Oh Christmas Tree!

 As the song goes - 

"O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How lovely are thy branches!"

Christmas 2020 will have a different meaning and depth than years past for many of us.  Not being able to  celebrate with our dear family and friends will take on a different meaning during the pandemic and social distancing environment we are currently experiencing. The holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day has traditionally been a time to celebrate with those we hold near and dear and reflect upon the past year.

Many of us will find ourselves celebrating within our own homes and not gathered together with others.  We will need to go deep into our souls to reflect upon the great memories of past holiday celebrations.  Some of us will have to literally force ourselves to get out the decorations, trim the tree, hang the lights, bake the traditional cookies/breads, sing carols, mail the cards, shop on line, take selfies and setup the Zoom room.  

After we complete our holiday preparations, let's take some time to prepare our hearts for celebrating the birth of our Lord.  Thank God for the lives of those no longer traveling this journey with us.  Their beauty and love still surround us in the traditions we continue.  Thank God for His merciful blessings - the painted sunrise/sunset.  Thank God for the gift of hope - trust/desire for our future .  Thank God for His infinite grace - unmerited favor.  Thank God for eternal life through the birth of His Son - Jesus Christ!

As the song continues - 

"Let us all remember in our gift giving and merriment

With our family and friends and loved ones

The real and true meaning of Christmas

The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!"

THANKSGIVING 2020

As we pause on this Sunday of Thanksgiving week, to begin our reflection  of gratitude, it may seem difficult during this chaotic time.  Individually and collectively we have experienced drastic change in how to interact with one another.  We continue to be unable to mingle freely with our family and friends in an effort to protect each other.  And for many, all of these changes has not kept them from experiencing the loss of a loved one or of their own health.

I would encourage my family and friends to reflect on fond memories of celebrating Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving and continue on with the hope and anticipation of being all together again - when we will love each other more fiercely and deeply.

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” – Henry Van Dyke

10 Ways To Boost Your Immune System

Our country is experiencing a new wave of COVID-19 cases, perhaps due to more mobility by school attendance, eating out with family/friends, attending public events and cooler temperatures.

While we are all getting weary and restless with the confinement, it is important to stay the course and not be an ostrich. Our ancestors endured many hardships that most of us cannot even fathom-try watching “Hell On Wheels” on Netflix and you will get a glimpse of life on the prairie.

Let’s all stay the course and commit to taking care of one another by, helping one another to keep hopeful during these trying times. Call, text or email family, friends and neighbors - tell them you are thinking of them, miss them and do they need anything. Make an effort to helping others stay mentally healthy and you will be healthier too.

Press onward by remembering these healthy steps:

1. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap for 20 seconds

2. Wear a face mask when in public 

3. Stay home if you aren’t feeling well 

4. Eat lots of fruit high in vitamin C-oranges, grapefruit, sweet red bell pepper, strawberries, kiwi and kale.

5. Eat foods high in beta-carotene- carrots, spinach or sweet potatoes.

6. Eat foods rich in vitamin E - nuts, seeds and avocados.

7. Eat foods high in vitamin D - tuna, egg yolks, milk and yogurt.

8. Drink lots of Green Tea that is full of antioxidants

.9. Exercise-walking and yoga help your immune system.

10. Meditate - focus on all the blessings in your life.

AUTUMN

Each season bestows upon us a different aspect of nature. The fall season this year has shown us that each leaf is a colorful flower. Our nation has been under turmoil politically, physically and emotionally. And now nature has burst into flaming colors breathing richness into our depleted souls.

As we begin the road and navigate through November, try to take a few minutes everyday to reflect upon the blessings of the day. Then when we arrive at Thanksgiving Day our cups will be full and overflowing.🙏

Individually and collectively as a nation, we will continue to navigate uncharted waters, but our faith in God and one another will be our moral compass. We will reach the shoreline if we continue to stay on the ship together and not panic and jump into the lifeboat alone.

As you prepare your heart and hearth for November, below is a great harvest breakfast:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Prepare the ingredients by chopping the veggies and slicing the chicken sausage. Add them all to a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the seasoning. Pour the seasoning mixture over the chicken and veggies, and toss together to coat.
4. Transfer to a large baking sheet and spread out into an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes until the vegetables are golden brown and fork tender.
5. Stir in roasted pecans and dried cranberries.
6. Make 6 wells and carefully crack an egg into each well, keeping the yolks intact.
7. Bake for 5-7 minutes more until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Peelers - Straight, Serrated and Julieene

 I recently started using Hello Fresh meal subscription service. Living in unsettling times during a pandemic, it is great to have a week’s worth of meals delivered to your doorstep! All the ingredients you need to prepare a meal are included in the meal kits, and you get to choose your meals and when you want them delivered.

It has also been a great way to hone my culinary skills, or learn new ones. Since I am single and my only child lives out of state, I tend to cook occasionally for family or friends.

Preparing these meal kits I quickly learned some of my tools were either out dated or non-existent. So I went shopping on Amazon and purchased OXO Assorted Peelers. They are awesome tools with an easy grip and sharp Japanese blades! I had so much fun leaning new skills of vegetable preparation.

The meal kits also include fresh herbs-thyme, rosemary, cilantro, etc. I found it a little time consuming to remove the herb from the stem. I was used to purchasing them in a jar! Amazon to the rescue again with a OXO Good Grips Herb and Kale Stripping Comb. It is an amazing tool!! Made quick work of removing the herb from the stem.

It’s been a fun experience to receive the meal kits to stimulate my taste buds, enhance my culinary skills, learn new recipes and eat healthier. It helped to take the guess work out of ‘what’s for dinner’.

NOW Is A Perfect Time For Make-up Declutter and Clean-up

We are currently living through a national pandemic, so now is the perfect time to clean and organize your cosmetics!  Health officials have stated that the virus will not live on all ingredients in the same manner.  For example, makeup with higher alcohol content may render the virus inactive, and products with less alcohol may pose a higher risk of contamination.   

It is important to keep your cosmetics clean, but even more so if you have contracted the virus.  Start  by antiseptic wipes on the containers.  These is a great time discard unused items and wiping down items kept with antiseptic spray/wipes.  Also you should be cleaning your brushes, sponges and makeup applicators weekly.  I like using the cleaning brush mate by itkidboy. I use mild shampoo for cleaning and be sure to clean any handles.  

Remember using products with applicators that touch your face, like lip glosses, lipstick and eyeliners can become contaminated should you have a virus.  Use makeup sparingly if you are feeling any symptoms of a virus like coronavirus.  If you aren't feeling well, choose a certain lipstick color to use that you can throw out in a couple of weeks, and then start the process all over.  This will avoid contamination of your entire makeup kit.

While purging your makeup, it's a great time to check the expiration dates.  Just because your beauty product is clean doesn't necessarily make it safe to use.  Expiration dates are usually an open jar symbol with the number of months after opening that a product has lost it's use life.

                                            
                                                        

Here are some helpful guidelines to use when decluttering your cosmetics:

1. Clear out your stash-this includes unused samples, old brushes, broken or half used items you no longer use. This will make it easy to find your favs! 
2. Ask yourself - Is it My Color/Is It Old - over six months/Spent too much$$$ On It-and don't use
3. Separate the items between every day look vs special occasion look.
4. Decide your style of organizers-chic glass containers, cosmetic bags, or purchase an organizer. My daughter uses a unique cake plate for her favs. Or try an antique candy dish or vase.
5. Rethink your current space-make sure it is inviting and relaxing with ample lighting with a great mirror and possibly comfortable seating.
6. Decorate your space with quotes, sayings, photo and flowers!

Use this time to change your beauty rhythms and habits.

                                                            

                                                        

Bread - A Healthy Grain Food

Like people - bread comes in all types of sizes, shapes and ingredients.  It can be a loaf, rolls, biscuits, muffin, stick, or cracker; round, square, braided, twisted, long, short; or filled with flavor of fruit, nuts, seeds, or grains. Bread is usually a baked and leavened food in an oven, grill, skillet, crock pot or insta-pot.

Throughout history bread has been a prominent food being one of the oldest man-made foods.  Bread has been a diet staple since the dawn of Agriculture - and has an essential role in religious rituals and secular cultures. Eating bread provides many vital nutrients for the health and maintenance of our bodies.

1. Bread is very cost effective. In the big scheme of things, bread products are inexpensive to make and serve, and you will be eating whole grains. It’s good – it’s filling – and we enjoy it. .

2. We like it.  We shouldn't deprive ourselves of the things we like. Eat it in moderation…just like everything else. Eat a piece once (maybe twice) a week – it’s even better if you make it from scratch.

3. It makes a fast and delicious breakfast. Yes, there are eggs and meat and veggies and fruit…and gluten free oats. But your appetite might get tired of eggs or oatmeal all the time – and maybe your budget can’t take the hit of serving meat at every meal.  So, try making  muffins, pancakes, or scones – paired with some fruit, breakfast is done!

4.  Bread is the Staff of Life.  There are several foods in the bible that God mentions - milk, honey, wine, meat, vegetables, and BREAD!  Bread is often referred to as "the staff of life" because it is a really basic food that supports life.  Just as God refers to himself as "the bread of life" (John 6:35) His words will sustain and renew us as we travel this journey.  

I really BELIEVE that God intended for us to eat BREAD 

Fatherless Daughter

Happy Father's Day to my Angel Daddy.  On Sunday, February 4th, 2018 my father' homage on earth ended.  It is hard to realize that two years have slipped away since I have seen his smiling face and blue eyes.  For me it was both a relief and blessing to not witness the loss of his strength, wit and wisdom confined by dementia.  Oftentimes when visiting him at the nursing home I would be granted a glimpse of my dad-calling me by name, antics of putting his hand to his mouth like a megaphone and his smile with those blue eyes.

My father and I didn’t always see eye to eye on several occasions, perhaps because we were both strong in our convictions. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t love one another.  We were always there for one another-to help and encourage.

We shared a lot of great memories over the years.  Dad was very athletic-a game of touch football or basketball was always played on a Sunday afternoon.  One Christmas a metal roller rink appeared in the back yard with skates for everyone! And we had lots of fun on the water-boating, skiing, swimming, fishing and target practicing.

Dad loved to garden and was known in the towns he lived in for the abundant and delicious fruits of his labor.  One year he graced the local newspaper for his two pound tomato.  He also prided himself on a well manicured yard ~ he loved to plant zoysia grass so it looked like a green carpet.. He came by all of this naturally growing up on a small rural farm.

In the two years that he resided in a care facility, I always counted it a privilege to drive three hours round trip to check on him and show him love and compassion. I always tried to share a meal with him so I could better gage his abilities and have some conversation with him.   It was difficult to witness his demise, but I knew that he would one day be at peace and that I will meet him again at Jesus' feet.  I had the honor to be with him and lovingly walk him to the river of eternal life.

My father was a strong male role model - and there are days that I wish I could lay my head on his chest while his strong arms comforted - like he did when I would wake in the night and was scared.  I am grateful for how he taught me to be a strong and independent woman, capable of taking care of the small things to my vehicle or home.  I am grateful for the love of the earth that he shared with me and how I find solace and peace surrounded by nature.  But most of all I am eternally thankful for his unwavering faith in God our Father and being a strong Christian male role model.  

                                         God be with you until we meet again at Jesus feet! 

                                              I love you much and miss you more❤🙏

Tahini Sauce

Tahini is a condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame.  The sesame seeds are soaked in salt water to separate the bran from the kernels.  The kernels are toasted and ground to produce an oily paste.  The paste can either be served by itself as a dip, or as an ingredient in hummus or other Eastern Mediterranean recipes.

Tahini Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place the tahini, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice and water in a medium bowl. Whisk with a hand whisk until smooth.
• Use a rubber spatula to mix in the parsley.
• Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir again before serving, and add more water if the sauce has thickened in the fridge, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Tahini sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The sauce can be used as a condiment for meat or as a dipping sauce for vegetables or bread.  Or continue adding water for a tasty salad dressing.

HOPE

 Well it finally happened! Six weeks into Stay-At-Home/ Work-From-Home I became bored and cut my bangs, dyed my hair and gave myself a mani/pedi!! I have to admit it was very energizing.

During this pandemic quarantine I have been blessed to continue to work from home. That in and of itself has brought some challenges of how to quickly change processes to accommodate the needs of co-workers that I support. It’s a daily challenge as we all weather this storm and continue to support our utility customers.

Also during this time I have been blessed with wonderful friends. We check-in on one another routinely, listen to our frustrations and find ways to see one another while self-distancing - order take out and sit in our vehicles and chat, go for a three mile walk or meet at a local park while keeping our distance and wearing masks.

It has been extremely helpful during this #AloneTogether to look inward to my faith. I am reading a bible study through Bible App. I listen to the on-line sermons through Church of The Resurrection (COR) and I pray for HOPE and HEALING🙏 God continues to teach us daily to have hope and to be of good cheer. We see that in the renewing of the earth. Welcome into your heart and home HOPE.

The Cup

The new decade beginning with 2020 has come with many challenges.  A great storm, or seismos, has come upon our world globally in the form of COVID-19 Pandemic.  In the Bible in the Book of Matthew we are told that Jesus and his disciples got into a boat in Galilee and suddenly a great seismos came upon them.  The disciples were afraid and Jesus asked them why they were afraid.

Life comes with fears - war, sickness, finances, disasters.  Fear can serve as a healthy purpose to change our actions-fear of the law of the land that we drive the speed limit and pay our taxes.   It's not the absence of storms that sets us apart, it's the ONE that we discover in the storm. There is wisdom that comes from fearing God.

Mismanagement of our fears - trying to control a world that feels out of control, we tend to exclude God and let fear dominant our behavior and actions.  God has NOT given us a Spirit of Fear - don't invite Fear in by opening  the door of your heart. The fruits of the Spirit are Love, Joy, Peace, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

It is not by chance that we are experiencing extreme challenges during the season of Lent.  Jesus was in the garden praying to the Father when Judas led the soldiers to him.  In the midst of our current crisis, will people know where to find you?  Would they find you in prayer, or out trying to bury your anxiety by shopping, dining/drinking, or binge watching on Netflix?

Jesus embraced the cup God gave him to drink from.  He moved toward the men who came for him.  He moved toward what God had in store for him to fulfil the great promise - the promise of forgiveness and eternal life.

Today we each hold a cup the Father has given us.  Each one of us is dealing with the ramifications and challenges of COVID-19.  Instead of being filled with fear and paranoia, we need to embrace this cup.  During this strange season, ask God to lead and guide us.  Ask Him to help us to do what is wise and most pleasing in His sight.

As children of God we should not store up the bins beyond what is our normal consumption.  This prohibits the poor from buying what they need on limited funds. God can and will send wind, rain and earthquakes to level those storage bins.  We need to display the love of God to one another and help each other in these trying times.  Don't be selfish but selfless, or God will not bestow blessings upon us.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost