A Poem

“Give me the Love that leads the way

The Faith that nothing can dismay

The Hope no disappointments tire

The Passion that’ll burn like fire

Let me not sink to be a clod

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God”

— Amy Carmichael

When A Picture Is Worth More Than a Thousand Words

When I'm old, I want to be like Grandma Moses.

She didn't give up. She didn't slow down. While lives around her were ending, hers was just beginning. She painted. And she didn't start until she was nearly 80 years old. 8-0 years old.

She remembered the seasons of life, lingering over the details. Yet, Grandma Moses loved simplicity. She loved farms, the holidays, people, and snow.

Maple Bush

She valued home, community and family.

Quilting Bee

She lived the truth that “It is never too late to become what you might have been.” (George Eliot)

There's a lot I don't know about Grandma Moses. But this I do know: being an image bearer of God, she reflected her Creator. And reflecting her Creator, she created. Beautiful masterpieces.

Grandma Moses is a picture of what it looks like to age well. She made this world a little more beautiful for 101 years. And her pictures are worth more than a thousand words and a thousand lessons for living life to the fullest. What a lady!

Beautiful World

The Truth of Joy

Christmas is over, but I'm still singing the carols of the season. I've got one particular song stuck in my head and heart for good. Oh, I've sung it a million times before, but something about this Christmas made it different.

You see, God is good all the time, I just don't always notice it. And the pessimist in me fails to open my eyes to the amazing wonders of all that He has done. Sadly, I notice what's missing. What's gone. What's lacking. What's wrong. Living like this sooner or later catches up with you, and this fall, it got the best of me.

I found myself lost and in a bit of a spiritual crisis. "Where is my joy?" I wondered. I can read about it and sing about it, but I realized that I wasn't preaching the truth of joy to my heart and certainly wasn't living it.

Until one Advent Sunday this past Christmas. Singing the old familiar carol {how many times have I sung it, really?!}, I heard the words for the first time.

"No more let sin and sorrow grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground,
He comes to make his blessing flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found."

Suddenly, an image flashed through my mind of ice-covered Narnia thawing out as majestic Aslan arrives to usher in the life and hope of springtime. How had I missed this? This is the blessing conquering the curse. This is the picture of redemption and restoration. Where there once was curse, now there is blessing. Where there once was brokenness, there is now healing. And where there once was darkness, there is now light. Aslan is on the move, and he is reversing the curse everywhere. In focusing on the deadness of the winter of my life, I had almost missed the glorious renewal of springtime blessing and joy! The truth of joy is that when we finally notice His infinite blessings all around us, He sprouts new seeds of joy in our hearts.

It's a picture of my Savior swallowing up sorrow and sin, and yes, all those nasty, prickly thorns of the brokenness of life this side of eternity, and making all things new now.

And once again I am captured by the wonders of His love and can finally sing again this New Year, "Joy to the World, the Lord has come!"

Remind me of this truth of joy each day, Jesus!

The Best Reason to Be Thankful

#213. He remains Faithful when I am faithless.

Happy New Year 2012

"And he who was seated on the throne said,
'Behold, I am making all things new.'
Also he said, “Write this down,
for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:5

I love the beginning of a new school year and the beginning of a new calendar year. Something about setting the "reset" button that gives me new hope and gladness.

And since it's been a bit of a crazy fall, I especially appreciate the chance to start again this New Year. To push the "reset" button of my life and get some priorities back on track.

So what am I looking forward to in 2012?

This year I want to...
laugh more....
build better relationships....
trust deeply....
dream new dreams....
and rest evermore in my changeless God who gives good gifts to His children.

What about you? What are you looking forward to God making new in 2012?

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

"The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the everwatchful providence of almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the most high God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United Stated States to be affixed."

PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S THANKSGIVING DAY PROCLAMATION

OCTOBER 3, 1863

Crazy About Cranberries

So, this is the time of year that I go a little crazy...about cranberries, that is!

I'm not sure when it happened, but one Thanksgiving I woke up and decided to try something new to jazz up my turkey, and I fell in love with cranberries. Oh, not the open-up-a-can-and-slide-out-the-cranberry-jelly-goo-or-whatever-that-is, but the fresh-bag-o-berries-and-super-simple-follow-a-recipe kind of cranberry love.

First I discovered the best cranberry-orange sauce ever. Here's a little love coming your way.
5 10 15

Cranberry-Orange Sauce

Zest and juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup sugar, plus more if desired
Pinch salt
One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries, rinsed
One cinnamon stick

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water with the orange zest, orange juice, sugar and salt over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cranberries and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick. Sweeten with more sugar, if desired. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving.

Top over turkey, and you've just kicked Thanksgiving dinner up a notch!

Then I discovered cranberry cake. It's about 5000 calories of awesomeness.


And paired with a cup of steaming hot tea, it's simply divine. It's so easy and yummy and bad for you. But since it's the holidays, I say, "Go for it!"

Cranberry Cake
3 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. butter, melted
2 T. almond extract (YES!)
3 c. flour
4 c. fresh cranberries (no substitutes)
1/2 c. pecans

Melt butter and cream with sugar and almond extract. Beat in eggs. Mix in flour, cranberries, and nuts. Pour into a greased 10 x 13 baking pan. Bake 1 hour at 350. Cut into 20-24 squares. Don't forget to freeze several bags of cranberries to make this year-round.

And now I'm also looking forward to testing out a Christmas cranberry recipe that was just passed onto me. I'll get back to you on that one when I try it.

For now, I'm just thankful for a Cranberry Thanksgiving!