth!  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection question: David was so discouraged that he could not sleep.  His bed was flooded with tears but he knew that God saw him and heard his prayers.

Have you ever cried out to God feeling like God has abandoned you, only to later realize that He was strengthening you?

My response: I have thankfully never been so discouraged that I could not sleep.  I have been in very hard places in life, but God has always graciously allowed me to sleep.

And I have known the truth that God will not abandon me, but I have been in situations where I felt very alone and vulnerable to attack.  I recall one incident where I felt too numb and bruised to even pray for help, yet God strengthened and upheld me to take a stand against difficult people in a hard situation.

There was even a time (which included the incident alluded to above) in which I felt threatened and so vulnerable even in my own home.  For my quiet time I retreated to a bedroom corner away from windows, where I felt safest.  And God always met me there.

And there is our simple study of Psalm 6.  I hope it was a blessing to someone!

Our traditional grand breakfast

 

Again this year, we had four of our local grandchildren over to carry on a tradition we've been tweaking for many years -- I would say at least a dozen years.  It used to be breakfast (or supper, once or twice) out, then Christmas shopping for their parents, followed by ice cream sundaes at Kellerhaus.

It has evolved over the years and most often began with breakfast out at McDonalds or a diner.  But ever since 2020, we have found it works much better to skip eating out and also to skip shopping (as three of them have jobs and can surely buy their own gifts).  Instead, after breakfast, we have a time of crafting, candy making, or both (and sometimes a spot of tree decorating).  I thought today I would share about this year's breakfast.

As usual, I kept breakfast simple but hearty with breakfast sliders 

 

and a Hash Brown Casserole.  The hash brown casserole is always a big favorite with this crowd. 

I also made the Cinnamon Fried Apples recipe you see at the top of the post.  I change that up a little in that I substitute 1/4 cup pure maple syrup for the sugars that are called for.  I also slice the apples rather than chop them.

I had planned on making this coffeecake to fill in any gaps.  I had made this in a previous year and the kids enjoyed it.  But even though it is super easy and fast, I ran out of time.  I had squares of pumpkin coffeecake, blueberry coffeecake,  and cranberry breakfast cake in the freezer, so I warmed those up instead.  

And that was this year's grand breakfast!  The company was even better than the food.

Friday five, Christmasy doings edition

 

Christmas 1952

Here's a quick Friday five, listing more Christmasy doings from the past week:

🎄 1. Last Saturday we found a conducive time for our Christmas tradition with four local grandkids.  We enjoyed a wonderful homemade breakfast, lots of Christmas crafting time with Grammy's crafting stash, a bit of candy making, and then a trip to Kellerhaus for ice cream sundaes.  I'll write an entire post about this on one blog or the other, but here are a couple of photos.

 

Grampa and Ari study the Rolo bag to check the candy recipe. 

The above was my sundae.  About all you can see is whipped cream, salted peanuts, and banana chips, but there was homemade vanilla ice cream under there, along with hot fudge, hot butterscotch, and warm peanut butter sauces.

🎄 2.  Our church kids and teens put on a Christmas musical play.  It was well attended and greatly enjoyed.  Below are four of our grands who took part: the older three singing and the youngest one who had an acting/singing role in the drama.

🎄 3.  My hubby helping out with lots of baking.  You can see some of the fruits of his labor below on the Christmas dessert table at our daughter's home.

🎄 4. Finding time to bake, cook, and deliver goodies to friends in this lovely season of giving.

🎄 5.  A wonderful Christmas afternoon with our daughter, her hubby and family.

 

 

There you have it!  Friday five with a Christmasy vibe!

The day after Christmas

 

 Just a quick check-in on the day after Christmas.  

Yesterday morning was busy.  Since we weren't going anywhere until 2 pm, and also since we do intermittent fasting, our morning was pretty much our own to do as we liked.  Empty nest + not giving one another gifts or stockings (since we prefer to put the money toward getaways that are year-round gifts to both of us) = a lot of free time on Christmas morning.

Free time that we quickly filled up with cooking and baking, not to mention wrapping a few gifts.  Again this year my hubby wanted to wrap one of granddaughter Ari's gifts in a unique way.  A box of maple cookies became a wagon, the two boxes of Laughing Cow cheese were wheels.  He found a small horse (too small, but he didn't have time to look for a larger one, having only come up with this idea yesterday morning) to pull the wagon and affixed a little Christmas tree atop the "cargo".  It was a fun idea but I think it fell a little flat since he had turned some food gifts into a snowman last year.

However, he would not be deterred.  I think my daughter took a picture of the wagon, so maybe I can share that later.

He baked gingerbread men before starting this project.  Meanwhile I was making some food gifts (spicy peanuts -- peanuts roasted with chili powder and cayenne) and maple barbecue sauce.

We also prepared a salad and maple roasted carrots to take along.

All of us were running late so we ended up not eating until 2:45 or so.  The beef and mashed potatoes were all in crockpots (as were the carrots) so the food stayed nice and hot.  What a feast we enjoyed!

Then we opened gifts and it was lovely to see the thought and care put into each package.

Dessert was a cookie and candy buffet, and those who cared to made themselves, tea, coffee, or hot cocoa.  We nibbled and sipped while watching the animated version of the Grinch.

Above, Carrie's hot cocoa bar from a previous year.   We did not even take the camera with us, but hopefully we can get some photos from Carrie later.  Her decor is always so lovely!

It was an early evening and Mr. T and I came home around 7:15, put things away, and relaxed.

Today we are in puttering mode.  He fixed a couple of issues with hinges and got together a box of cookies to deliver to friends with a houseful of visiting family.

This afternoon we may go for a drive.    

I want to add that I read this wonderful advice this morning -- The Best Way to Spend the Day after Christmas -- and I really want to follow some of the "pondering prompts" that the author shared.  I love the idea of using them to think back over all that God did in this special season.

And that's it from my kitchen table for today!

Merry Christmas!

 

 Merry Christmas, everyone!

Things are still a-stir in our kitchen as Mr. T has baked gingerbread men this morning.  I'm working on two kitchen gifts, and we are also preparing maple roasted carrots to take along to Christmas dinner at our local daughter's home.

Carrie is preparing a roast, gravy and mashed potatoes, along with homemade rolls which she excels at.  

In addition to the carrots, I'm also bringing this Merry Berry Salad, so the cranberries are awaiting being blended into a gorgeous cranberry vinaigrette and I will assemble the salad in a few hours. 

 We'll also be bringing a cookie tray and are putting the finishing touches on some last-minute food gifts.  We also have a few more gifts to wrap, but dinner is not until 2 pm so we have plenty of time.

Hope everyone is having a lovely Christmas so far as we celebrate the very greatest Gift ever given -- our Savior, Jesus Christ!

On Christmas Eve day

 

 It's cold and snowy for Christmas Eve here in New Hampshire.  We live pretty much in the middle of the state, just below where the White Mountains begin and just above the beautiful Lakes Region.  Not far from the iconic view above, in fact.

Yesterday morning we woke up to negative temperatures -- 3 below zero! 

Then last night it snowed and is in fact snowing now on Christmas Eve morning.  It's "warmer" today -- 15º when we got up and all the way up to 20º now, at 9 am.

Yesterday I was browsing through an older (2010) Victoria magazine -- one of their "Holiday Bliss" compilations.  I read the following:

"There is a special kind of contentment in watching the world go by from the coziness of our own space, as the snow falls and the wind whistles just beyond the windowpane."

And it's true!  I've experienced that so many times and noticed it again yesterday.  We don't have a fireplace, but a wonderful soapstone wood stove in our kitchen kept things so cozy that, whenever I stepped out onto the screened porch to gather cookies or fudge for a gift plate, the bitter cold was an outright shock.

The delightful photo above, of two granddaughters in our kitchen in December 2022,  shows our soapstone stove, just behind Ari in her Santa hat.

The Victoria writer went on to describe moments outdoors during a light snowfall: 

"Letting the snow land gently on your nose and hair, breathing in the cold air, and relishing the stark landscape are singular pleasures of a frosty winter's day.  The promise of your home, glowing from the inside with light and warmth, makes a chilly afternoon stroll even more meaningful."

Again, very true.  If I were to step outside right now, the first sentence describes exactly what I would be experiencing.

Yet I couldn't help but think a little more deeply about this.  Cold and snow and whistling winds are all very well when you can step back into your nice warm home.

But what if your home was washed away?  What if your only shelter is a tent?  What if your loved ones are not only missing from your Christmas table, but ... missing altogether?  It's cold here in New Hampshire, but ...

 
A recent Instagram post by Heather Mills Schwartzen -- @to_sow_a_seed on Instagram -- reminded me that  That's her graphic you see above.  You can read her post here: Cold as All Get Out.  

Heather wrote: 

"You haven’t forgotten, have you? The shocking images of homes swept into raging waters, the pleas of family members searching for loved ones? They’re no longer in your news feed but friends, Appalachia is still recovering from Hurricane Helene."

"Families are still displaced.

People are still missing.

Areas are still largely unreachable.

Cleanup is ongoing."

 "We covet your prayers. There is much still to be done, three months on. Appalachia is strong and resilient and full of resourceful people. Pray for safety, provision, and that all this hurt will ignite a deeper desire to know and serve the Lord. He will be glorified!"

She goes on to describe efforts to help, and I will share some of the post below:

 
After reading this, Mr. T and I were moved to donate to  Samaritan's Purse and their rebuilding efforts in North Carolina and Tennessee.

We then followed the link to Heather's Amazon list and went shopping.  We  had a limited amount to spend, but it went far enough to get a warm sleeping bag, a child's jacket, four pairs of kids' gloves and a set of twelve hats.  We will check back next month and shop again as I'm pretty sure there will still be needs.  

And we have added the folks affected, and those working to help them, to our everyday prayer lists.  As Heather mentioned, prayer is our most powerful weapon in all times, but especially now.

Won't you do the same?

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

On this last Monday in 2024,  I'm taking a few minutes to join Sandra for this link party over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. 

The Weather:::

Cold, cold, cold! It's 5º now, but was minus 3 when I got up.  Chance of snow tonight, I guess.

As I look outside my window:::

It's cloudy -- though it's supposed to be sunny later this morning.  Roads are bare, but there's snow on the ground.  No question that we will have a white Christmas.  If there are a few inches of snow tonight, as predicted,  that will freshen things up.

Right now I am:::

 Working on a blog post. 

 
Thinking and pondering:::

 About many things, among them the plight of so many in Appalachia who are still living in inadequate shelters like tents, those who have lost loved ones (many are still missing) and those trying to help their neighbors.  These are independent, resourceful, resilient people.  Yet they need our prayer support and whatever help we can offer.

On my bedside table::: 

 A lamp, 2 books, and a pen

Vintage Santa mug and paper plate!

Listening to::: 

Literally, silence. Occasionally the clatter of a pan as my hubby bakes cookies downstairs in the kitchen.

On the Breakfast plate::: 

I do intermittent fasting so don't have breakfast. We may meet friends for lunch downtown.  If that doesn't pan out, lunch will be a salad of leaf lettuce, cubed turkey,  and Swiss cheese.

On the dinner plate::: 

Not sure yet.

Ari and Grampa check a candy recipe

On the menu for this week::: 

 A few meals on my menu plan:

Hamburgers, roasted Brussels sprouts

Chicken divan

Taco pie, green beans

 

On my reading pile:::

 

  Glad and Golden Hours, by Lanier Ivester -- an early Christmas gift from my daughter that I am loving.  I am also doing my more-or-less annual reread of Shepherds Abiding, by Jan Karon.

On my to do list today:::

 

 Spend time cross stitching

Write two Christmas cards

Deliver a package to the post office and some gifts to friends
Maybe bake some cookies
Wrap some gifts

Crochet a square for my temperature blanket

Go to Walmart for a couple of last things 

Granddaughter Ari ready to deliver a neighbor gift with Mr. T

Plans for this week:::

Ironing

Blogging

Start a pillow quilt

Two last Christmas cards
Baking and candy making
Wrapping gifts

Celebrate Christmas

A hutch shelf

What I am creating:::

 

⛄  Winter cross-stitch projects

⛄  Need to start a pillow quilt

⛄  A granny square temperature blanket

 

Bible verse, Devotional, Quote:::

 

Another quote from Glad & Golden Hours.

 

"When I tie those ribbons on the branched arms of the chandelier, I think, as I always have done, of Christmases past, and all the memories with which they are inextricably twined.  But I also think of the unseen mercies coming our way, the goodness of God winging toward us through all the stretches of the unknown year.  Even in our hardest places, that goodness is coming -- is, in fact, already present, though we humans can rarely see it but in retrospect."

 

On my prayer list:::

 

Friends & family
Church family
Missionaries
Our country

Those in North Carolina and parts of Tennessee still displaced by the results of Hurricane Helene.

 

I will be sharing an entire post about this tomorrow.

 

And there's the Happy Homemaker Monday  for this week!

 

 

Sunday Scripture

 

I've been posting Sunday Scriptures on both of my blogs this December, taken from an Advent study I did in 2013 with Good Morning Girls.  The study, Keeping Our Hearts Focused on Jesus, is still available as a free download; it's not too late to head on over there and get it, though it may be a little late to use it this year.  Scroll down and click on the book-like image, and the pdf should open right up.  More than just a Bible study, this is an ebook that includes recipes, Advent activities, and more.  I think it will be a blessing to you.

I've mentioned before that I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the studies from GMG use a very similar one.  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 passage,  or praise for what it means to you.

This last week's verses are focused on Peace.  If you downloaded the study and are following along with it, this is the one from December 25.

Today's Scripture is Philippians 4:4-7.

S= "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice."
"Let your moderation be known unto all men.The Lord is at hand.
"Be anxious for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:4-7)

O= Paul is writing this from prison!  He is obviously writing out of his own experience.

He instructs the believers at Philippi to rejoice in the Lord always -- and even repeats the instruction to "rejoice".  

Because the Lord is at hand, and sees all, they are to let their moderation be known to all men.  They're not to be anxious for anything, but instead to commit all of their concerns to God, with thanksgiving.  As they do so,  God's peace will guard their minds and hearts through Christ Jesus.

A= When I did this study back in 2013, I noted that there was a lot for me to apply here.  At the time, my dad was in the hospital.  (My hubby had found him on the floor when he went to pick him up for Christmas Eve supper.)  It was not a life-threatening situation, but I noted that there was a lot I could have been anxious about.  I commented that I am to rejoice always.  And I'm not to be anxious about anything, but instead let my requests be made known to God with thanksgiving.  I found much to be thankful for in that situation: even though my dad fell, he was not seriously hurt and broke no bones.  We had been wondering how to get him to a doctor for symptoms he'd been having -- and this got him there. 

I found that I experienced God's peace throughout that situation as I committed it to Him.  I prayed that I would be able to let my moderation be known unto all as I dealt with it.  My dad regained his health to a degree and lived several more good years.

Today I still have concerns about matters of life as most of us do.  But I can commit each situation to Him, with thanksgiving, and experience His peace as I do so.  I can rejoice always because the Lord is at hand.  He is able to work in each of my requests and to help me "let my moderation be known unto all men."

P= "Lord, I thank and praise You that as Your child I can have rejoicing in any situation.  I praise You that there is much to be thankful for even in our most difficult moments.  I praise You that You always give me good sleep and rest even in harder times, and that You guard my heart and mind with Your incomparable peace.  I pray that as I go into each new day, no matter my circumstances, that You will help me to show moderation in my dealings with all the people I encounter.  I praise You for all that You are doing and all that you will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

There is our last Sunday Scripture from this little series!  I hope it has been a blessing to you.

This week's Christmasy doings

 

I've been writing a "Christmasy progress" post once a week, posting on Saturday.   So let's catch up a little, shall we?

🌲 Saturday, December 14 -- We met up with friends at King Arthur Cafe, Bakery, and Store in Norwich, VT.  It was so much fun!

I had specific gifts in mind that I wanted to shop for here, but most were not available.  Out of stock.  I found a few other things that would work, however, and I did get some specific cookie cutters I had hoped to find.  I've prepared a more detailed post for my Christmas blog concerning our visit to this amazing place.

When we left King Arthur, we visited a gigantic thrift store on the New Hampshire side.  It was a little overwhelming, actually, but I got a beautiful heavy glass Christmas plate picturing a snowy village for only 1.75.  And a nice hardcover kids' book (which I plan to use as a Christmas gift) for $1.

Following this we went to our friends' favorite Mexican restaurant, located across the street from the thrift store.  A yummy meal.  I picked the enchilada trio meal and my hubby chose the taco trio.

🌲 Sunday, December 15 -- was our church's musical Christmas service with choir chimes, strings, and vocals.  A delightful service!  We were so blessed to have many visitors from the community!  In the afternoon, our musicians took the show on the road to a church up in the Great North Woods of New Hampshire.  Mr. T and I had thought we would attend, but common sense dictated that we not take the 4-hour round trip.  We stayed home and decorated our Christmas tree instead!

🌲 Monday, December 16 -- Let's see.   I caught up on laundry and did some December blog posts and some planning for the week.  Also sent out some orders from my Etsy shop and a few Christmas cards.  Mr. T was at his volunteer job, so no baking got done.  I thought I would make some fudge, but didn't get to it.

🌲 Tuesday, December 17 -- I baked a cranberry coffeecake for a friend and made my traditional apricot fruitcakes for another friend. 

🌲 Wednesday, December 18 --  I made Christmas granola for kitchen gifts and for my friend who's having loads of family visit over the holidays.  Thinking I'm going to have to do another batch of this. 

🌲 Thursday, December 19 -- Mr. T went out to buy a few more baking ingredients.  He baked a double batch of Chocolate Orange Cookies and a single batch of a new-to-us recipe I've been wanting to try: Gingerbread Chocolate Thumbprints.  He also made a batch of Heavenly Delight fudge -- that double decker chocolate peanut butter fudge that is such a favorite with our family and friends.  I wrote some Christmas cards and he took them to the post office.  Our mail delivery here at our home has become slow and unreliable.

🌲 Friday, December 20 -- We picked up a few more components for gifts while grocery shopping, as well as more baking ingredients.  Mr. T made a full batch of Whipped Shortbread before we left for the store, and I made another batch of Christmas granola when we returned.

The plan had been to have our friend Jennifer and her boys over in the afternoon, but she cancelled due to illness.   So Mr. T tried another new recipe -- Coffee Maple Spritz -- and also a batch of Peanut Blossom cookies.   I worked on Christmas cards and gift wrapping, and took advantage of another Shutterfly freebie to make a gift.  I also prepared ahead for tomorrow's breakfast with some of the grandkids and did some brainstorming about crafts and candy to make with them.  We went out to get a necessary ingredient and did a bit of Christmas shopping along the way.

🌲 Saturday, December 21 -- today will be our annual Christmas tradition with four of our local grands.  They show no signs of outgrowing it, although it has been tried and tweaked over the years and now has to take work schedules for the older three into account.  I'll write more about that next week.

And those are the Christmasy doings from here, for now!