Johnson Brothers Transferware Christmas Plates…

Over the weekend I got the house all cleaned up from Thanksgiving and got the Christmas decorations out.

With my daughter scheduled to have her baby on Monday, I wanted to have my house taken care of in order to help my daughter over the next couple of weeks if she needs me. 

I’m sure I’ll be “tweaking” this and that and moving things around, but other than that, I’m done.

I even went through all my seasonal décor, got rid of anything I no longer want, and reorganized the rest.

Out with the old, in with the new…

When I found Johnson Brother’s English Transferware Christmas Plates at Home Good for $3.99 apiece, I bought 8 dinner plates.  They will mix in with my white plates nicely, while adding a little Christmas cheer to the table.

In the meanwhile, I like them mixed in with the decorations.

I can’t close this post without showing you this photo my son in law took yesterday when big sister met little sister for the first time.  Aren’t they beautiful?  Believe it or not, little blondie had quite a bit of darker hair when she was born too…not quite as much or quite as dark as little sister though.

So, have you started your Christmas decorating yet?

Still following,

Elizabeth

 

 

 
 

Thoughts on suffering, blessing, and miracles from heaven…

I’ve been wrestling with my theology on suffering for years now.

May I politely say, I’m not that interested in what you think, or this famous preacher says,

or tape or book or whatever.

I want if straight from the Book.

I want my theology to be His.

The way I see it the pendulum on suffering swings to two extremes.

Americans seem to swing to the extreme that suffering is from satan, God’s will for us is only blessing,

suffering is not blessing and therefore should never happen in the life of a believer.

Here’s where I have a problem…this just doesn’t seem to jive with what’s in the Book.

Every major person throughout the Scripture experienced some type of trial, testing, suffering….

from hope deferred for years and years, Abraham, to being falsely accused and imprisoned, Joseph,

to being martyred, most of the disciples.

The other extreme swing of the pendulum is that we have to somehow earn our salvation through suffering,

that we have to pass some sort of suffering test to be saved.

I don’t find this in the Book either.

The perfect, sinless Son of God died and suffered and rose again for our salvation.  Period.

Nothing we do can add to what He has done.

So, here’s where I’m at on the issue. 

If mankind had not sinned, there would be no suffering. 

God is ever watchful over His children. 

His thoughts towards them are more than can be numbered.

So, suffering doesn’t, OOPS!, happen to one of His kids and slip by unnoticed.

If one of His kids goes through suffering, He has allowed it for a purpose and will not waste the experience,

but use it for their good and His glory.

Each of my three daughters have experienced some suffering.

The oldest one, 10 years of infertility, and 3 miscarriages.

The second born, hope deferred for years and years on her dreams,

and a long, long battle before the adoption on her oldest child was finalized.

The youngest daughter, broken engagement, betrayal, hope deferred.

Today our firstborn gave birth to her second daughter.

A 7 lb 13 oz, 19 1/2 inch miracle from the top of her hair covered head to the bottom of her rather long feet.

And the 10 years of loss and waiting and praying?

It didn’t make them more saved, neither did it make them bitter,

but I can say it did make them better.

There’s just something rich and deep in the life of a person who’s gone through the time of testing and trial

and come out triumphant.

That’s what’s on my mind and heart today as my oldest holds her second little miracle from heaven.

I couldn’t be happier or prouder.

Bless the Name of the Lord Who does all things well.

Still following,

Elizabeth (aka Nana)

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BIRTHday cakes and blessings…

As if the fact that I made two dozen homemade rolls and four pies

for a Thanksgiving dinner for eight people wasn’t a bit excessive…

today I made a two layer applesauce cake slathered with pink colored cream cheese frosting

and topped it with multicolored sprinkles.

Newest granddaughter’s BIRTHday is tomorrow,

so I made a BIRTHday cake to bring up to the hospital…

just like I did when her big sister was born “two and three fourths” years ago,

as she likes to say.

I am so excited I can barely put two words together that make sense.

BUT, I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little green journal…

#1486-1496

-money to pay the bills

-groceries…more than enough to eat

-comfy and warm new slippers

-consulting with youngest daughter, (the family pie baking expert), via text messages as I baked the Thanksgiving pies

-Handel’s Messiah, so full of the Word of God, playing in the background as I bake

-a wonderful Thanksgiving

-talking to faraway siblings on this first holiday without our mama

-going to the holiday parade downtown with family and friends

-getting to see my sister and spend a fun evening with the family at my nephew’s house

-preapproval from the county for our church building project

(THANK YOU BLOG FRIENDS WHO HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR THIS!!!)

-long time friends in town and able to come to church with us and lunch together after

 

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth

Make a joyful noise!

Still following,

Elizabeth

Thanksgiving Tablescape…

We had a lovely, lovely day and I hope you did too.

We spent the day here at our home with our oldest daughter and her family,

youngest daughter, our nephew, and a friend of my son-in-laws.

The only thing that could have made the day any better was if my other daughter and her family

could have come home.

I’m tired, but happy.

I really do enjoy all of the cooking and cleaning up and work involved to make a special day for the ones I love.

Tomorrow we will get up early and go to downtown Portland in time to nab a good spot for the annual Macy’s Holiday Parade.

Saturday I will begin to decorate our home for Christmas.

Sunday is busy with church activities.

And Monday, our oldest daughter is scheduled to have our newest granddaughter!!!

But before I call it a night, and say an official farewell to Thanksgiving 2011,

I wanted to share today’s table with you.

Simple but pretty.

 

Have a Happy Friday Everyone and a Blessed Weekend!

Elizabeth

 

Pre Thanksgiving Cooking Marathon…

Today was rainy and windy and gloomy.

But inside all was cozy and toasty.

Handel’s Messiah, (my favorite!), was playing in the background and I had a cooking marathon!

Tomorrow all I have to do is pop the turkey in the oven and the side dishes in at their appropriate times.

The mashed potatoes and gravy and the salad are the only things I have left to make tomorrow.

Here are some of the things I made today with links to the recipes.

I made this chocolate pie.

To make it even more decadent, I used a chocolate cookie crust instead of a regular pie crust.

Tomorrow it will be topped with whipped cream.

I also laid aside my tried and true dinner roll recipe and decided to try this one.

We’ll see if we like these better, or if I go back to my old recipe next time.

I made the same pumpkin pie recipe I’ve made for years, the one my mama used to make too.

I also made a pecan pie.

I tweaked the recipe and added 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup coconut into the filling.

I wanted it to have the flavors of a German Chocolate Cake.

The turkey’s in the roasting pan in the refrigerator.

In the food processor I combined some onion, celery, fresh sage and butter and tucked the mixture under the skin.

I salted and peppered the bird inside the cavity and stuffed some onion and celery inside as well.

More butter, salt and pepper went all over the skin.

I’ll roast it at 325 covered until about the last half hour, then I’ll remove the cover and let it brown.

The dressing is all assembled and in the refrigerator too.

I used a combination of traditional bread cubes and cornbread.

I sauteed lots of onion and celery in a cube of butter and added that to the bread.

I added some poultry seasoning and some sage.

I then added a beaten egg and chicken stock.

Tomorrow the dressing will cook in the crock pot.

I’ve done it that way for a few years now.

The other sides are green bean casserole which is one of my daughters’ favorite holiday foods.

They also love my yam casserole.

Here’s how you make it:

Pan spray a casserole dish.

Drain two cans of yams.

Add yams and two cups fresh cranberries to dish.

Make a crumble of 1 stick butter, 1/2 C. flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup rolled oats and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Mix with yams and berries, reserving some to sprinkle on top.

Tomorrow they will bake at 350 for 30 minutes or so.

I’ll then top them with mini marshmallows and return them to the oven until the marshmallows are golden on top.

Well it’s just about time for youngest daughter’s flight to arrive, so I better get going.

Sadly, my second born and her family can’t come home from South Carolina for Thanksgiving.

Oldest daughter and her family will be here.

(She’s scheduled to have our newest granddaughter on Monday!

Your prayers for a safe delivery would be appreciated.)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I pray that your day is richly blessed.

Thanking God for you,

Elizabeth

 

Night watch…

 

I normally sleep through the night

But not last night

Instead I dreamt of sex traffickers

And a young girl crying out for help

I woke up in the darkness

And prayed for whoever she is

The one crying out to be rescued from hell

Honestly, part of me said

Why God?

I don’t want to think about this

I want to bake pies

and

think about Thanksgiving

and

my new granddaughter coming any day now

but He said pray

so I did

and He reminds me

of how He loves

and longs to rescue

and I cry with Him

 

Still following,

Elizabeth

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