I AM Peace on Earth

Mary Fran Heitzman

Over twenty years ago my friend, Gracie, sent me a Christmas card with a black background and plain lettering. The message wasn’t the usual “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” or “Peace on Earth.” Instead it simply listed all the names of God in gold script along with the verse from Scripture where that name is found.

I told my friend how much I loved that card. Then she told me it was available in poster size, too. I bought the poster and had it framed. Over the years I’ve moved it from the front hall to the living room and back again several times. But no matter where my whims decide to pound the nail, the words provide our family with a tangible reminder of who God is and what he offers. Here is the message I received those many years ago:

“And thou shalt call his name Jesus, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor, Holy One, Lamb of God, Prince of Life, Lord God Almighty, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Root of David, Word of Life, Author and Finisher of our Faith, Advocate, The Way, Dayspring, Lord of All, I AM, Son of God, Shepherd and Bishop of Souls, Messiah, Truth, Savior, Chief Cornerstone, King of Kings, Righteous Judge, Light of the World, Head of the Church, Morning Star, Son of Righteousness, Lord, Jesus Christ, Chief Shepherd, Resurrection and Life, Horn of Salvation, Governor, Alpha and Omega.”

And now, Lord, I pray, “Let me sing with the angels, ‘Hosanna to the Highest,’ and may your name—all of your names—be praised on earth as they are in heaven.”

 

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Rommegrot

Recipe from Doris Herdahl

My Grandmother passed this recipe along to our family recently. This Norwegian pudding dessert is traditionally served during the holidays, especially after Christmas dinner. It has a delightfully light flavor and texture, and is definitely a comfort food.

1 quart of milk

1 cup of Half and Half

1 cup butter (Use less if you prefer it not so rich.)

3/4 cup of flour

1/2 cup of sugar

Pinch of salt

Heat milk and half and half, being very careful not to scorch. Use a heavy kettle. In a separate kettle, on low heat, melt the butter and add flour, sugar and salt, stirring steadily. Pour into the heated milk  and half and half. Stir until it starts to thicken. (It will thicken as it cools also.) You may add some melted butter on top if you wish. To serve, put some on each plate and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Serve warm.

A Visit with Kathleen Arndt

Acting upon her desire to help single women, Kathleen Arndt has two books to her credit: Given a Choice and The Emerging Butterfly: The Best You. When CBN  (Christian Broadcasting Network) saw her books, they immediately asked her to do two Christmas segments for them. Below is the first one. It aired Monday, December 7.  (Another segment about entertaining, decorating, table setting and cooking  will air on Monday, December 21.)

Gift Giving on a Budget

Kathleen says, “My hope is to help people Christmas shop on a budget by giving some inexpensive but unique gift ideas. I also started a ”Countdown to Christmas” on my web site yesterday.  It offers menus and recipes, shopping tips and even some stories.  To visit my site, click here:  www.givenachoice.com.  Please forward the video below to others on your e-mail list. It’s a nice way of helping others this holiday season.
 

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givenachoice has shared a video with you on YouTube: Kathleen Arndt: Great Gift Ideas – CBN.com Author and interior designer Kathleen Arndt shows us how to save money on Christmas gifts for the whole family. .. The Christian Broadcasting Network CBN http://www.cbn.com

 CLICK HERE:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfHw9E7w_uM&feature=email 

Orange Chicken

Recipe and photo by Susie Reuter

This orange chicken is easy to make and is restaurant quality. If you find that the peppers are too spicy, just add a pinch of red pepper flakes instead.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped green onion, for garnish at the end

Marinade:

• 4 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3 dried chili pods, soaked to rehydrate
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• Oil for stir-frying, as needed

Preparation:

Place the cubed chicken in a bowl, and add the marinade ingredients. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, plus prep the garlic and ginger. Heat the wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until aromatic.

Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked all the way through. Push chicken up to the sides of the wok, making a well in the middle. Add the sauce. Combine the sauce and the chicken. Stir-fry for another minute and serve hot with white rice. Sprinkle with green onion.

Whirling Angels, Bouncing Shepherds

Sharon M. Knudson

One by one I picked up the pieces of the nativity set and moved them to the side until only a cow and some chickens remained in the stable. Cho, my houseguest from South Korea, had asked me to explain the nativity scene to her. A practicing Buddhist, she was interested in American Christianity.

“Here is Joseph,” I said, speaking s-l-o-w-l-y so she could catch my words. “He’s bringing Mary to Bethlehem.” I held the figure of Mary over the donkey’s back in one hand, and moved Joseph toward the stable in little jerks with the other.

“Mary was pregnant,” I explained, “but even so, she was a virgin. The baby was not Joseph’s child, but God’s child.” That took some additional explaining, but eventually Cho smiled a sly smile and shook her head from side to side. She wasn’t buying it—the virgin birth sounded preposterous to her.

“When they came to the stable,” I continued, “Mary had her baby. She named Him Jesus and laid Him in a manger.” I picked up the Baby Jesus and snuggled him into the manger, explaining to Cho that this baby was really God in human form.

“Then angels appeared in the sky to praise Him,” I continued. Enter the ceramic angel, flying and swirling over the top of the stable. I did my best to look excited and sang, “Glory to God! Glory to God!”

“The angels spoke to shepherds who were tending their sheep,” I said. I propelled the ceramic angel over to where the shepherds stood with their little white sheep. I even tipped one of the shepherds over backwards to portray his fright at seeing the whirling angel above him. Then I brought the shepherds scurrying to the stable (bounce, bounce, bounce, happy, happy, happy). I aligned everyone so they could see the Baby Jesus. The angel perched herself on the stable’s roof.

Last, I brought in the wise men, giving them a solemn, dignified entrance befitting their rank. I told Cho they offered the Baby expensive gifts and worshipped Him on their knees.

The cast of characters fully assembled, I picked up two Bibles and found the story in the Gospel of Luke. Together we read v-e-r-y  s-l-o-w-l-y, stopping often to explain. When we finished, I reminded Cho that this Baby Jesus was pure and holy—truly God. I explained that He grew up to be a man who did many miracles, then died on a cross as our sacrifice for our sin. I lost her completely at that point—she just couldn’t comprehend….

Cho lived with me for three months and then went back to South Korea, but I pray that in the years since, Jesus Christ has become real to her. Perhaps YOU can do a nativity re-enactment for someone this Christmas—let your whirling angels and bouncing shepherds proclaim the miracle of Jesus’ birth.

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Black & White Cupcakes

Recipe and Photo by Susie Reuter

1 Pouch Chocolate Brownie Mix
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. In medium bowl, stir together brownie mix, chocolate chips, 1 egg, water and oil until moistened (about 40 strokes). Spoon batter into lightly greased or paper-lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 full. In separate bowl, use an electric mixer to mix cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 egg and continue to mix on medium speed 1 minute or until smooth. For each cupcake, place rounded tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on top of batter. Bake 28-32 minutes. Makes 12 cupcakes.

A Visit with Joan C. Webb

Joan C. Webb is a recovering workaholic and perfectionist who communicates a message of freedom and renewal. As a personal life coach, lifeplan facilitator, and speaker/Bible communicator she longs to help others gain clarity and move past their obstacles. Joan, author or co-author of eleven books including The Intentional Woman, The Relief of Imperfection, and It’s a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life, wrote study notes for the Women of Faith Study Bible. Her husband, Richard, and she live in Chandler, Arizona, near their two married children and seven grandchildren. You can visit her at www.joancwebb.com

Into the Silence

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. - Psalm 37:7

While on a get-away designed for rest and recuperation after a hectic few months, I heard an inner voice chiding: Don’t just sit there. Do something. Pray. Write in your journal. Read the Bible. Instead, I ignored the interior slave driver. I sat alone with my thoughts and God for several hours. That was new behavior for me.

Just today, a coaching client reported about her recent vacation: Determined to leave her mounting tasks behind, she didn’t load her carry-on with files, books and work. Even her husband noticed her lighter luggage. However, when she got to the motel room, she noticed she hadn’t packed her Bible, either. That’s not good, she thought. The next morning, when normally she would jump up to read her Bible and launch into the “I’m a Bible teacher, show me something new, Lord” mode, instead she spent her minutes waiting, chatting and listening to the Lord. “It was good,” she admitted.  

Although we may choose to spend organized time studying, journaling and praying, we needn’t do so in order for God to love and speak with us. We can relax, be still and wait. Even when the insight or inspiration doesn’t flow freely, God is there. He invites you and me into the silence with him.

Lord, I love knowing about You. But I want to spend time with You, too. I’m not always sure how. Please guide me.

Joan will be featured at www.wordsinhighdef.blogspot.com tomorrow. To purchase It’s a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life, use this link:   http://www.amazon.com/Its-Wonderful-Imperfect-Life-Encouragement/dp/0830748016

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Orange Cranberry Quick Bread

Photo and recipe by Susie Reuter

I got this recipe on the back wrapper of a bag of fresh cranberries, then added a couple of things, including a glaze. Instead of chopping up the berries, leave them whole. It’s like biting into a big, tart fresh blueberry in a muffin. You could make this bread in large or small bread pans, or even muffins. It’s great served for breakfast and makes a hearty dinner accompaniment as well. Mini loaves and muffins make great gifts, too! It only takes 15 minutes to prep, so this recipe is a keeper.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Thoroughly grease sides and bottom of bread pans or muffin tins using cooking spray or shortening.

Stir together in large bowl:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar

After stirring dry ingredients together, add:
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/8 cup grated orange rind

Stir for 2 minutes, then fold in:
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen whole cranberries
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (I use walnuts)

Pour into pan or muffin tins. For a 9×5x3″ loaf pan, bake 70 minutes. Muffins bake for 20-30 minutes, or 8 mini-loaves for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. After cooling completely, drizzle top with glaze (Optional).

Orange glaze ~ stir together:
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 c sifted powdered sugar

Add extra orange juice to the glaze if not thin enough to drizzle. Let glaze settle 5 minutes before slicing bread.

Serve with plain or orange butter. For orange butter: mix 1 part fresh grated orange peel into 3 parts softened butter.

Angst or Thanks?

Mary Fran Heitzman

What do you worry about on Thanksgiving morning?

“Oh, the turkey might taste dry?”  or

“Someone might spill cranberry sauce on the white tablecloth”?

Worry! Worry! Worry! But the Bible says thanksgiving is the antidote to worry!

Philippians 4:6-7 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

So along with all your preparations for the official Thanksgiving holiday, remember to prepare your mind and spirit with prayer. As a result you just might worry a little less about the turkey and the cranberry sauce.

Wishing you a happy, blessed and worry-free Thanksgiving!

 

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Sally’s Pumpkin Muffins

Recipe and photo by Sally Miles Heuer

This is a favorite and widely requested recipe. Originally it was a basic pumpkin cookie recipe from an old cookbook. I tweaked it to be healthier and low-fat. It’s best when the batter is put into paper muffin cups inside muffin tins. Bring ‘em to work and be popular!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift together dry ingredients:

1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

In another bowl, stir together:

½ cup safflower oil
¾ cup honey
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Mix dry & moist ingredients together. Then add:

1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Fill paper muffin cups in muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 12-15 minutes, then cool on a baking rack. Once cooled, the muffins can go into a covered container and shared with co-workers the next day. Makes 18 muffins .