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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Moment for Sandy Hook
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
Psalm 139 (NASB)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Planting Seeds with the Greatest Treasure
The trials, tribulations, joys, and triumphs of the past several years have taught me one particular thing - to seek out Scripture about everything. Today, I want to share with you some events that have taken place over the past three months, but first, I want to share a verse I read this very day:
The authors who collaborated on The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt hope that you have enjoyed our stories. In Grace’s travels, she received the gift of friendship, the gift of knowledge, and the various presents her Grammie left for her along the way. However, the greatest treasure Grace received is a gift that is available to all of us: forgiveness.
You see, the real Christmas story is much more than a tale of a husband and wife traveling to Bethlehem to pay their taxes and so much more than a woman giving birth in a lowly manger. The Christmas story is the truth about God’s greatest gift to mankind: His Son.
John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
That Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in the manger was the most precious, most valuable present God could give—Himself—a sacrifice to the world for the sins that beset us, for the wrongs that we cannot right ourselves. Christ came, He died, and He rose again, victorious over sin and death—the perfect sacrifice for you and me. Why? Because we are unable to save ourselves.
A gift is only a gift if it comes without price to the receiver. But, oh, what a price our Lord and Savior paid when He came to this earth to save us all from our sins.
In The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt, Grace’s forgiveness of Lauren comes from a heart born of gratefulness. Sometimes, we forget what our Heavenly Father sacrificed for us so that we might know His forgiveness. We hold tight to the anger and bitterness when we are wronged or when we feel we are wronged. In understanding the deep nature of God’s forgiveness, we should also forgive others. In the forgiveness of others, we can truly find peace—just as Grace has done.
Christmas is a season in which we begin to think about new beginnings. How better to begin anew than to begin with forgiveness—that offered to you by God, through the gift of His Son.
As you study on this—the world’s greatest gift—it is our prayer that you will bow your head in meaningful prayer, and ask God for His forgiveness. Ask Him to fill Your heart with His presence and to reign as Lord in your life.
And if you have done so, we would love to pray for you and rejoice with you. Write to us at editor [at] writeintegrity [dot] com and share your story with us.
It is this story, this seed, that we planted into the hands of tens of thousands of people in just four short days. We prayed, and continue to pray, that this book will touch hearts and change lives, and that this seed will grow and flourish, and produce a great harvest, producing even more seeds of its own.
Won't you join us? The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt will remain on sale at 99 cents through the end of the year. Share it with others, help us spread the word. And pray. Pray for our authors and for their incredible talents to multiply and flourish and that they will each be used mightily to grow God's kingdom.
If you've already snagged a copy of the book and loved it, THANK YOU. We'd also be grateful for a review of the book on Amazon.
For Prime Members, the book is free to borrow.
Now for some fun and updates:
Jennifer Fromke announced the winner of a huge prize basket today on her blog. Drop over and check it out.
She also announced another giveaway that ends Friday. Here are the details.
Visit Magnificent Hope's Christmas Party and sign in as guest. That's your contest registration. We'd love for you to participate in the party - share your Christmas with us. We'll be hanging out there through the end of the month - it's a "come as you are" virtual party going on 24/7!
This prize basket includes:
Print copies of:
A Familiar Shore
Contagious Hope
Grandparenting Through Obstacles
Love Letters from the Heart
Towdah
Christmas Miracles
Bread Upon the Water
Avery’s Battlefield
Avery’s Crossroads
Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the the Therapy Dog
A set of beautiful greeting cards by Barbara Parentini
$25 to spend in the Magnificent Hope Store
Gift Certificates for the following books:
Prophecies Fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus (available now)
Parenting on Your Knees (coming January 2013)
Stalking Willow (spring 2013)
Destiny Defied (spring 2013)
Total value: $200.
Come join the fun!!!
"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 NIV
On September 28 of this year, Joan Campbell pitched an idea to me and to Write Integrity and Pix-N-Pens authors. Her idea was to write a progressive Christmas story together. Seven other authors jumped aboard: Jennifer Fromke, J.A. Marx, Fay Lamb, Sheryl Holmes, Ruth O'Neil, Deanna Klingel, and Debbie Roome and each agreed to write one chapter of what soon became The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt.
But, it needed something more, and I haven't earned the title of "idea queen" for nothing. We decided to hold a contest and invite writers and wannabe writers to submit a chapter for possible inclusion in the book. We asked anyone interested to contact us, and then we presented them with two things - a list of general basics about the story (written in 1st person, length required, briefly explained how the project would work, and provided a general character description of our main character, Grace.) We also provided them the original draft of what became Chapter One of the published story. That was it. Nothing more.
As the contestants got busy writing their chapters, so did the original authors. Julie Marx finished her chapter first, and that became the foundation upon which the other chapters were built. Story and characters were fleshed out a little more as each writer finished her chapter.
On November 15th, the contest ended for chapter submissions and all entries were submitted, anonymously, to the other authors for judging.
Marji Laine's chapter was chosen as the winner. One of the judges commented that her chapter seemed to fit with all the others "like a glove."
Then we went to work assembling the story. Joan and I exchanged several e-mails, putting the chapters in a good order, then we worked to blend the chapters together. Fay and Jennifer pitched in (big time!) with editing, and the resulting first nine chapters were sent to Jennifer, who had the difficult and daunting task of writing the final chapter and tying all the others together.
On December 3, we launched the story in serial format - half a chapter per day on blogs. Each author posted their own chapter, one section at a time, over the next 9 weekdays. On day 10, or December 14, we launched The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt in Kindle format. For four days, we offered it free.
For the first half of December, marketing took over our lives. Collectively, we sent out thousands of tweets on Twitter, bombarded folks with Facebook updates, wrote blogs posts for the WIP blog, for each others' blogs, offered guest blogs and interviews for others, and kept up the pace for their own blogs, entertained (and are still entertaining) at Magnificent Hope's Christmas party, sent out e-mails to family and friends, sent out postcards and newsletters - digital and print - and shared about the book in public at speaking engagements, book signings, and even church.
I've thanked them privately, but I want to publicly commend all of the authors involved in this project. They worked tirelessly to brainstorm, write, edit, and promote this book. It was truly a team effort and would not have been the HUGE success that it was without each and every contribution. This book was placed into the hands of tens of thousands of people in four short days. It went out all over the US, India, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil.
This book is a seed, and all of those involved in its creation and publication, are seed planters and water girls. Here's why. The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt was meant to share our authors with the world. Our authors have their own unique stories that can and will touch hearts and change lives and the world needs to know about them. The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt was one way to take our "talents" and multiply them, to grow the ministry potential of each author and to grow the efforts of our publishing mission.
But the book serves as another kind of seed as well, and I know the authors will agree that this seed is the most important.
At the end of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt, we shared "The Greatest Treasure" with readers. I'd like to share it here with you now, with the hope you'll catch our vision and our purpose, and continue to help us spread word about The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt.
The Greatest Treasure
You see, the real Christmas story is much more than a tale of a husband and wife traveling to Bethlehem to pay their taxes and so much more than a woman giving birth in a lowly manger. The Christmas story is the truth about God’s greatest gift to mankind: His Son.
John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
That Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in the manger was the most precious, most valuable present God could give—Himself—a sacrifice to the world for the sins that beset us, for the wrongs that we cannot right ourselves. Christ came, He died, and He rose again, victorious over sin and death—the perfect sacrifice for you and me. Why? Because we are unable to save ourselves.
A gift is only a gift if it comes without price to the receiver. But, oh, what a price our Lord and Savior paid when He came to this earth to save us all from our sins.
In The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt, Grace’s forgiveness of Lauren comes from a heart born of gratefulness. Sometimes, we forget what our Heavenly Father sacrificed for us so that we might know His forgiveness. We hold tight to the anger and bitterness when we are wronged or when we feel we are wronged. In understanding the deep nature of God’s forgiveness, we should also forgive others. In the forgiveness of others, we can truly find peace—just as Grace has done.
Christmas is a season in which we begin to think about new beginnings. How better to begin anew than to begin with forgiveness—that offered to you by God, through the gift of His Son.
As you study on this—the world’s greatest gift—it is our prayer that you will bow your head in meaningful prayer, and ask God for His forgiveness. Ask Him to fill Your heart with His presence and to reign as Lord in your life.
And if you have done so, we would love to pray for you and rejoice with you. Write to us at editor [at] writeintegrity [dot] com and share your story with us.
It is this story, this seed, that we planted into the hands of tens of thousands of people in just four short days. We prayed, and continue to pray, that this book will touch hearts and change lives, and that this seed will grow and flourish, and produce a great harvest, producing even more seeds of its own.
Won't you join us? The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt will remain on sale at 99 cents through the end of the year. Share it with others, help us spread the word. And pray. Pray for our authors and for their incredible talents to multiply and flourish and that they will each be used mightily to grow God's kingdom.
If you've already snagged a copy of the book and loved it, THANK YOU. We'd also be grateful for a review of the book on Amazon.
For Prime Members, the book is free to borrow.
Now for some fun and updates:
Jennifer Fromke announced the winner of a huge prize basket today on her blog. Drop over and check it out.
She also announced another giveaway that ends Friday. Here are the details.
Visit Magnificent Hope's Christmas Party and sign in as guest. That's your contest registration. We'd love for you to participate in the party - share your Christmas with us. We'll be hanging out there through the end of the month - it's a "come as you are" virtual party going on 24/7!
This prize basket includes:
Print copies of:
A Familiar Shore
Contagious Hope
Grandparenting Through Obstacles
Love Letters from the Heart
Towdah
Christmas Miracles
Bread Upon the Water
Avery’s Battlefield
Avery’s Crossroads
Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the the Therapy Dog
A set of beautiful greeting cards by Barbara Parentini
$25 to spend in the Magnificent Hope Store
Gift Certificates for the following books:
Prophecies Fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus (available now)
Parenting on Your Knees (coming January 2013)
Stalking Willow (spring 2013)
Destiny Defied (spring 2013)
Total value: $200.
Come join the fun!!!
Friday, December 14, 2012
The Art of Nuance and Nana's Carrot Cake
[UPDATE: The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt is now available on Kindle! Only 99 cents for a limited time!]
Yesterday, Joan Campbell posted Chapter Nine Part One of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt on her blog. Today, she posts Part Two.
Author Jennifer Fromke wrote the tenth and final chapter of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt. Here, she shares her favorite memory and recipe. Over on her blog, she gives us a special treat and a special announcement, so head over there as soon as you read her post here!
The Art of Nuance
by Jennifer Fromke
My Nana never learned the art of nuance. She said what she
thought, often without filters. Especially toward the end of her life. It’s one
of my favorite things about her.
A couple years before she died, I was blessed to see her
during the Christmas season. I opened the gift she brought for me and found an
old pair of candlesticks. I looked up at her and she shrugged, saying something
like this: “Well, I figured I have so much stuff I don’t need anymore, I might
as well start giving it all away.” I had to laugh. Those candlesticks are in
use in my house today.
The Christmas before she died, Nana’s Christmas gift blew me
away. It was another gift from her “stuff” but this time it yanked my heart -
hard. I opened the box and drew out an old velvet envelope - remember when
jewelers used those? I tipped it, and a string of huge freshwater pearls
slipped into my hand.
I knew these pearls well. Each pearl has its own shape, and
is about the size of a thumbnail. I loved it when Nana wore these pearls and I
had admired them for years. The best part is, I don’t think I ever told her how
much I loved them.
I’m not a crier. It takes an incredible book/movie/moment to
draw actual tears from my eyes. But holding those pearls in my hands turned me
into a puddle. I still tear up when I lift them from my jewelry tray and slip
them over my head.
I wear them periodically throughout the year, but somehow, I
love wearing them best at Christmas. Maybe it’s because growing up, Christmas
Eve was always spent at Nana’s house. Maybe it’s because she gave them to me
for Christmas. Maybe it’s because this particular Christmas gift meant so much
- from my Nana’s neck to mine, those pearls connect me to a sweet lady I love
and who I know sits in Heaven today, awaiting my arrival.
Oops! Just teared up again. Sheesh! I promise, I’m really not
a crier! J
In honor of Nana, I’m sharing her recipe for Carrot Cake.
Simply the best one ever. She used to serve it on Christmas Eve as a birthday
cake for Jesus. The youngest grandchild always blew out the candles for Jesus.
I was the oldest grandchild, so I don’t remember ever doing it. Still love this
cake.
2 c flour
1-1/4 c vegetable oil
3 c grated carrots (finely grated)
2 c sugar
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
Sift flour into a bowl and add oil, stirring slowly and
constantly (a mixer is best)
Add carrots and mix well.
Add the rest of the ingredients, mix, pour into 3 layer pans
– buttered and fitted with buttered waxed paper in the bottom.
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out
clean and cake pulls away from edge of pan.
Icing
1 8oz brick cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 box powdered sugar (3-1/2 cups)
½ c toasted pecans
Soften cream cheese and butter
Mix well and add sugar.
Stir and blend. Gradually add vanilla.
Spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or decorate
with pecan halves. (I leave the nuts off because that’s how I liked it as a
kid.)
Store in refrigerator (icing will melt at room temp)
I would also recommend making 1-1/2 times the icing – it’s
just barely enough and you have to be frugal with it. If you make extra, you’ll
have plenty, plus you can dip pretzels in the extra icing for a snack the next
day. J
About Jennifer:
Raised in Michigan, Jennifer Fromke served tours of life experience in Wheaton, Minneapolis, and St Louis. Ten years ago she landed in North Carolina.
When forced to separate from the laptop, she can be found with her nose in a book, one hand around a latte, and the other hand stirring something on the stove. Soul food for Jennifer includes laughing with her family and teaching Bible studies.
She is a lover of words, mother of three, and wife to one extraordinary man. In 2010, she won the ACFW Genesis Award for women’s fiction. That award-winning novel, A Familiar Shore, was published by Write Integrity in March 2012.
A Familiar Shore is part of our Give One Get One Free sale through tomorrow!
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel
Chapter Five by Marji Laine
Chapter Six by Sheryl Holmes
Chapter Seven by Fay Lamb
Chapter Eight by Debbie Roome
Chapter Nine by Joan Campbell
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel
Chapter Five by Marji Laine
Chapter Six by Sheryl Holmes
Chapter Seven by Fay Lamb
Chapter Eight by Debbie Roome
Chapter Nine by Joan Campbell
Come on over to Jennifer Fromke's blog for a special announcement, a contest, and more!
Jennifer is the Featured Guest today at Magnificent Hope's Christmas Party! Come on over and join the fun!
[UPDATE: The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt is now available on Kindle! Only 99 cents for a limited time!]
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Favorite Christmas Recipe: Stollen
[UPDATE: The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt is FREE on Kindle December 14-17 - Grab Your Copy Here!]
Yesterday, Debbie Roome posted Chapter Eight Part One of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt on her blog, today she posts Part Two.
Also today, Joan Campbell posts Chapter Nine Part One. Here, she shares one of her favorite Christmas recipes.
The German Christmas cake known as ‘stollen’ was—and continues to be—a firm favourite in my household at Christmas time. My Dutch mother always makes quite a few of them, some to keep and some to give away as gifts. I’m not a keen baker, and have in fact never made a stollen myself, although my teenage daughter helped my Mom a few times, and assures me that it’s a ‘piece of cake’.
To diminish the disgrace of posting a recipe that I’ve never made, I did a bit of research into the history of the stollen, and it was fascinating. The stollen was first created in the Saxon Royal court in the early 1400’s. At that stage it probably didn’t taste half as good as it does now because of the papal ban on eating butter during Advent. It took 40 years of petitioning a string of popes in order to finally have the ban lifted. In 1491 Pope Innocenz VIII issued a letter (known as the "butter-letter") where he stated that the Dresden bakers would be allowed to use the richer ingredients, on condition that they pay a ‘fine’ which would be used to build churches. One bite of stollen and you know the fine was totally worth it!
The rolled form of the stollen represents the shape of the swaddled baby Jesus, and the fruit and raisins represent the gifts that the Wise Men brought him. My mother claims that the dusting of icing sugar represents snow, but not even Wikipedia could confirm that.
Anyway, I hope I’ve enticed you enough to try your hand at making this historical and delicious Christmas cake.
Cake
180 gr Butter
250 gr Creamed cottage cheese
160 gr Sugar
2 Eggs (plus 1 extra for egg wash)
500 gr Flour
15 ml Baking Powder
10 ml Mixed Spice
Salt & few drops of Vanilla Essence
200 gr Cakemix (coat with thin layer of flour)
30 gr Sultana’s
Almonds (slivered)
Mixed peel
Cherries (+/-12)
Marzipan - mix together:
200 gr ground almonds
200 gr sugar
1 large egg
lemon peel
almond essence
Mix cake ingredients, then split into two equal parts.
Roll into thin sheets, apply egg wash, and grate Marzipan mix over the dough. Carefully roll each sheet into a loaf, then brush with egg. Bake on greased baking sheet for 45 minutes (180 deg Celcius)
Dust with icing sugar.
About Joan:
Joan Campbell is a South African mother of two teenage daughters. She spends a great deal of time lost in the world of the Fantasy Trilogy she is writing, but emerges every now and again to cook for her family. Several of her short stories have been published in various anthologies, including one in Life Lessons from Grandparents, published by Write Integrity Press. (This book is available in our Give One Get One Free Sale!)
Her first collection of stories, “The King’s Quiver” is available in digital format. Joan loves to travel, and her chapter in “The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt” was inspired by her recent trip to Kenya. She and her husband are involved in the worship team at their church. Read more about Joan and her upcoming books on her website.
“The King’s Quiver” has been described by renowned author Susan Mathis as “creative, authentic and unique.” It is currently available as a free download from Joan’s website.
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel
Chapter Five by Marji Laine
Chapter Six by Sheryl Holmes
Chapter Seven by Fay Lamb
Chapter Eight by Debbie Roome
Chapter Nine by Joan Campbell
Yesterday, Debbie Roome posted Chapter Eight Part One of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt on her blog, today she posts Part Two.
Also today, Joan Campbell posts Chapter Nine Part One. Here, she shares one of her favorite Christmas recipes.
Favourite Christmas Recipe: Stollen
By Joan Campbell
The German Christmas cake known as ‘stollen’ was—and continues to be—a firm favourite in my household at Christmas time. My Dutch mother always makes quite a few of them, some to keep and some to give away as gifts. I’m not a keen baker, and have in fact never made a stollen myself, although my teenage daughter helped my Mom a few times, and assures me that it’s a ‘piece of cake’.
To diminish the disgrace of posting a recipe that I’ve never made, I did a bit of research into the history of the stollen, and it was fascinating. The stollen was first created in the Saxon Royal court in the early 1400’s. At that stage it probably didn’t taste half as good as it does now because of the papal ban on eating butter during Advent. It took 40 years of petitioning a string of popes in order to finally have the ban lifted. In 1491 Pope Innocenz VIII issued a letter (known as the "butter-letter") where he stated that the Dresden bakers would be allowed to use the richer ingredients, on condition that they pay a ‘fine’ which would be used to build churches. One bite of stollen and you know the fine was totally worth it!The rolled form of the stollen represents the shape of the swaddled baby Jesus, and the fruit and raisins represent the gifts that the Wise Men brought him. My mother claims that the dusting of icing sugar represents snow, but not even Wikipedia could confirm that.
Anyway, I hope I’ve enticed you enough to try your hand at making this historical and delicious Christmas cake.
Stollen
(Makes 2 Stollen of about 800 grams each)
Cake
180 gr Butter
250 gr Creamed cottage cheese
160 gr Sugar
2 Eggs (plus 1 extra for egg wash)
500 gr Flour
15 ml Baking Powder
10 ml Mixed Spice
Salt & few drops of Vanilla Essence
200 gr Cakemix (coat with thin layer of flour)
30 gr Sultana’s
Almonds (slivered)
Mixed peel
Cherries (+/-12)
Marzipan - mix together:
200 gr ground almonds
200 gr sugar
1 large egg
lemon peel
almond essence
Mix cake ingredients, then split into two equal parts.
Roll into thin sheets, apply egg wash, and grate Marzipan mix over the dough. Carefully roll each sheet into a loaf, then brush with egg. Bake on greased baking sheet for 45 minutes (180 deg Celcius)
Dust with icing sugar.
About Joan:
“The King’s Quiver” has been described by renowned author Susan Mathis as “creative, authentic and unique.” It is currently available as a free download from Joan’s website.
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel
Chapter Five by Marji Laine
Chapter Six by Sheryl Holmes
Chapter Seven by Fay Lamb
Chapter Eight by Debbie Roome
Chapter Nine by Joan Campbell
Come join all the fun at Magnificent Hope's Christmas Party!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
An All-Together Christmas and Mom's Orange Pudding
[UPDATE: The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt is FREE on Kindle December 14-17 - Grab Your Copy Here!]
Yesterday, Fay Lamb posted Chapter Seven Part One of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt on her blog. Today, she posts Part Two.
Today, Debbie Roome posts Chapter Eight Part One on her blog. Here, she shares with us her favorite Christmas memory and one of her mom's recipes.
Christmas has always been a special time for me. It’s a day for family and friends, good food and lots of fun. My most memorable Christmas in recent years was in 2009. My parents and sister from South Africa were visiting us in New Zealand and during the build up to Christmas Day we took advantage of every Christmas event we could think of. Together we went to Christmas in the Park, the Santa Parade and the Grotto. We drove around looking at homes sparkling with Christmas lights and lingered at store windows with a life-size nativity story. The week before Christmas we went to a community party at our church and on Christmas Eve we sang carols with friends and family. On Christmas Day itself, we had a huge family lunch. My five children and daughter-in-law were with us and we had a wonderful day, celebrating, telling stories, pulling crackers and laughing at silly jokes. It was bittersweet in a way, not knowing if our lives would ever intersect like this at another Christmas … but we made the most of it.
My mother loves to cook and bake but somehow those skills escaped me and jumped to my younger daughter. This is Mom’s orange pudding recipe that is nice and light after a heavy Christmas lunch.
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
¾ cup orange juice
1 dessert spoon gelatin
½ cup milk
Beat egg yolks with sugar. Add orange juice and gelatin which should have been dissolved in ½ cup of boiling water. Add beaten egg whites and cold milk and refrigerate until set.
About Debbie:
Debbie Roome was born and raised in Africa and moved to New Zealand in 2006. Writing has been her passion since she was six years old, and she now works at it full time. Her first novel, Embracing Change, was released in 2010. Her latest novel, Contagious Hope, was released in October by Write Integrity Press. Recent nonfiction books include Cyber-Bullying is Never Alright: Dealing with the Pain of Cyber-Abuse and Magnitude 7.1 and 6.3. She also has stories in a number of anthologies and over 500 articles on various websites. In the last few years, Debbie has received a number of awards for her writing as well as placing in many competitions.
Contagious Hope is available in our Give One Get One Sale going on through Saturday!
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel
Chapter Five by Marji Laine
Chapter Six by Sheryl Holmes
Chapter Seven by Fay Lamb
Yesterday, Fay Lamb posted Chapter Seven Part One of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt on her blog. Today, she posts Part Two.
Today, Debbie Roome posts Chapter Eight Part One on her blog. Here, she shares with us her favorite Christmas memory and one of her mom's recipes.
An All-Together Christmas
by Debbie Roome
Mom’s Orange Pudding
My mother loves to cook and bake but somehow those skills escaped me and jumped to my younger daughter. This is Mom’s orange pudding recipe that is nice and light after a heavy Christmas lunch.
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
¾ cup orange juice
1 dessert spoon gelatin
½ cup milk
Beat egg yolks with sugar. Add orange juice and gelatin which should have been dissolved in ½ cup of boiling water. Add beaten egg whites and cold milk and refrigerate until set.
About Debbie:
Contagious Hope is available in our Give One Get One Sale going on through Saturday!
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel
Chapter Five by Marji Laine
Chapter Six by Sheryl Holmes
Chapter Seven by Fay Lamb
Debbie is the Featured Guest today at Magnificent Hope's Christmas Party! Come on over and join the fun!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Her Own Miracle on Ayshire Drive - Favorite Christmas Memory and Recipe
[UPDATE: The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt is FREE on Kindle December 14-17 - Grab Your Copy Here!]
Chapter Six of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt began yesterday on the Pix-N-Pens blog. Pop over there today to read Part Two.
Fay Lamb wrote Chapter Seven and you can read Part One of it on her blog today, and Part Two tomorrow.
Fay's favorite Christmas memory reminds me of a movie ...
Our first Christmas together, my husband, Marc, asked if the boys and I would like to take a drive and look at Christmas lights. My sons were excited as we traveled through Sherwood Park, a neighborhood known for its hospitable holiday spirit.
Most houses were lit up with decorations. Sidewalks were lined with luminaries, music played outside, and the residents waved and called, “Merry Christmas” to the long line of cars weaving through their streets to take it all in.
My husband reached for my hand and smiled back at the two little boys, six and four, that I’d brought into our relationship. “Wouldn’t it be nice to live here one day?”
Warmth still fills my heart as I think about his words. A once confirmed bachelor, Marc never gave much thought to where he would live, but things had changed. He had two sons who needed a good school, and where we lived then was not in the best of districts. We were running out of ploys to keep them in the school nearest to Sherwood Park.
A few months and a limited budget later, Marc and I found ourselves looking at house after house to purchase, but we couldn’t find the one we wanted. Finally, the real estate agent pulled up in front of a house on Ayshire Drive—in Sherwood Park. From the outside, the house was beautiful, but we were a little doubtful that we could afford it.
When our oldest son jumped out of the car, he noticed friends from school playing in the streets around us. His excitement grew, and I was afraid we would have to disappoint him.
Then I went through the house. It was open and spacious. The bathrooms were larger than any I’d seen in a house that size. The boys could share a room or each have their own, although, I knew what that decision would be. I fell in love with the place.
The house was a little pricier than we’d expected, but the real estate agent had some good news for us. The mortgage had a rare, “assumable without qualifying” tag on it, which meant as long as we stayed within our personal budget, we didn’t have to qualify for a larger loan.
While the boys chattered about the new house in the neighborhood where their friends lived, Marc, in his quiet unassuming way, studied our options. He was getting ready to head out of town, and we hadn’t made a decision—or so I thought.
The day he had to leave, I was late getting home and picking up the boys from daycare. We rushed to our apartment, and I was disappointed. Marc’s car was gone. He’d already left for the airport. Deflated, I gathered our belongings and ushered the kids toward the apartment where I found a note taped to the door.
“Your new home is located on Ayshire Drive. I love you, Marc.” He’d signed the contract to purchase the house as a surprise for us.
I cried as I read this love note to me. You see, it wasn’t about the house. Any home would have done for me. In those few little words, my husband showed not only the depth of his love for his wife, he also showed me how much he loved the sons I brought into the marriage.
We lived on Ayshire Drive for seventeen years, making precious family memories there. And each Christmas our family would decorate our home to the hilt, place the luminaries along the drive, and we’d stand outside waving to all the visitors driving through our neighborhood, and I still never cease counting the many blessings that came when God brought Marc Lamb into my life.
[ED. NOTE: I've only known Fay a short time, but she recently revealed her skills as a cook on Mary Anslee Urban's blog. After reading that, I was a little worried about asking her for some recipes ...]
I am not an overly ambitious cook. The joke around our house is that I cook only to remind my husband why we eat out so much. Therefore, the recipe I’m about to share comes with a disclaimer and an escape hatch for the not so adventurous. First, let’s get rid of the disclaimer: In no way should the aspiration it took to throw this wondrously delicious masterpiece together be construed as a Fay Lamb original. I most likely found it in one of those magazines that share lots of recipes for those more inclined to spend more than five minutes in the kitchen per day.
Okay, over-zealous holiday cooks, are you ready? Here’s the recipe for Cookie Dough Brownies—a three layer treat of scrumptious dimensions:
You will need:
For the brownies:
2 cups sugar
½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup baking cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Now the fun begins:
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, and salt. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for three minutes. Pour into a greased 13”x9”x2” baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes or until brownies test done. (I’ve yet to learn how to give a brownie a test, so good luck on that one). *Cool completely! And there is a reason I use an exclamation point and an asterisk. Warm brownies do not help the glaze set, and when the glaze does not set, and you are carrying your dish to the Christmas party, and you end up wearing chocolate on your pants, it presents some wonderfully funny Christmas memories—for others. Trust me on this one.
Okay, let’s start with that second layer. For the filling, cream the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. Add milk and vanilla. Mix well. Beat in flour. Spread over cooled brownies, chill until firm. *See the asterisk above. Same memories apply.
And finally, that all important chocolaty-glaze goodness: melt chocolate chips and shortening in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Spread over filling. Chill until the chocolate is firm. *Again re-read that asterisk.
This will yield you three dozen Cookie Dough Brownies.
And I did promise an escape hatch for those of you who’ve broken into hives thinking about the measuring, mixing, and mayhem that is bound to happen in your kitchen if you are anything like me. The genius of this recipe belongs solely to my friend Wanda Colebaugh who had me in a fit of laughter one evening as everyone raved about the delicious concoction, and I looked at her and said, “Isn’t this…”
Two boxes of ice cream sandwiches (well frozen)
One bowl of Cool Whip
And, “Didn’t you just …”
Place the ice cream sandwiches side by side, cutting a couple to fit the pan
Layer with Cool Whip
Then stack a second set of ice cream sandwiches side by side over the Cool Whip
And chill
As she waved my laughter away, attempting to keep a straight face, and nodded to our pastor who’d come into the kitchen to compliment the dessert, she was also providing me her answer.
Chapter Six of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt began yesterday on the Pix-N-Pens blog. Pop over there today to read Part Two.
Fay Lamb wrote Chapter Seven and you can read Part One of it on her blog today, and Part Two tomorrow.
Fay's favorite Christmas memory reminds me of a movie ...
Fay’s Christmas Memory
Our first Christmas together, my husband, Marc, asked if the boys and I would like to take a drive and look at Christmas lights. My sons were excited as we traveled through Sherwood Park, a neighborhood known for its hospitable holiday spirit.
Most houses were lit up with decorations. Sidewalks were lined with luminaries, music played outside, and the residents waved and called, “Merry Christmas” to the long line of cars weaving through their streets to take it all in.
My husband reached for my hand and smiled back at the two little boys, six and four, that I’d brought into our relationship. “Wouldn’t it be nice to live here one day?”
Warmth still fills my heart as I think about his words. A once confirmed bachelor, Marc never gave much thought to where he would live, but things had changed. He had two sons who needed a good school, and where we lived then was not in the best of districts. We were running out of ploys to keep them in the school nearest to Sherwood Park.
A few months and a limited budget later, Marc and I found ourselves looking at house after house to purchase, but we couldn’t find the one we wanted. Finally, the real estate agent pulled up in front of a house on Ayshire Drive—in Sherwood Park. From the outside, the house was beautiful, but we were a little doubtful that we could afford it.
When our oldest son jumped out of the car, he noticed friends from school playing in the streets around us. His excitement grew, and I was afraid we would have to disappoint him.
Then I went through the house. It was open and spacious. The bathrooms were larger than any I’d seen in a house that size. The boys could share a room or each have their own, although, I knew what that decision would be. I fell in love with the place.
The house was a little pricier than we’d expected, but the real estate agent had some good news for us. The mortgage had a rare, “assumable without qualifying” tag on it, which meant as long as we stayed within our personal budget, we didn’t have to qualify for a larger loan.
While the boys chattered about the new house in the neighborhood where their friends lived, Marc, in his quiet unassuming way, studied our options. He was getting ready to head out of town, and we hadn’t made a decision—or so I thought.
The day he had to leave, I was late getting home and picking up the boys from daycare. We rushed to our apartment, and I was disappointed. Marc’s car was gone. He’d already left for the airport. Deflated, I gathered our belongings and ushered the kids toward the apartment where I found a note taped to the door.
“Your new home is located on Ayshire Drive. I love you, Marc.” He’d signed the contract to purchase the house as a surprise for us.
I cried as I read this love note to me. You see, it wasn’t about the house. Any home would have done for me. In those few little words, my husband showed not only the depth of his love for his wife, he also showed me how much he loved the sons I brought into the marriage.
We lived on Ayshire Drive for seventeen years, making precious family memories there. And each Christmas our family would decorate our home to the hilt, place the luminaries along the drive, and we’d stand outside waving to all the visitors driving through our neighborhood, and I still never cease counting the many blessings that came when God brought Marc Lamb into my life.
[ED. NOTE: I've only known Fay a short time, but she recently revealed her skills as a cook on Mary Anslee Urban's blog. After reading that, I was a little worried about asking her for some recipes ...]
Fay’s Holiday Recipe(s)
I am not an overly ambitious cook. The joke around our house is that I cook only to remind my husband why we eat out so much. Therefore, the recipe I’m about to share comes with a disclaimer and an escape hatch for the not so adventurous. First, let’s get rid of the disclaimer: In no way should the aspiration it took to throw this wondrously delicious masterpiece together be construed as a Fay Lamb original. I most likely found it in one of those magazines that share lots of recipes for those more inclined to spend more than five minutes in the kitchen per day.
Okay, over-zealous holiday cooks, are you ready? Here’s the recipe for Cookie Dough Brownies—a three layer treat of scrumptious dimensions:
You will need:
For the brownies:
2 cups sugar
½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup baking cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
For the filling:
½ butter-softened
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
For the glaze:
1 cup (6 oz) chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, and salt. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for three minutes. Pour into a greased 13”x9”x2” baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes or until brownies test done. (I’ve yet to learn how to give a brownie a test, so good luck on that one). *Cool completely! And there is a reason I use an exclamation point and an asterisk. Warm brownies do not help the glaze set, and when the glaze does not set, and you are carrying your dish to the Christmas party, and you end up wearing chocolate on your pants, it presents some wonderfully funny Christmas memories—for others. Trust me on this one.
Okay, let’s start with that second layer. For the filling, cream the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. Add milk and vanilla. Mix well. Beat in flour. Spread over cooled brownies, chill until firm. *See the asterisk above. Same memories apply.
And finally, that all important chocolaty-glaze goodness: melt chocolate chips and shortening in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Spread over filling. Chill until the chocolate is firm. *Again re-read that asterisk.
This will yield you three dozen Cookie Dough Brownies.
And I did promise an escape hatch for those of you who’ve broken into hives thinking about the measuring, mixing, and mayhem that is bound to happen in your kitchen if you are anything like me. The genius of this recipe belongs solely to my friend Wanda Colebaugh who had me in a fit of laughter one evening as everyone raved about the delicious concoction, and I looked at her and said, “Isn’t this…”
Two boxes of ice cream sandwiches (well frozen)
One bowl of Cool Whip
And, “Didn’t you just …”
Place the ice cream sandwiches side by side, cutting a couple to fit the pan
Layer with Cool Whip
Then stack a second set of ice cream sandwiches side by side over the Cool Whip
And chill
As she waved my laughter away, attempting to keep a straight face, and nodded to our pastor who’d come into the kitchen to compliment the dessert, she was also providing me her answer.
About Fay:
Fay Lamb offers services as a freelance editor, and is an author of Christian romance and romantic suspense. Her emotionally charged stories remind the reader that God is always in the details. Because of Me, her debut romantic suspense novel is available at all book retailers. Her second release, Stalking Willow, is currently available for pre-order through Write Integrity Press and will be released in May 2013.
Fay has served as secretary for American Christian Fiction Writer’s operating board and as a moderator for ACFW’s critique group, Scribes. For her volunteer efforts for ACFW, she received the Service Members Award in 2010.
Fay and her husband, Marc, reside in Titusville, Florida, where multi-generations of their families have lived. The legacy continues with their two married sons and five grandchildren.
Fay has served as secretary for American Christian Fiction Writer’s operating board and as a moderator for ACFW’s critique group, Scribes. For her volunteer efforts for ACFW, she received the Service Members Award in 2010.
Fay and her husband, Marc, reside in Titusville, Florida, where multi-generations of their families have lived. The legacy continues with their two married sons and five grandchildren.
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Fay is the Featured Guest at Magnificent Hope's Christmas Party today,
so drop by and say hello!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Lists, a Chain, and Gifts
[UPDATE: The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt is FREE on Kindle December 14-17 - Grab Your Copy Here!]
On Friday, Marji Laine posted Chapter Five Part One of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt. Today, she posts Part Two.
Chapter Six begins today on the Pix-N-Pens blog. Author Sheryl Holmes wrote Chapter Six and today, she shares with us her favorite Christmas memories, and a recipe that I'm definitely going to make - probably BEFORE Christmas!
Lists. Secret lists. Not Santa’s, but mine. That’s how it all started.
Giving and being the giver. Now that is the Christmas Tradition I will call my favorite.
This tradition was always tagged on the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. I would grab a notebook and a pen and retreat to a quiet corner of the house and begin by listing all the names of my family members and friends with whom I so desired to surprise with a gift. My mind would swirl with ideas of crafty things to make. Ever so carefully I would browse through the catalogs and choose just the right item for this one or that one. Lists of materials & resources needed were made. Lists of days of days were outlined to make time for the crafts & creations. My secret list would be stashed somewhere in my room to ensure there would be no other eyes upon it. This is how I began the tradition of lists and giving, when I was a pre-teen.
Many years have passed, yet I still seek out a clean sheet in a notebook, retreat to a corner of the couch, scrawl the names, and brainstorm gift ideas the weekend following Thanksgiving. The process delights me! One solid tradition that resulted from my long standing ritual of list making is my “Christmas Chain.” Colored construction paper cut into 1” strips were laid out and prepared. When my first children were about 4 years old, I began this 25 linked chain tradition to help them count down to the long awaited Christmas Day. Inside each link I would write special activities to do in preparation of the holiday upon us; Scavenger hunts, ornament making, cookie baking, card creating….doing secret good deeds, crafting gifts for shut-ins, praying for loved ones, making a meal for the neighbor….and always scripture readings to focus on the familiar Christmas story in a fresh way. Each day, beginning Dec. 1st, a new chain link was taken down and read and my children and I would engage in the love of preparing our hearts and minds for the celebration coming on the 25th. I was giving each of my nine children time to revel – time to ponder – and I think I gave them the gift of considering. Considering Jesus and the gift of love He is to us, from God.
Giving. It is my heart’s desire and joy. I love to plan the activities for the chain and the gifts for Christmas morning. I love to watch the anticipation and the excitement of the receiver. It makes me smile and giggle til my cheeks ache.
Currently, my youngest is nine and my oldest is twenty three and this year we decided to consolidate the actual paper chain into tiny slips of paper placed inside our advent wall/box display. This morning, my twelve year old lifted my two year old grandson up to open the box and take out the “chain activity” – the Tradition is jumping into the next generation – wheee! My heart was so tickled. I love to give! I love being a giver!
I suppose it is the natural course of my born-again status. As I am being molded to become more like Christ, I should inevitably love to do as He did. Jesus, the ultimate giver, gave up His own life for each one of us. In love, Christ humbly came to earth as a baby and we celebrate this birth every December 25th. Yet, I believe the true joy in our celebrations is in the knowing that His birth was just the beginning of the gift. In His death, I imagine Jesus must have felt the most exquisite joy as a giver, as He made the Way for us to receive the inheritance of eternal life with Him. Oh, if I can imagine it ... what achy cheeks He must have!
Yes. Giving. It’s decidedly my favorite Christmas Tradition.
This is the casserole my mom prepared for every Christmas morning since I could remember. The delight was that it could be put together & refrigerated up to two days prior to Christmas Day and so only requires the energy to pop it into the oven an hour before eating time! Ever since I was married and on my own, I have prepared this same soufflé casserole for my family, accompanied by cinnamon buns which also can be made ahead of time. Let’s face it, who wants to be cooking on Christmas morning?
8 slices of bread – I use the white air bread – buttered then cut into cubes
½ lb. of grated cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp of paprika
2 TBS of prepared mustard
2 ½ c. of milk
½ tsp of salt (pepper if you like or season salt also works)
Layer the bottom of an 8 cup baking dish with 1/3 of the buttered bread cubes. Top with cheese. Repeat the layering 2 more times. Pour the egg mixture over the layers. Chill 1 – 2 days. Bake uncovered in an oven 350 degrees till puffed and golden – about 1 hour.
About Sheryl:
Sheryl Holmes, a daughter of the King, enjoys a loving marriage with her husband of twenty-six years. She is a devoted mother of nine, currently home educating five of her children. Sheryl serves as an active member of Dwight Chapel’s Christ Community Church, in Belchertown, Massachusetts.
Sheryl is the author of:
Towdah: A Cancer Survivor’s Song of Hope which is available in our Give One Get One Free Sale!
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel
Chapter Five by Marji Laine
Chapter Six by Sheryl Holmes
On Friday, Marji Laine posted Chapter Five Part One of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt. Today, she posts Part Two.
Chapter Six begins today on the Pix-N-Pens blog. Author Sheryl Holmes wrote Chapter Six and today, she shares with us her favorite Christmas memories, and a recipe that I'm definitely going to make - probably BEFORE Christmas!
Lists, a Chain, and Gifts
By Sheryl Holmes
Giving and being the giver. Now that is the Christmas Tradition I will call my favorite.
This tradition was always tagged on the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. I would grab a notebook and a pen and retreat to a quiet corner of the house and begin by listing all the names of my family members and friends with whom I so desired to surprise with a gift. My mind would swirl with ideas of crafty things to make. Ever so carefully I would browse through the catalogs and choose just the right item for this one or that one. Lists of materials & resources needed were made. Lists of days of days were outlined to make time for the crafts & creations. My secret list would be stashed somewhere in my room to ensure there would be no other eyes upon it. This is how I began the tradition of lists and giving, when I was a pre-teen.
Many years have passed, yet I still seek out a clean sheet in a notebook, retreat to a corner of the couch, scrawl the names, and brainstorm gift ideas the weekend following Thanksgiving. The process delights me! One solid tradition that resulted from my long standing ritual of list making is my “Christmas Chain.” Colored construction paper cut into 1” strips were laid out and prepared. When my first children were about 4 years old, I began this 25 linked chain tradition to help them count down to the long awaited Christmas Day. Inside each link I would write special activities to do in preparation of the holiday upon us; Scavenger hunts, ornament making, cookie baking, card creating….doing secret good deeds, crafting gifts for shut-ins, praying for loved ones, making a meal for the neighbor….and always scripture readings to focus on the familiar Christmas story in a fresh way. Each day, beginning Dec. 1st, a new chain link was taken down and read and my children and I would engage in the love of preparing our hearts and minds for the celebration coming on the 25th. I was giving each of my nine children time to revel – time to ponder – and I think I gave them the gift of considering. Considering Jesus and the gift of love He is to us, from God.
Giving. It is my heart’s desire and joy. I love to plan the activities for the chain and the gifts for Christmas morning. I love to watch the anticipation and the excitement of the receiver. It makes me smile and giggle til my cheeks ache.
Currently, my youngest is nine and my oldest is twenty three and this year we decided to consolidate the actual paper chain into tiny slips of paper placed inside our advent wall/box display. This morning, my twelve year old lifted my two year old grandson up to open the box and take out the “chain activity” – the Tradition is jumping into the next generation – wheee! My heart was so tickled. I love to give! I love being a giver!
I suppose it is the natural course of my born-again status. As I am being molded to become more like Christ, I should inevitably love to do as He did. Jesus, the ultimate giver, gave up His own life for each one of us. In love, Christ humbly came to earth as a baby and we celebrate this birth every December 25th. Yet, I believe the true joy in our celebrations is in the knowing that His birth was just the beginning of the gift. In His death, I imagine Jesus must have felt the most exquisite joy as a giver, as He made the Way for us to receive the inheritance of eternal life with Him. Oh, if I can imagine it ... what achy cheeks He must have!
Yes. Giving. It’s decidedly my favorite Christmas Tradition.
Mom’s Christmas Morning Egg Souffle
by Sheryl Holmes
This is the casserole my mom prepared for every Christmas morning since I could remember. The delight was that it could be put together & refrigerated up to two days prior to Christmas Day and so only requires the energy to pop it into the oven an hour before eating time! Ever since I was married and on my own, I have prepared this same soufflé casserole for my family, accompanied by cinnamon buns which also can be made ahead of time. Let’s face it, who wants to be cooking on Christmas morning?
½ lb. of grated cheddar cheese
*********
4 eggs – beaten with all the stuff that follows:1/8 tsp of paprika
2 TBS of prepared mustard
2 ½ c. of milk
½ tsp of salt (pepper if you like or season salt also works)
Layer the bottom of an 8 cup baking dish with 1/3 of the buttered bread cubes. Top with cheese. Repeat the layering 2 more times. Pour the egg mixture over the layers. Chill 1 – 2 days. Bake uncovered in an oven 350 degrees till puffed and golden – about 1 hour.
About Sheryl:
Sheryl is the author of:
Towdah: A Cancer Survivor’s Song of Hope which is available in our Give One Get One Free Sale!
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel
Chapter Five by Marji Laine
Chapter Six by Sheryl Holmes
Sheryl is the Featured Guest today at Magnificent Hope's Christmas Party! Come on over and join the fun!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt Halftime Recap
[UPDATE: The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt is FREE on Kindle December 14-17 - Grab Your Copy Here!]
Wow, it's been a busy week for everyone involved in The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt! Are you enjoying the story so far?
Someone asked for a list of all portions of the story, and I decided today would be a good time for a recap of everything posted so far.
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell - Part One, Part Two
Grace takes delivery of the package and must decide whether to embark on this journey of a lifetime.
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil - Part One, Part Two
Decision made, Grace opens the first envelope, which points her home.
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx - Part One, Part Two
Envelope #2 lands her in Colorado where she must confront some family secrets.
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel - Part One, Part Two
Envelope #3 finds Grace in North Carolina, and she discovers she cannot continue to ignore the past.
Chapter Five by Marji Laine - Part One, Part Two.
Envelope #5 sends Grace to Honduras, where she gets a glimpse of Grammie's past - and perhaps her own future.
The authors from these chapters also shared with us their favorite Christmas memories and recipes.
Joan Campbell wrote about Intruders and Wash Baskets. (Her recipe appears next week!)
Ruth O'Neil shared with us her Favorite Christmas Gift (loved the photos!) and her family's tradition of German Coffee Braid.
J.A. Marx cautioned us to Never Underestimate an Elf and shared a delightful recipe for Martha Washington Candy.
Deanna Klingel recalled Christmas at Grandma's House and provided us with a recipe for Gingerbread, and a few instructions and photos for assembling gingerbread houses.
Marji Laine wrote about her Traveling Christmas and shared with us a recipe for her Dynamite Stuffing.
On Monday, we'll pick up with Part Two of Marji's Chapter Five, and dig into Sheryl's Holmes delightful Chapter Six. During the week, we'll also read chapters by Fay Lamb, Debbie Roome, Joan Campbell, and then on Friday, Jennifer Fromke has a special treat for us - and a fun announcement!
While we're taking a breather over the weekend, be sure to pop in over at the Magnificent Hope Christmas Party! Everyone who participates receives an entry to win one of two gift baskets we'll be giving away next week!
Wow, it's been a busy week for everyone involved in The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt! Are you enjoying the story so far?
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell - Part One, Part Two
Grace takes delivery of the package and must decide whether to embark on this journey of a lifetime.
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil - Part One, Part Two
Decision made, Grace opens the first envelope, which points her home.
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx - Part One, Part Two
Envelope #2 lands her in Colorado where she must confront some family secrets.
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel - Part One, Part Two
Envelope #3 finds Grace in North Carolina, and she discovers she cannot continue to ignore the past.
Chapter Five by Marji Laine - Part One, Part Two.
Envelope #5 sends Grace to Honduras, where she gets a glimpse of Grammie's past - and perhaps her own future.
The authors from these chapters also shared with us their favorite Christmas memories and recipes.
Joan Campbell wrote about Intruders and Wash Baskets. (Her recipe appears next week!)
Ruth O'Neil shared with us her Favorite Christmas Gift (loved the photos!) and her family's tradition of German Coffee Braid.
J.A. Marx cautioned us to Never Underestimate an Elf and shared a delightful recipe for Martha Washington Candy.
Deanna Klingel recalled Christmas at Grandma's House and provided us with a recipe for Gingerbread, and a few instructions and photos for assembling gingerbread houses.
Marji Laine wrote about her Traveling Christmas and shared with us a recipe for her Dynamite Stuffing.
On Monday, we'll pick up with Part Two of Marji's Chapter Five, and dig into Sheryl's Holmes delightful Chapter Six. During the week, we'll also read chapters by Fay Lamb, Debbie Roome, Joan Campbell, and then on Friday, Jennifer Fromke has a special treat for us - and a fun announcement!
While we're taking a breather over the weekend, be sure to pop in over at the Magnificent Hope Christmas Party! Everyone who participates receives an entry to win one of two gift baskets we'll be giving away next week!
Friday, December 7, 2012
Traveling Christmas and Dynamite Stuffing - My Favorite Christmas Memory and Recipe
[UPDATE: The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt is FREE on Kindle December 14-17 - Grab Your Copy Here!]
Yesterday, we posted the first part of Chapter 4 of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt on the Pix-N-Pens blog. Today, we've posted Part Two.
Chapter Five was written by the winner of our Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt chapter contest, Marji Laine. She has posted part one of her chapter over on her blog, and she'll post part two tomorrow. Here's her favorite Christmas Memory and Recipe.
Christmas is one of my favorite seasons. It’s so hard to choose just one memory. The best part of the holiday is spending time with my family. Laughter, singing, delicious food, and thought-filled gifts make this holiday so special. But a few years stand out in memory. One was the year before I married my sweet hubby – yes, taxing the gray cells to remember that far back. I went with his family to Kansas and we traveled back down to Dallas on Christmas day, reaching my mom’s house late that evening. That year, my mom had outdone herself with gift buying, requiring us to create an assembly line, singing the whole time moving the presents from under the tree into the family room where we had enough room to open them. After a couple of hours unwrapping packages, we snatched some sleep and rose pre-dawn to drive to Red River, New Mexico for a few days of skiing, ten of us in all. The best part about the holiday wasn’t the gift-opening, though that was fun. The best part was spending a solid week together; singing, laughing, skiing, snow-mobiling, and just enjoying each other’s company.
I'm taxing my brain for a good recipe to share. We do have yearly dishes: Apple Crumb Pie, Pumpkin Bread, Green Bean Casserole, and Deviled Eggs. Most of them are short-cut dishes - I'm so not a cook! But I have been taught to make a dynamite stuffing that I love.
Ingredients:
1 loaf of stale bread
2 cups of celery - chopped
2 cup onion - chopped
1 stick of butter
1 egg
1 tsp each of salt, sage, pepper
2 tsp of parsley - chopped
Step 1: (We usually do this step in front of a movie!) Pull the bread into half-inch to inch-sized squares. I've since been taught that this is called cubing, but it was always pulling to me.
Step 2: Melt butter in the microwave with celery and onion on high for 3 minutes (cover while cooking). Stir and repeat until celery is tender.
Step 3: Blend seasonings into the celery/onion mixture and add the egg, beating it all together. Fold in the bread, stirring it well so that the mixture is fully absorbed and the vegetables are evenly spread through the bread. It will be rather dry. No worries. The juices from the bird are what make this work.
Step 4: Stuff it inside your turkey cavity and cook as directed. If you want to bake this as a casserole, press the bread mixture into a dish, then pour a full cup of chicken stock over the top of it to let it soak in and saturate. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350° for an hour.
Mmmm! I love it with turkey gravy, but it's moist enough to eat without. I'm not sure how many it officially serves, but we have 10-12 at our place and all of us eat on it - rarely leftovers.
About Marji:
Marji is a home-schooling mom of four with the oldest at UT Dallas. When she can't indulge in her passion for story-telling, she's transporting teenage volleyball players, teaching writing classes at a local co-op, and directing the children’s music program at her church. She loves acting in musical comedy, has directed many stage productions, leads a worship team, sings in her church choir, coordinates high school classes for a large home-school group, scrap-books, crochets, and designs Love Story books for newlyweds. She invites readers to unravel their inspiration, seeking a deeper knowledge of the Lord’s Great Mystery that invites us all. You can find her hanging around her website, Facebook page, or you can follow @MarjiLaine on Twitter.
Find her on the web:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell - Part One, Part Two
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil - Part One, Part Two
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx - Part One, Part Two
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel - Part One, Part Two
Chapter Five by Marji Laine - Part One, Part Two
Yesterday, we posted the first part of Chapter 4 of The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt on the Pix-N-Pens blog. Today, we've posted Part Two.
Chapter Five was written by the winner of our Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt chapter contest, Marji Laine. She has posted part one of her chapter over on her blog, and she'll post part two tomorrow. Here's her favorite Christmas Memory and Recipe.
Traveling Christmas
by Marji Laine
Christmas is one of my favorite seasons. It’s so hard to choose just one memory. The best part of the holiday is spending time with my family. Laughter, singing, delicious food, and thought-filled gifts make this holiday so special. But a few years stand out in memory. One was the year before I married my sweet hubby – yes, taxing the gray cells to remember that far back. I went with his family to Kansas and we traveled back down to Dallas on Christmas day, reaching my mom’s house late that evening. That year, my mom had outdone herself with gift buying, requiring us to create an assembly line, singing the whole time moving the presents from under the tree into the family room where we had enough room to open them. After a couple of hours unwrapping packages, we snatched some sleep and rose pre-dawn to drive to Red River, New Mexico for a few days of skiing, ten of us in all. The best part about the holiday wasn’t the gift-opening, though that was fun. The best part was spending a solid week together; singing, laughing, skiing, snow-mobiling, and just enjoying each other’s company.
Dynamite Stuffing
I'm taxing my brain for a good recipe to share. We do have yearly dishes: Apple Crumb Pie, Pumpkin Bread, Green Bean Casserole, and Deviled Eggs. Most of them are short-cut dishes - I'm so not a cook! But I have been taught to make a dynamite stuffing that I love.
Ingredients:
1 loaf of stale bread
2 cups of celery - chopped
2 cup onion - chopped
1 stick of butter
1 egg
1 tsp each of salt, sage, pepper
2 tsp of parsley - chopped
Step 1: (We usually do this step in front of a movie!) Pull the bread into half-inch to inch-sized squares. I've since been taught that this is called cubing, but it was always pulling to me.
Step 2: Melt butter in the microwave with celery and onion on high for 3 minutes (cover while cooking). Stir and repeat until celery is tender.
Step 3: Blend seasonings into the celery/onion mixture and add the egg, beating it all together. Fold in the bread, stirring it well so that the mixture is fully absorbed and the vegetables are evenly spread through the bread. It will be rather dry. No worries. The juices from the bird are what make this work.
Step 4: Stuff it inside your turkey cavity and cook as directed. If you want to bake this as a casserole, press the bread mixture into a dish, then pour a full cup of chicken stock over the top of it to let it soak in and saturate. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350° for an hour.
Mmmm! I love it with turkey gravy, but it's moist enough to eat without. I'm not sure how many it officially serves, but we have 10-12 at our place and all of us eat on it - rarely leftovers.
About Marji:
Find her on the web:
Website
Goodreads
Grace takes delivery of a package and her life is turned upside down by nine sealed mystery envelopes from her late grandmother. Grammie’s instructions require Grace to take the journey of her lifetime, not only to far off places, but also into the deepest parts of her heart. As she follows the trail laid out for her and uncovers her family’s darkest secrets, Grace is forced to confront the loss and betrayal that has scarred her past and seek the greatest Christmas Treasure of all.
Chapter One by Joan Campbell - Part One, Part Two
Chapter Two by Ruth O'Neil - Part One, Part Two
Chapter Three by J. A. Marx - Part One, Part Two
Chapter Four by Deanna Klingel - Part One, Part Two
Chapter Five by Marji Laine - Part One, Part Two
Marji's the Featured Guest today at Magnificent Hope's Christmas Party! Come on over and join the fun!
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