Christmas
My Jesus I love Thee
I know Thou art mine
For Thee all the Follies of Sin I resign
My Gracious Redeemer, My Saviour art Thou
If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus, tis now.
Gifts from your heart and home
Recipes we love for Christmas
This page
started out simply as a place to post my
fruitcake recipe. We had a "Christmas Page"
sometime back, but removed it because of all
the Christmas wrangling that goes on in
different groups. There are so
many issues over which Christians divide,
Christmas or annual celebrations or
traditions are but a couple. We've made many
changes in the ways and why's of celebrating
Christmas in our home and family, and
because the net is filled with all the pros
and cons of celebrating or not celebrating
Christmas, I've decided to be careful what I
put up here and let the LORD just guide
believers as to what's best for their homes
and families.
We don't do a lot of the celebrating of Christmas in the same manner or way that most Americans celebrate, in that we don't put up Christmas decorations all over the house or a Christmas tree, laden with presents, and we don't buys lots of gifts,
spending money we don't have, and don't attend elegant Christmas
shows or dinners or office parties.
However, we do enjoy the season, we do attempt to share what we have,
and in so doing, we attempt to demonstrate thanks for the greatest Gift ever given by loving our family, our friends and neighbors, and as we're able, we give gifts.
In
addition to weekly commemorating the life,
death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus in
the LORD's Supper, at the end of each year,
we do celebrate the birth of the LORD Jesus---though we know the Bible doesn't specifically address the month He was born and doesn't direct us to remember His birth---certainly, celebrating His birth with Santa and all that, is not Biblical.
We feel as though we can use different
situations to proclaim the Truth of the
Gospel without getting caught up in pagan or
cultural worship. We understand that
there are many ways to honour the LORD and reflect on the unspeakable gift of Jesus our Saviour. We know many who seek to avoid all recognition of the day and its pagan practices,
but we haven't been led in that manner. We understand the passages in the Word that sure seem to point to the error of setting up Christmas trees and to other "rituals" that have no part in Christ but have become part of the "season."
Jeremiah 10.2-6 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. 6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
We know books have been written and some [we believe] erroneously point to what are considered pagan roots. We've just attempted to not make *things* more important or the focal point of commemorating Christ's birth. So, we study the Word, we sing of His glory and to His honour. We enjoy the lights, we enjoy the sharing and giving of cards we write and things we bake.
We'll sure enjoy learning new songs together as a family, and the preparing the gingerbread house my mother bought all the fixings to make! We'll enjoy making fruitcake---no, not fruitcake like you might be thinking, but the *best* fruitcake ever! My mother-in-law's recipe is truly the best! In addition to that and lots of greeting cards, we'll make snowball and candy-cane cookies, fudge and peanut brittle, "almond roca" and pinwheels, date-bars and "frangos" and many other things.
It's a
significant day for us as we also celebrate
the birth of our daughter, born on Christmas
Day, nearly eight years ago. We've
begun talking about the plans for her
celebration and look forward to that day.
My husband also looks forward to preparing
dinner for the family on Christmas Eve and
we're always thrilled by all that he
prepares for us---he's amazing!
*Happy birthday Jesus, I'm so glad it's
Christmas...
All the tinsel and lights and the presents are nice, but the real gift is
You!
Happy birthday JESUS, I'm so glad it's Christmas...
all the carols and bells make the holiday swell,
but it's all about You ---- Happy birthday
Jesus, Jesus I love you!!
*this is a song I love to hear this time of
year.
Traditions we love for Christmas
pamela's aebleskivers
2 ½ cups
flour
½ teaspoon salt
1
½
teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2+ cups buttermilk
3 eggs (separated)
3 Tablespoons melted butter
oil or butter/oil mixture
for coating the aebleskiver
pan.
Powdered
sugar
Raspberry Jam and/or Real
Maple Syrup
Mix the
flour, soda, baking powder,
salt together with a fork.
Set aside. Blend egg yolk
and buttermilk. In a mixing
bowl, whip egg whites still
stiff. Gently blend the dry
and milk mixture and melted
butter and then fold in the
whipped egg whites.
Heat the
aebleskiver (able-skeever)
pan (a cast iron pan that
has molded, rounded "cups"
that hold the batter and
help form the aebleskiver
"pancake" balls).
When the pan is hot, you
will “paint” each aebleskiver cup with oil.
(I use a ½ & ½ mixture of
oil/butter) When the pan is
hot, fill each cup with
batter and immediately start
“turning” the aebleskivers
with a knitting needle.
Quickly turning quarter
turns at a time until all
sides are cooked and the
center is cooked through.
This is tricky the first
couple of “pan-fulls” and
then you’ll get the hang of
it. Then pluck the
aebleskiver balls out of
the pan with the knitting
needle. Set on a plate and
dust with powdered sugar and
then serve with raspberry
jam or maple syrup. Repeat
process each time of coating
the pan-cups with oil and
making the aebleskivers.
A typical serving size is 3
aebleskivers (the equivalent
of 3 or so pancakes). I
triple this recipe for our
family of 11 and make even
more when the older sons are
home!
It’s a funny
thing to have to have a
knitting needle to cook in
the kitchen… but it’s
necessary for the easy
turning of the aebleskivers.
Anything else is too
cumbersome. I use a # 6
knitting needle.
More
Recipes on the Web
So, for Christmas... these are what
Jesus gave to me...
and to you upon
accepting His gift and acknowledging
Him as Lord of and Saviour.
O,
what a Saviour.
The Twelve Days of
Christmas
by - Carroll Roberson
On the
first
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me: salvation
full and free.
On
the
second
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me: everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
On
the
third
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me: Peace in my
heart, everlasting life,
and salvation full and
free.
On the fourth day
of Christmas Jesus gave
to me: love for all men,
Peace in my heart,
everlasting life, and
salvation full and
free.
On
the
fifth
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me: joy
for my soul, love for
all men, peace in my
heart, everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
On the sixth day
of Christmas Jesus gave
to me; power from on
high, joy for my soul,
love for all men, peace
in my heart, everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
On
the
seventh
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me: a body
glorified, power from on
high, joy for my soul,
love for all men, peace
in my heart, everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
On
the
eighth
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me: a robe
and a crown, a body
glorified, power from on
high, joy for my soul,
love for all men, peace
in my heart, everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
On
the
ninth
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me:
mansions above, a robe
and a crown, a body
glorified, power from on
high, joy for my soul,
love for all men, peace
in my heart, everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
On
the
tenth
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me:
streets of pure gold,
mansions above, a robe
and a crown, a body
glorified, power from on
high, joy for my soul,
love for all men, peace
in my heart, everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
On the eleventh
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me: a
thousand tongues to
sing, streets of pure
gold, mansions above, a
robe and a crown, a body
glorified, power from on
high, joy for my soul,
love for all men, peace
in my heart, everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
On
the
twelfth
day of Christmas Jesus
gave to me:
eternity to praise, a
thousand tongues to
sing, streets of pure
gold, mansions above, a
robe and a crown, a body
glorified, power from on
high, joy for my soul,
love for all men, peace
in my heart, everlasting
life, and salvation full
and free.
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The Legend of the
Candy Cane
According to legend there was a
candy maker who wanted to invent a
candy that was a witness to Christ.
The result was the candy cane.
First of all he used a hard candy
because Christ is the rock of ages.
This hard candy was shaped so that
it would resemble either a "J" for
Jesus or a shepherd's staff. He made
it white to represent the purity of
Christ. Finally a red stripe was
added to represent the blood Christ
shed for the sins of the world and
three thinner red stripes for the
stripes he received on our behalf
when the Roman soldiers whipped him.
Sometimes a green stripe is added as
reminder that Jesus is a gift from
God.
The flavor of the
cane is peppermint which is similar
to hyssop. Hyssop is in the mint
family and and used in the Old
Testament for purification and
sacrifice. Jesus, the pure lamb of
God, come to be a sacrifice for the
sins of the world.
So the next time you
see a candy cane, please hear the sermon it
preaches: Jesus Christ, the Good
Shepherd, is the sinless rock of
ages who suffered and died for our
sins.
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Sugar Cookies
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking
powder 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 2 cups sugar
2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla
extract -or- 2 teaspoons
fresh lemon juice & zest
of 2 lemons 1/4 cup fine sugar, for
decorating (optional)
In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
Set aside. Cream
butter and sugar until
fluffy. Beat in eggs and
vanilla or lemon.
Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly
combined. Wrap dough in
plastic or put in zip-lock
bags---flatten and chill for
about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325°. On a floured [mix flour and some powdered
sugar] surface, roll dough
to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into
desired shapes. Lift to
un-greased baking sheets;
refrigerate while rolling
rest of cookies; Remove from fridge and
decorate with sugar or leave
plain and bake just until
edges just start to brown,
about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool
on wire racks. Frost with
frosting, let set to
"harden" and store in an
airtight container up to 2
weeks.
Makes about 16 large or 32
small cookies
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Everybody's Favourite
Butter Cookies
2 Cups Butter 1 1/2 Cups Sugar 3 teaspoons
Vanilla 5 egg yolks
(save whites for
Lemon Meringue
Pie!!) 5 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Salt |
Cream the
butter and
sugar, add
yolks, one at a
time; add
vanilla.
Stir the four
and salt
together and add
to the butter
mixture.
Roll into "logs"
(can roll the
logs in chopped
walnuts, too)
and refrigerate
for a few hours,
slice and place
on baking sheet,
and bake for 10
minutes at 350°
Decorate the
cooled cookies
with frosting or
pipe decorative
frosting onto
each cookie or
pipe green
leaves in a
circle onto the
cookies and
place 3 red-hots
for berries to
make a wreath.
OR ---
Refrigerate for
an hour, roll
out on
flour/sugared
board and cut
with cookie
cutters and then
decorate with
frosting when
cooled.
OR ---
Roll into walnut
sized balls and
press into the
ball a half a
candied cherry,
or a walnut half
or pecan half
---OR--- mix 1/2
the dough with
red food
colouring paste
and form 6 inch
ropes of red
dough and 6"
ropes of plain
dough and set
them together,
side by side,
twist and form a
candy cane and
bake.
Repeat till all
the dough is
used up. |
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Christmas and homemaking helps at other Websites
Just some links I've come across along the
way
Future Christian Homemakers
You can order a
Handbook
filled with instructions for homemaking skills.
You can also read about starting a Future Christian Homemakers group in your home.
A "Christmastime
letter"
Dear Sisters,
I pray you are
all well! It’s
a blessing to be
able to write to
you once again.
I hope to one
day share with
you how the LORD
has worked,
enabling me to
be at peace to
begin writing to
you again each
week. Following
a difficult
trial, and for
several months I
have felt nearly
paralyzed to
write to you
seeing my
failings and
inadequacies.
But now, even
knowing these
conditions are
present and that
I have feet of
clay---I’m happy
to be able to
send you this
letter, the
peace the LORD’s
given is
humbling. I’ve
made some
changes to this
letter as I
originally
prepared this
message to read
to our daughter
in our Christmas
program. I
didn’t title the
message… so now,
I just want to
share with you
about what we
celebrate---the
birth of
Christ---what is
called Christmas
and how: “It
never was about
these things.”
When I
was a little
girl, we spent
Christmas (my
mother, my
brother and me)
with my
grandmother and
I remember
waking up on
Christmas
morning, and
looking through
the key-hole of
the door to the
living room of
my grandmother’s
cottage
house---all I
could see was a
lighted
Christmas tree
with some
presents
underneath.
We
moved on
Christmas---and
when we got to
the house that
would be our
home, the only
thing we saw was
a lighted
Christmas tree
in the window of
that empty
house. I don’t
know what my
mother must’ve
thought, but to
me it was the
most wonderful
sight. I didn’t
know Jesus then
and so Christmas
was just a time
of hoping Santa
Claus would
come. We didn’t
have a lot of
family, so it
really wasn’t a
time of seeing
all kinds of
relatives or
performing in
Christmas
pageants.
Later, after my
husband and I
were married,
I’d taken Daniel
and Michael
with me to
visit my mother
in
California---and
when we flew
back home on
Christmas Eve,
my husband met
us at the
airport and as
we drove back
home and into
the driveway of
our old farm
house, there in
the window was a
lighted
Christmas tree!
Early
on and through
the years,
Christmases were
often
difficult---not
like how the
pictures in the
ads seem to
portray
Christmas!
Often just
getting a
Christmas tree
was a sacrifice.
From my earliest
memories, the
Christmas tree
had become this
focal
point---this
marker of
success or
failure---happiness
or tears. At
Christmastime
through the
years, I would
often sit in our
quiet living
room holding a
baby, late at
night, the only
light in the
room was the
glow from
candles and the
lights on the
Christmas tree.
A baby I used to
hold at
Christmastime
now holds babies
of his own and
babies who
learned to walk
at Christmastime
now walk and run
so fast and I
don’t rock them
to sleep
anymore.
Though looking
forward to
Christmas---I
was often sad
and would face
the day with
dread. I always
hoped it would
be this
spectacular
event, with
fabulous,
cleverly wrapped
presents, and
with treats and
unique cookies
for everyone.
Though there’ve
always been
presents and
we’ve always
baked nice
things to eat,
it never was
quite all I’d
hoped it would
be. Over the
years there have
been so many
plays and
costumes and
performances to
preoccupy my
thoughts, but
each year,
before I knew
it: Christmas
would be past.
I’d never have
things done in
time and so I’d
have to rush,
staying up late
to bake and sew,
making mistakes
and feeling
alone. I often
felt
disappointed
that I couldn’t
just get it all
right---often
feeling so empty
in crowds,
hurrying to buy
the gifts and
knowing that I
couldn’t afford
them, trying to
decide between
food and baking
supplies or
purchasing
simple
gifts---rarely
completing the
long list of
things to do and
always
regretting my
annual lack of
planning and
foresight.
Each year I’d
look back on
Christmas day
and realize that
I’d missed it.
Another
Christmas was
over---and
because I was so
concerned about
what it was
supposed to be
and to making it
feel right for
everyone, I
would completely
miss living out
the message and
blessing that
God had given.
I knew Him! I
knew Him but I
didn’t know He
was enough at
“Christmas” and
I didn’t know He
was all I needed
at “Christmas.”
And then -------
the LORD in His
mercy brought a
change in my
life and in my
heart and
Christmas has
never been the
same again.
The clichés of
Christmas, in
time, became
trite to me
(Jesus is the
reason for the
season or Merry
Christmas)
because they
detract from the
Truth. No
longer could the
birth and life
of my LORD and
Saviour be
trivialized by
tinsel on trees
and reindeer or
ribbon and
wrappings or by
all I hoped we
could buy or
give---God
became flesh and
dwelt among us,
that we might
have life---that
we might be
freed from the
penalty of sin
and death.
The change that
came about---and
the change
that’s still
unfolding---the
change started
with the birth
of a baby---a
gift the LORD
brought our
family.
Though filled
with joy in my
heart I never
thought the baby
I was carrying
would actually
be born on that
day---many
months I waited
for the 25th
of
December---the
day set aside to
celebrate the
birth of
Christ---also
the due date
given my baby…
and then I was
awakened with
the reality that
that day had
come! Very
early in the
morning I sat
wondering what
Mary must’ve
felt as she
laboured in
preparation of
the birth of the
LORD Jesus.
In the evening
of that same day
as I held my
newborn baby, I
knew I was at a
turning point
and I wondered
again how she
felt the in
evening of the
day of the birth
of Jesus.
I was filled
with awe at the
mercy of the
LORD in the gift
of our baby on
Christmas Day.
From that day, I
knew it could
never again be
about trees and
ornaments,
decked halls or
sleigh bells
ringing---no---it
could *never
be*
about these
things again
because it *never
was*
about these
things…
It could never
again be about a
Christmas tree
and whatever
symbolic
attachment it’s
been given. It
never was about
a Christmas tree
laden with
lights and
gifts…
It was about a
baby, a baby
born in a stable
and lain in a
manger--- the
light of the
world---the key
to heaven. Ours
is to pass that
key along! It’s
ours to share
and celebrate:
the real gift.
No, it’s never
been about
making lists and
checking them
twice, it’s not
about whose been
naughty or
nice---for while
we were yet
sinners, [Christ
was born] Christ
died for us.
All were
naughty---none
were nice, for
all have sinned
and come short
of the glory of
God.
The birth of
Jesus was
turning
point---Christ
came to a world
bound by sin and
sorrow separated
from God to be
that key
unlocking the
darkness and
oppression.
On that day,
long ago in
Bethlehem, the
world was given
a gift… It was
in the form of a
baby, a baby
whose birth was
foretold by
prophets and
announced by
angels----after
the birth of
Jesus, the world
was
never---could
never be---the
same again.
And for me,
Christmas could
never be the
same again.
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Thank you, Lisa
and
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