A Few Christmas Traditions

Tree Farm

A Thought to Ponder

"The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18-20). ….the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth.”

John Piper

I found a few pictures that were still on my camera
and didn't get lost when the hard drive quit.

Gobble, Gobble!

A Little Fall Fun

Another Good Thought for Reflection

If you miss the sacrifice, you will miss your life's calling.
~ Beth Moore

In other words, if you don't take the opportunity to make a sacrifice to God, to sacrifice so that it really costs you something, you may have a good life, even a godly life, but you will miss your true life's calling. Every day is a decision between sacrifice and selfishness.

Therefore I urge you, dear brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.
~ Paul, in his letter to the Romans

Elisabeth Elliot on making yourself miserable

Several Ways to Make Yourself Miserable

1. Count your troubles, name them one by one--at the breakfast table, if anybody will listen, or as soon as possible thereafter.
2. Worry every day about something. Don't let yourself get out of practice. It won't add a cubit to your stature but it might burn a few calories.
3. Pity yourself. If you do enough of this, nobody else will have to do it for you.
4. Devise clever but decent ways to serve God and mammon. After all, a man's gotta live.
5. Make it your business to find out what the Joneses are buying this year and where they're going. Try to do them at least one better even if you have to take out another loan to do it.
6. Stay away from absolutes. It's what's right for you that matters. Be your own person and don't allow yourself to get hung up on what others expect of you.
7. Make sure you get your rights. Never mind other people's. You have your life to live, they have theirs.
8. Don't fall into any compassion traps--the sort of situation where people can walk all over you. If you get too involved in other people's troubles, you may neglect your own.
9. Don't let Bible reading and prayer get in the way of what's really relevant--things like TV and newspapers. Invisible things are eternal. You want to stick with the visible ones--they're where it's at now.

I came across this one a few days ago. Elisabeth Elliot has a gift for getting me, and many others, to think more deeply. Read more or subscribe to Elizabeth Elliot's daily devotions here.

Nature Hike

The last daisy of the season

A co-worker directed me to a different parking area.
We're going to hike this area next time.

Nature Hike

My hiking buddies

"Let's cut open the egg cases and see what they look like inside."

The goofiest hiker

This is the first sun we've seen all week. We just had to get out there.

Fall Food and Crafts

Making Cinnamon-Sugar Biscuit Bears: Rachel cut and Sam assembled.

The finished bears are cute, but they definitely look better than they taste.
They make a better craft than a treat.
Just goes to show that because you see a cute recipe doesn't mean it tastes good!

New life breathed into an old wreath

Saw some cute plastic pumpkins at the dollar store...
Made my own with real pumpkins for free.

And...My, Oh My, Sweet Potato Pie!
This one definitely passed the taste test, even by the husband
who says he doesn't like sweet potatoes.

School Stuff

Should I have told her that four-year-olds are not supposed to be able to copy
names of Australian animals off the computer?
I did, and she giggled with delight.

This is an echida, also known as a spiny anteater.

A little Aboriginal artwork - Dreamscape style

A little Cat artwork - Samuel style

Covenant Reminder

Sauce Makin' Day

The apple washin' crew
(I can totally relate to needing your tongue to concentrate!)

The youngest crew member couldn't wait for the sauce.

Our new food mill: some assembly required

This is the neatest gadget!
It saves work on both ends of the cooking process. There is no need to peel or even core the apples.
And it separates the sauce from the sludge in a lot less time, with a lot less mess.