For Friday, December 31st, New Years Eve, 2010

DECEMBER 31st, 2010

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's FRIDAY!

New Year's Eve is when all the fun and festivities are. We see out the old year and ring in the new. While it is often thought of as a time to drink and be merry, many people take it as an opportunity to eat and be merry. Drinking is not as much a part of the event as it was decades ago, if only because of tougher drunk driving laws.

And Today is also National Check the Smoke Alarms Day.

Here's wishing you all a New Year full good things: Endless joy and satisfaction for you, and the people you love !

THINKING

The sixth day of Christmas is New Years Eve.

While the beginning of the year has no direct connection to Christmas, it is, traditionally, a time of celebration and hospitality, themes which are familiar and entirely appropriate to the Twelve Days. The traditional English drink for this season was Wassail from the Saxon Was haile, meaning to your health. When your friends and family come wassailing, whether on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day, have a bowl of this traditional punch ready for them, to drink to their health and yours.

Wassail is a mulled cider type drink, and is a holiday tradition in many countries. This hot, spiced punch is most popular at Christmas. It usually contains fruit juices, cinnamon, cloves and other spices

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

It's no coincidence that today is National Champagne Day. This sparkling wine imported from the Champagne region of France is a luxury item that is the traditional first taste of the New Year for many people. You can call it sparkling wine or you can call it bubbly. But you can't call it Champagne unless it comes from France!

Did you know that a raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.

Christmas Wassail

1 gallon apple cider
27 whole cloves
8 cinnamon sticks
1 quart pineapple juice
1 can (6 ounce) frozen orange juice concentrate

Mix all ingredients in a large crockpot and simmer. Serve hot.

Serves 12

PRAYERS

Today I want to thank you all for the prayers offered for DS#4 who had lost his job. The prayers have been answered and he has accepted a new position which is much better than the one he had previously. Not only did he get this job offer but he also had another offer too. He'll be starting his new job in the New Year and I know he is thankful for all the prayers. Thank the dear Lord for His many blessings!

Dear Lord, thank you for the blessing of each sunrise and sunset, a mountain breeze, the sound of a rushing waterfall, the warm sand underfoot along a beach. Thank you for family, friends and companion animals. Thank you for all the doors you open for us; even the ones we might not see at first. Thank you for the many blessings you bestow upon us this year and every year.

Amen

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

AROUND HOME

The sun came out,
And the snowman cried.
His tears ran down
on every side.
His tears ran down
Till the spot was cleared.
He cried so hard
That he disappeared.

Margaret Hillert, January Thaw

The snow is melting here but although we had some sun earlier in the week, we are to now have rain instead. I got out and took some pictures on the sunny day. I even sat on the back step and soaked up some sun for awhile. My rocker on the patio was still snow covered so that left me with the step to sit on.

The birds were loving the warmer day and flocked to the feeders outside. I even heard some of them singing. That is something I've not heard in a long while.

The cold will be back this coming Sunday they say, so we just have to enjoy the little bit of warmth while we have it.

COUNTING THE DAYS

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Alfred Lord Tennyson

79 DAYS UNTIL SPRING!

108 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma

For Thursday, December 30th, 2010

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

DECEMBER 30th, 2010

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's THURSDAY!

Want to bring in the New Year on the right foot? WELL it’s just your luck because today is Festival Of Enormous Changes At The Last Minute. Inspiring, I know! So spend the whole day making major positive life changes. Can the changes better you and your family’s future? Are you going to start working out? Eating better? Start knitting as a hobby? Volunteer? Live more environmentally friendly? Be more light hearted because your co-workers and friends call you Mr. McStuffy? Are you going to try out those new yoga DVDs and other stress reliever suggestions to de-stress?

There are many ways to make enormous changes at the last minute and I'm hoping whatever changes there may be in your lives they are wonderful ones.

It is also Falling Needles Family Fest Day. A time to gather round the Christmas tree and watch needles fall. Live it up. Dance barefoot.

THINKING

The Sixth Day of Christmas is a quiet day in the calendar. If you have not already written your Christmas cards, this would be a good day to do that. Friends who receive a card sent today will be reminded that Christmas continues for twelve days. The next two days could be quite busy with lots of guests. Today would also be a good day to begin preparing some of the refreshments that will be needed on those days

A gift should be enjoyed or it can be put away and forgotten. It can challenge us, surprise us, fulfill a need or change our lives. A good gift brings joy with it. I have realized that my family and friends are not a haphazard quirk or fate, but gifts from a loving God.

Sue Whitehead

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

National Bicarbonate of Soda Day National Bicarbonate of Soda Day, or Baking Soda Day, celebrates the many benefits and uses of Bicarbonate of Soda.

Bicarbonate of soda is a chemical compound - sodium carbonate or sodium bi-carbonate. When heated, it creates carbon dioxide, a gas. The gas aids a variety of bakery products to rise as they cook.

Many people just think of Bicarbonate of Soda as something you use for baking. But, it has so many more uses. Here are just a few of them:

Baking- helps baked goods, like bread, to rise

Relieve stomach indigestion and heartburn when mixed in water

Removing odors in the refrigerator, vents, storage areas, and closets

Removing odor in kitty litter

It is used in fire extinguishers for grease and oil fires

It is often used as a cleaning agent

It can be used as a meat tenderizer

Polish Silverware

Remove burned food from a pot or a pan

The list goes on and on...

PRAYERS

Dear Lord, forgive us when we focus more on our own limitations rather than Your power. There is nothing too great for You. Help us to turn our thoughts away from what we can’t do, to what You have placed in front of us. We trust You to do the rest.

Amen

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU!

AROUND HOME

There are two seasonal diversions that can ease the bite of any winter.
One is the January thaw. The other is the seed catalogues.

Hal Borland

We are supposed to have o thaw for the beginning of January. Starting today and through the weekend it should be a lot warmer here. One of my friends has already received seed catalogs in the mail too. It's nice to think about spring right now and after weeks of being so cold it will be good to be a little warmer, even if it is just for a few days.

I've discovered another new change that I will be making in the New Year. Winter has really dried out my skin and sometimes I think my hands feel like sand paper. I've an assortment of hand cremes around my house and the other day I tried one that I guess must have been a gift as I don't remember buying it. It was called Essence of Beauty and was a lavender fragrance. It has aloe in it plus a few other nice things and it turned out to be one of the best I've ever used. So anyway I went on line to see where I could buy more and found out it is a product of CVS. Needless to say, I went there and bought more. They have several different fragrances but no longer have the lavender available.

After years of using Bath and Body works products I think I'll be changing and switching over to their line. They are cheaper too.

COUNTING THE DAYS

Every morning is a fresh beginning. Every day is the world made new. Today is a new day. Today is my world made new. I have lived all my life up to this moment, to come to this day. This moment - this day - is as good as any moment in all eternity. I shall make of this day - each moment of this day - a heaven on earth. This is my day of opportunity.

Dan Custer

80 DAYS UNTIL SPRING!

109 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma

For Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

DECEMBER 29th, 2010

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's WEDNESDAY!

Today is Tick Tock Day. All the dreams you had for 2010.

It's time. Do it!

Have you accomplished all you hoped for this year? Well you better hurry ’cause time’s running out.

But you’re in luck – there’s still time to get it all done before the year is gone. But ‘ya better get going. And quick.

Talk about a dream; try to make it real.

Bruce Springsteen, from Badlands

THINKING

On the 5th day of Christmas we remember Thomas Becket who was exiled and murdered for defending the rights of the church.

The red bill and legs of the chough are unique to this member of the crow family. In heraldry they are known as beckits and three choughs were found on the coat of arms of Archbishop Thomas. The chough was a popular symbol of his resistance to the King. In Britain today they are found only on the western side of the islands, but efforts are being made to restore them to Kent.

An outdoor activity for this day might include ensuring that the bird feeder is full and spending some time watching the many varieties of birds that visit it

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

National Corn Chip Day

Junk food is often comfort food and corn chips are one of the ultimate comfort foods. And no, not corn tortilla chips, though those are also good. I’m talkin’ the classic corn chip of Frito’s fame. Frito's Corn Chips is the All American original.

A classic dish found at county fairs across the country is a bag of corn chips with some chili dumped in it. I kid you not. You open the bag, add the chili and some shredded cheese and eat the mixture out of the bag with a plastic fork. A home-cooking variation on the theme is the corn chip casserole. Of course, there’s always the nice and simple dip it in some french onion dip you bought at the same 24 hour convenience store where you found your corn chips.

Homemade Corn Chips

Your kids will love making their own crispy, crunchy corn chips from scratch. And there's no sweeter reward than getting to sample their first batch of snacks hot from the oven.

1 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 - 7/8 cup boiling water

Mixing bowl

Mixing spoon or spatula

Measuring teaspoon

Baking sheet

Use of oven

Mix all ingredients.

Scoop 1 heaping measuring teaspoonful of mixture.

Place on a well greased baking sheet. (Use plenty of oil, or they will stick)

Moisten fingers, pat out very thin.

Bake in 400 degree oven about 10 minutes.

PRAYERS

Patient God, teach us patience so that we can separate what is really important for us to have from the trivial stuff we think we have to have right now.

Amen

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU

AROUND HOME

We grow by dreams. All big men are dreamers. Some of us let dreams die, but others nourish and protect them, nurse them through the bad days.... to the sunshine and light which always come

Woodrow Wilson

Most of us enjoy things that are fresh. There’s nothing quite like that
first cup of good coffee in the morning. We always enjoy wearing something
new. It's nice eating fresh, crisp lettuce or cracking open a new
book or sleeping on freshly washed sheets.

On the other hand, we don’t like old, stale stuff like bread. We aren’t interested in old and outdated news...we want the latest, breaking news alerts.

I guess that is why we make New Years resolutions. The most common resolutions are:

To improve health - lose weight, eat better etc.

To improve finances - get out of debt, save money

improve career - get better job

To improve education - get good grades, better education, learn
something new

To improve self - become more organized, reduce stress, be less grumpy,
manage time better

To take a trip to some place you have never been

To improve service to others by volunteering to help in some way.

God will help us and give us guidance when we ask Him, so lets take
advantage of this opportunity for a fresh start on the New Year and
then live it out each new day.

Let's not waste this opportunity for a fresh start

bits and pieces from one of my morning devotionals

COUNTING THE DAYS

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us

Ralph Waldo Emerson

81 DAYS UNTIL SPRING!

110 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma