Resurrection

It's aaaaaaaliiiivvvvveeee!!!

Stepping Through the Wardrobe

The room didn't look like much. Just a bare floor, bare walls, rain on the window outside--the only furniture in it was a giant wardrobe with the most curious carvings of trees and animals, the like of which I've never seen in this world. And then, like magic, the wardrobe doors opened. And when we stepped inside, it was like another world. The fur coats hanging in rows on either side gave way to pine boughs, and snow was falling gently in the forest. A lamp-post burned brightly nearby, though there were no houses or electric wires that I could see. But we were eager to explore, so we continued on our way.

It looked like winter, at first-- there was a frozen waterfall that we'd thought to climb, but it made our hands too cold. And we passed by a faun's house, a witch's icy throne, and other such things. But winter quickly gave way to warmer seasons, and the land changed. Instead of ice and snow, there were ruins and castles and odd talking creatures living in hiding among the trees. We saw arches being built, catapults being launched, the crowns of kings and queens, and the promise of a fantastic upcoming voyage to sea. But then we passed an arch where a lion spoke to us and said it was time to go back to our own world. So we stepped through the doorway...and ended up back in Philadelphia.

Drat.

(Description courtesy of a much better writer than I. But it still applies.)

Church Spire!

Merry Christmas!

I'm out of the office until Monday starting now for the Christmas holiday! Merry Christmas to all!

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'" Acts 17: 24-28

Christmas Miracle

My cousin's son, Caleb (age 4) was born with some sort of heart defect. He had to have open heart surgery when he was just a few days old. It had recently been determined that he still had heart issues - something called Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection (TAPVC). His heart wasn't growing the way it was supposed to; I think in layman's terms, his ventricles were squeezing his heart into an hour-glass shape. At least, that was what was determined when they took the ultrasound on him a month ago.

He was scheduled for surgery today and tomorrow at A. I. Dupont Children's Hospital, but when the doctors went in to put a catheter in, they couldn't find anything wrong with heart.

And I believe in miracles. And that prayer changes things.

The doctors determined that he has some type of athsma, and will of course be continuing to watch him, especially since he was born with a heart condition. But I guess God's ways are higher than ours.

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."

Proud Sister!

My youngest brother was accepted into Liberty University last night!

National Cookie Day

In case you didn't know it, today is National Cookie Day. Here are some of my favorite cookies to make during the holiday season!

Holly Cookies

1 (10 oz.) package marshmallows
1/2 c. butter
4 1/2 c. corn flakes
1 tbsp. green food coloring
cinnamon candies, or red-colored sugar

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows, and melt. Add food coloring. Mix in the cornflakes cereal.
2. Drop either by spoonful or by clumps (depending on how big you like them) onto wax paper. Add cinnamon candies or sugar.

Kris Krinkles (or Snow-Topped Chocolate Mint Cookies)

2 cups mint semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 tablespoons butter (no substitutes), softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
confectioners' sugar

1. In a microwave, melt 1 cup chocolate chips; set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate chips and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
2. Roll into 1-in. balls, then roll in confectioners' sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and centers are almost set. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks.

Note: When I made these last week, I didn't have mint chocolate chips, but instead used half semisweet chocolate chips and half white chocolate chips and 1/2 tsp. of mint extract. The semisweet chips I melted, not in the microwave, but in a pan over hot water because the microwave I was using has a tendency to burn melting chocolate. The white chips I stirred into the dough.

Butter Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
2. Place the dough in a cookie press; form cookies on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool on wire racks.

Note: When I made these last week, what I did was cut out two different sets of cookies, one round-shaped for the bottom cookie, and then a thin circle with a hole in the middle for the top cookie. After they were finished baking, we spread strawberry jam on the bottom cookies and placed the thin circle on top. So it was twice the amount of work for one cookie, but it was well worth it in the end. And it wasn't exactly this recipe, but it was close enough.

Enjoy!

The Christmas Story: Deleted Scenes

I saw this video in church yesterday.



I think the best part of this video is the Dalek.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Ode to Mashed Potatoes

*sung to the tune of Edelweiss from "Sound of Music"*

We love 'taters
Lovely 'taters
Mashed up all in a bowl
With some gravy and some butter
'Taters are good for your soul
And their fun to put your fork in and carve
Irritating your dad forever
'Taters, 'taters
We love 'taters
Hope mom makes a big bowl - of them!