For Sunday, October 31st, 2010

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

OCTOBER 31st, 2010

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

It's SUNDAY!

AND HAPPY ALL HALLOWS EVE

History tells us that this holiday comes from ancient times, when people believed donning costumes and masks would protect them on this Hallowed Eve from evil spirits. Our stomachs tell us we ate waaay too much candy,

Quote for the Day: Home is where the haunt is!

Did you know? Kids beware! About 9 out of 10 parents admit to sneaking a treat from their kids treat bag.

THINKING

Halloween on a Sunday can be an excellent opportunity to put the day in perspective. All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day

Some say Halloween is silly nonsense, a commercial opportunity and a waste of money. But Halloween has a lot to offer. Halloween puts us in touch with the mystery of life and that some things in life are often clouded in darkness. It puts us in touch with the struggle between light and darkness, between good and evil.

It may have pagan origins but the Christian message is wrapped around it. It is a simple Halloween message that God calms, encourages and reassures us especially when we struggle with darkness, evil, mystery and the unknown.

If the world had never been freed from sin and death, Halloween haunting wouldn’t just be spooky make-believe: It would be the terrifying reality of a world in the grip of evil. That would be no fun at all.

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

Today is Carve a Pumpkin Day

This is your last chance to carve a pumpkin because Halloween is tonight. You can roast pumpkin seeds, drink apple cider and enjoy your pumpkin carvings.

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a traditional, healthy snack during fall pumpkin carving

Just extract seeds from pumpkin.

Separate and discard pulp.

Thoroughly wash seeds in warm water.

Spread seeds out onto a cookie sheet.

Sprinkle generously with salt.

Put into oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Check every five minutes and stir, adding more salt or to taste.

Check seeds to see if they are done by taking a sample out, allowing to cool and tasting. If the insides are dry, they are done.

Allow to cool and serve.

You can make as many different flavors of pumpkin seeds as you can imagine. Replace the salt from the recipe above with the suggested seasoning. Here are some we suggest you try:

Cheesy Pumpkin Seeds- sprinkle with Cheesy popcorn seasoning.

Tex-Mex Style- Sprinkle powdered Taco seasoning onto the seeds. This is better mixed in a bowl first. Add more red pepper powder for a really hot seed!

Cajun style- Mix seeds in a bowl with a packet of cajun seasonings mix. If you like it really spicy, add extra hot sauce.

Garlic Salt- yum! Lo-Salt Diet!? Use garlic powder.

PRAYERS

Lord, come and stay with me. Fill my home with your presence and fill my heart with your praise. Help me to show kindness and mercy to all, even to those who cause me harm

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

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf's a flower.

Albert Camus

The colors are fast fading in all the trees around my house. Most are loosing their leaves already. The days are truly beginning to look like November. Bleak, gray and dreary. Thankfully there are a few bits of color left as we've not had a hard freeze yet, the grass is still green. And as you can see by the pictures I've had lately there are a still blooms left out side. Those roses of mine still have a few precious buds left too.

COUNTING THE DAYS

There is no limit to how much love your heart can hold. So put a little more love in your life right now.

There is no limit to how much beauty you can admire. So make a point in each moment to see some new beauty you've never noticed before.

There is no limit to how much joy you can experience. So go ahead and feel the joy that lives inside, as you generously let it flow out to the whole world.

There is no limit to kindness, to hope, or to faith. There is no limit to the goodness and value that you can imagine.

Though some things in this world are occasionally in short supply, there is no limit to the best things in life. There is no limit to what really matters.

Treasure those good things that have no limit. For there is no limit to the richness they can bring.

Ralph Marston

51 DAYS UNTIL WINTER

55 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

166 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