Day 2: Decorations

I'm a day or two late, because despite the longer-than-normal time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, I'm just now starting to get the actual decorations put out and around the house.  We go a little Christmas-Crazy when it comes to decorations. 

I'm probably making up for my parents, who last put up a tree, in '02. 

It's hard to choose just one decoration...so here are a few of my favorites, but by no means, is it exhaustive.


I wish you could see how long this snowman's arms are!
They make me smile each and every time I walk
by them!  And...he's sparkly and handsome.  He's
like the Brad Pitt of snowpeople. And he's all mine!




This is the sheep-half of the "and the shepherds kept watch over
their sheep" duo.  As made and finished by my husband, Brett. 
We were living in the armpit of Texas at the time, purely
miserable, and frighteningly poor...and we'd given each other a
limit of $10 for Christmas gifts that year.  I think I
bought him a flashlight.  But he made me this nativity
set out of scrap wood that he'd found in the backyard when
we'd moved in...it sits at the fireplace and each year,
no matter where we're at in our relationship or how distressed
I am, I remember that moment and how grateful
I am that he's my husband.




I never knew my Grandfather - my Mother's dad - but
the story goes that when my Grandma and my Grandfather
bought their first television, he insisted on having this
duck-lamp to go on top of the t.v. (apparently, this was a
trend) or it was "no sale."  So each year, The Duck gets
dressed up with a bow and a Santa hat...
and even though I don't have
any idea who my Grandfather was or what his laugh sounded
like or how he smelled or what he was passionate about...
I feel a little connected to him - and my Grandma - each
time I see that duck (who now, lives next to our television).

































These sheep...how can you not smile, when you see these guys!
We've had them for years, and I guess I used to always figure
if we ever had a kid, we'd hide them around the house
"Elf on a Shelf" style...but now they just sit there and beckon
joy with their sweet smiles and lazy, swinging legs.  Much
like, I suppose, how I'd like to beckon the holidays.



Hope: An Advent Thought

Hope.

It's such an easy word to say.

"I hope Santa can find me!"
"I hope I get a car!" 
"I hope I get asked to the prom." 
"I hope I don't get caught." 
"I hope I can find a job." 
"I hope you'll love me even when it's not easy." 
"I hope she doesn't die before I get the chance to say goodbye."
"I hope we have macaroni and cheese."
"I hope we can pay for it."
"I hope you know how much I love you."
"I hope..."

I say it a dozen times a day. So much so, that maybe it loses its meaning? 

But during this season of Advent, that word...hope...takes on a different, special, nearly tangible meaning.  It's as if it might sprout wings any minute and show the world how to fly.  It bids us to take deep breaths and yearn for the unexpected.  It calls us to Emmanuel - God With Us - and in that calling, expects us to be the embodiment of the holy, for another.  It ceases our weeping and gives us pause in our pain, so that we might touch wonder, if only for a brief second.

Hope. 

It's a big task.  A hefty word.  A delicate scent.  An overwhelming gift.

I hope you sense it this day....

Day 1: Light

Doing This: Since I've Got Nothing Else To Do

So, Pinterest has beckoned and I've decided to do this...

Yeah.  Yeah.  It's a challenge from 2011, but I've never been super hip.  So let's call this "typical" and move on.

I think it might be fun and give me a little something to do.  Otherwise.  Just bored to tears over here.  Tears, I tell ya.

Excuse me while I go change my shirt.  It seems I have broken out into a cold Advent sweat....

A Warning: Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

I had a big day planned. You know the type where you feel important and busy and like you've got a handle on everything. 

I dressed in my finest "I own life" outfit, spent a little more time than usual on my hair and makeup, redid my neglected nail polish, gathered the days needs and headed out to my car....only to turn the ignition and hear the tell-tell click of a dead car. 

I no longer feel important or busy or like I've got a handle on ANYTHING.  Lesson learned universe.  Lesson freakin' learned.

And the thing that sort of burns my hide is....I was warned. I got my oil changed yesterday and the technician had to jump start my car in order to pull it out of the garage. 

"Oh that's a fluke," I say.  I own life.

"But this indicates to me that you need a new battery, ma'am." I'm too busy.

"My car won't do that again," I trust.  I'm important.

It sort of serves me right.

So, just know.  You've been warned.  Here's a nearly perfect, can't-tell-it's-gluten-free, Gluten Free Pumpkin and Walnut Bread.  Do with that information, what you will.

What you'll need:

2 Cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour; I use a special order mix called Carol's All Purpose Pastry Blend but you can always make your own and I really like this little tutorial if you're new to that sort of thing.
1/2 Cup almond meal or almond flour
1/4 Cup rice flour*
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon salt
4 Large eggs
2-2 1/2 Cups pumpkin puree; *a can of Libby's pumpkin puree is 2 cups and if you use Libby's (or any canned pumpkin) do not add the rice flour...if you make your own puree, you can get away with a little more pumpkin in your bread, but because it's inevitably a little more "wet," you'll want to add the rice flour.
3/4 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup canola oil
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1/2-3/4 Cup chopped walnuts; I always tend to go heavy on the nuts (ba-dum-ching).

What to do:
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and set aside. In your stand mixer, (or it you're old school, with the ol' beater hand mixer) whisk the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Add walnuts and fold in.

Fill two loaf pans coated with cooking spray, evenly. Sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar if you like a little crunch (I love the crunch, which you don't really get otherwise, with gluten free baking). Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. And enjoy.

Needing The Silence: Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Spiced Cake

Today is Monday...and for most people, that means returning to the grindstone, Facebook status updates that are summed up by a resounding "ugh," and larger than normal pots of coffee.  For me, it means silence. Sweet, blessed silence.

I'm an introvert.  I'm the kind of introvert that has risked a bladder infection (or two) rather than make my way to the bathroom, because I know a dozen or so church ladies are hanging out in the hallway. 

Small talk is the silent killer.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite jokes: How many introverts does it take to change a light bulb?  None.  Having the light on, just invites people to come into the room to visit. (Been there!)

But of course, in my line of work, I can turn the extrovert on when I need to.  And my Father and I did just that on Saturday when we participated in a local craft fair...he, selling his Sleeping Village Pottery creations... and I, selling my Just One Bite bits!

It was exciting...affirming...exhausting... and though neither of us will be paying off the house any time soon with what we made in sales...we DID make back the entrance fee.  So.  There's that.  (You know, aim for the stars, I always say.)

And as a thank you to those who came out (as if ANY of you might ever find this blog?!) and a better-late-than-never kick off to pumpkin season, here's Just One Bite's Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Spiced Cake, for one!

What you'll need:
2 Tablespoons almond flour (also known as almond meal)
1 Tablespoon rice flour (white or brown)
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon allspice
1 Teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 Teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
3 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons oil (coconut or veggie)
2 Teaspoons pumpkin puree (or sour cream)
dash of vanilla

What to do:
Ideally, you mix the dry stuff together first, then add the wet ingredients.  But I'm not expecting someone that is making a cake in the microwave, to care too much about ideals.  So just mix it all together.  Then pop it in the microwave for about a minute.  Microwaves vary, so I'd keep an eye on it...but other than that...just enjoy! 

And take a bit of silence when you can....

A Little Preachy: Bathsheba

On Sunday, I'll be supply preaching for this little church up North.

Normally, when I supply preach, I prepare a fairly innocuous sermon...you know, wherein I'll mention repeatedly, the words love, peace, and hope.  I'll speak to Jesus' command to serve and be served and at the end of the morning, I'll pray... pray that each might be surprised by God, emboldened by God , and filled by God that week.  I do this, mostly because (generally), I don't know the congregation -- I don't know their story or their joys or their sorrows or their fears...so I figure it never hurts to hear that God is present and that God loves you.  But I also do this, because it's an easy message to bring.  Let's face it...it's a rare day, when someone gets up and walks out, because you said, "no matter what, God loves you."

But, I thought maybe I'd mix it up a bit.  So, this Sunday, I'll be preaching from 2 Samuel 11:1-15.  I'll give you a moment to look it up.   


By Ernst Fuchs; I am struck deeply,
by David's tear as he kisses Bathsheba.

                                              





















I figure if you can't talk about lust, adultery, sex, manipulation, corruption, trickery, pregnancy, and murder from the pulpit....what CAN you talk about?  Amiright?  

Besides.  The "love of God" is getting boring.  

(Please, oh please, note the sarcasm.)