For Sunday, December 5th, 2010

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

DECEMBER 5th, 2010

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

It's SUNDAY!

The United Nations (UN) annually observes the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development on December 5. The day, which is also known as International Volunteer Day (IVD), gives volunteers a chance to work together on projects and campaigns promoting their contributions to economic and social development at local, national and international levels. Over the years, rallies, parades, community volunteering projects, environmental awareness, free medical care and speeches by high-ranking government officials has all featured prominently on IVD.

Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending.

Author Unknown

THINKING

According to an old legend, when the Magi were following the star of Bethlehem, they came to the house of a certain woman. They said to her, Come with us! We have seen his star in the east and we are going to worship him.

Oh, she said, I would love to go. I heard that he would be coming one day and I have been looking forward to it. But I can't come now. I must set my house in order; then I will follow you and find him.

But when her work was done, the wise men were out of sight, the star shone no more in the heavens, and she never saw Jesus. That can happen. We can go through this whole busy Christmas season and miss the essential meaning of it all. It really makes no difference that a No Vacancy sign hung over an inn 2,000 years ago, but if a No Vacancy sign hangs over our hearts, it makes an enormous difference

Todays Advent Tip: If you want to go fast, go alone, If you want to go far, go together.

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

Today we celebrate the rich bitter-sweet chocolate cake, the Sacher Torte. Dating back to the 1800s, this intensely flavored cake is a favorite with millions of people the world over. A cake of noble origin, Sacher torte was invented by and named after a young chef at the special request of Austrian Prince von Metternich. It became the signature dessert of the hotel opened by the chef's son, Vienna's Hotel Sacher, and its original recipe is a closely guarded secret! What is known is that it consists of two layers of dense chocolate cake with apricot preserves between the layers, chocolate icing, and whipped cream. This cake is the pride of Vienna, and is celebrated today in America as well!

Try a slice with a hot cup of coffee or tea as an afternoon treat.

1 cup butter
8 egg yolks
6 ounces cooking chocolate
1 cup confectioner's sugar
Vanilla
10 egg whites
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons apricot jam

Chocolate Frosting
1 cup sugar
7 ounces cooking chocolate
1 cup water

Cream butter. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Add gradually to creamed butter melted chocolate, sugar , and the egg yolks, one by one, stirring constantly. Add flour and a dash of vanilla and beat well. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Pour mixture into a well-greased 10-inch mold.

Bake at 300 degrees F. for about 1 hour. Let cool and turn out of mold. Split and spread heated and slightly diluted apricot jam over the lower half of the cake. Replace top and brush with apricot jam and cover with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting:

Boil sugar and water until sugar is completely dissolved. Melt the chocolate separately in a double boiler. Add sugar syrup gradually to chocolate, stirring constantly. When cooled, frost the cake.

PRAYERS

Lord Jesus, I sometimes go through my days only seeing the surfaces of those around me. Help me be more like you, seeing people’s hearts, pain, love, and sorrow. Help me have and show compassion for each and every creation.

Please join me in praying today for one of DDIL#1's cousins and their family as her husband's Dad has passed away. I'll be praying for them in their time of sorrow. One of DSIL's relatives had a death in their family last week too, and one of my internet friends has lost her brother, so I'll be praying for them also and for all those that have lost a loved one.

Lord God, we mourn those who have left this world to find comfort with You in paradise. Our love and sympathy goes out to the family and friends of those we have lost

Please touch the lives of the living, help them to see that their loved one has gone to a better place and that loving them will always be hidden away in their hearts and memories

Give them more Hope than yesterday. Shine on them with mercy and grace. Give them joy in Your plans for their life. Open their eyes to see what You see. Replace their dread with reassurance.

We ask this in the name of Christ Jesus

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

Tomorrow we'll be celebrating St. Nicholas Day. Nicholas came from one the the city's wealthy merchant families but he was not spoiled by his family's wealth. His mother and father taught him to be generous to others in need. So Nicholas came to see that helping other makes one richer in life than anything else. He was especially interested that families had enough to eat and a good place to live, that children got ahead in life and that old people lived out their lives with dignity and respect. And he always loved the sailors living so dangerously on the sea. Without their ships, people everywhere would be without food and other goods they carried for trade.

I know a lot of little ones that will be sitting out their shoes tonight and will be waking to see some treasures left for them by good St. Nicholas tomorrow. My own family used to do this every year and what fun it was too. May we all remember that being generous to others is one of the true gifts of the season.

COUNTING THE DAYS

Hem your day with prayer and it will be less apt to ravel at the edges

16 DAYS UNTIL WINTER!

20 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

134 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