Friday's Fave Five #120

Welcome everyone to the last Friday's Fave Five of 2010.  Gosh, it's hard to believe this is our last one of the year.  Thank you for joining me these last 52 weeks, whether occasionally or faithfully every week.  It's been a pleasure to host you all each Friday.  If you've never joined in please do.  It's a wonderful exercise in looking for the blessings in our lives no matter what kind of week we are having.  For guidelines go here.

This week was so full of blessings that it's very difficult to just pick five favorites so I've decided to do five categories instead.

1.  Family Time.  Lots and lots of family time.  I am so very thankful that our whole family could be together at some point during these holidays.  It's been wonderful having K. home and having parents who live close by.  I can't imagine not having one of us around during these holidays.

2.  Relax Time.  Lots and lots of relax time.  I'm thankful for the 10 day break I had from work.  It's been absolutely refreshing just being.  No pressures on any of us.  Lots of visiting time, lots of reading time, watching movie time.  It's been great.

3.  Gifts big and small that we all shared with each other to show our love.  Gifts of time, gifts of patience, gifts of hugs and special words, gifts of meals shared.  And of course, gifts under the tree.  I was so blessed this year.

4.  The sparkle and shine of the holidays.  I love the candles, the lights and the ornaments that reflect and shine.   I've enjoy them all month but especially so this last week.  It is a big part of the "magic" of Christmas for me.

5.  The new pup.  In case you missed it, hubby came home with a new member for our family.  A sweet little Pom A Poo, we finally named Todd.  It's been fun playing with him and listening to the kids laughing as he does goofy puppy things.  He's fitting in very nicely.  Now if he would just go outside without me being right out there with him, it would be just dandy.  It's just a little chilly standing in the backyard in my jammies and housecoat in the mornings.

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

This is what my hubby gave me for my 50th birthday:

Complete with a 55 - 250 mm lens and camera case.

My kids are already planning their escape routes and hiding places.  Mind you it may take me a while to get the hang of it so I also got this:

I'm super excited and can hardly wait for the battery to charge.  And I'm also feeling totally overwhelmed!  So my big day will be spent doing some reading.  350 pages worth.  Oy!   Dana I wish you lived a tad closer!  :v)

I Could Get Used to This

Sleeping in, lingering over coffee, nowhere to be, all the kids home, a little reading, a little movie watching, snow falling gently making a beautiful picture postcard view out the front window.  Yup, I could easily take this on permanently.  But I'll take whatever I can get which is the rest of this week.

 A wonderful Christmas was had by all at the Living to Tell household.  It was the usual mayhem Christmas morning providing lots of laughs and smiles.  Throw a puppy into the mix and it got crazy at times.  Hubby and I always joke how it always takes us weeks to get it all ready and then it's over with in a half hour tornado.  Done. But oh, so worth all the work.  Love seeing the kids faces light up, and they still do even though they are 20, 18 and 16.

We hosted the Christmas Day dinner this year, the first time in 16 years.  Up till now I always did Thanksgiving and Christmas was at my sister's because T.'s birthday is Christmas day and when she was little I just didn't want to be stressed and occupied on her birthday.  But this year we figured it was our turn.   After cooking it this year though, Hubby and I made a decision that if we host Christmas Day dinner again we are NOT making turkey.  While the meal met with rave reviews, it was just too much work.  Hubby and I spent hours in the kitchen with cooking, dishes, carving, etc.  Everyone else was enjoying themselves in the living room and we really felt that the day passed us by.  So next time it will definitely  be something much simpler.  Still special, but simpler.

 The annual Christmas Eve picture in front of the fireplace with the stockings, this year with crazy puppy trying to chew everything.

Speaking of puppy, we've finally decided on a name.  He came with Bear and that just didn't sit with any of us.  So the name hunt was on.  As is usual when you get 5 people trying to make a decision we couldn't come to a consensus.  That is until we thought of Todd.  Todd was the little fox in one of my favorite Disney movies of all time, the Fox and the Hound.  And this little guy reminds us of him, so Todd it is.  He's already answering to it.  He certainly is a rambunctious little guy.  I'd forgotten what the puppy stage was like.  And our poor Sam was so lacking any energy in the last 6 months of his life that this is quite a shock.  But Todd is lots of fun and we're enjoying it.

Today is my last day to be 49.  Tomorrow I start a whole new half century.  Holy moly.  How did that happen?  Anyway, I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.  I'll never be 49 again.  We might even go see Tron or the new Narnia movie.   Anyone see either of those yet?

Well, the family is calling.  Time for my quiet morning coffee to be done.  How was your Christmas?

Friday's Fave five #119

Good Morning and welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  I know many of you will be busy travelling or getting ready for Christmas tomorrow but I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas.  May you have a very blessed holiday with whomever you are spending it with.  May you take a moment and pause to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and may you sense the love, peace and joy of God this holiday.   Thanks for being such a wonderful part of my weeks over the last year.

1.  K.  home for Christmas safe and sound.  We're so glad K. made it home safely and is able to stay for almost 2 weeks.  We really miss her around and it's been wonderful just having her here!  I'm going to soak in as many minutes with her as I can before she has to head back in January.

2.  A new puppy!  This little guy is definitely on the list for favorites this week.  Since Samson passed away we've really felt his presence missing in our house.  We  are pet people.  We've finally admitted it.  So we brought this little guy home from a family who was just overwhelmed with small children and a rambunctious puppy and felt he needed a better home.  We've been enjoying the craziness and laughter a puppy brings.   He's a three month old Pom A Poo (Pomeranian Poodle).  We're still throwing names around.  Getting 5 people to agree on that is a miracle in itself.

3.  All the baking.   Yum, is all I can say.

4.  Fresh turkey.  This is my first attempt at a fresh turkey and brining.  I'm quite excited about it.  Wish me luck.

5.  Christmas goings on.  I have to admit, I love the season.  I've just made a concerted effort this year to choose the things we attend, to choose to find the joy rather than wallow in the stress and I have to say I have been really enjoying almost every moment of it.  We'll see how today goes.  I have to bake a birthday cake for my youngest's 16th birthday tomorrow.  Christmas Day.  Yes, she had the audacity to make her entrance at 12 noon on Christmas Day.  The little whippersnapper.  But we'll have fun celebrating tomorrow.  And hopefully everyone will be so full of turkey, the cake will taste good no matter what.  LOL.

If you are able to join in, please do.  And if not, from my family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderfully joyful holiday as you celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Be Not Afraid of Change

Sitting in the living room yesterday, out of the corner of my eye, I caught something different.  There was a gathering going on.

It seems somebody's male child, who is taller than her and shall remain nameless,

Thought this was a more realistic representation

Of how it really was that holy night as opposed to how we tend to display it.

I think I might just leave it as is.  There is something that draws me about how they are all trying to get as close as possible to Jesus, to catch a glimpse of Him, and to worship Him that is speaking to me.

Fall Into Reading 2010 Wrap Up Party

Today is the day.  Fall is gone.  Winter is officially here, though we could have sworn winter arrived here in November.  And with that means the Fall Into Reading Challenge is finished.  I love Katrina's reading challenges.  They are flexible which is a good thing because it never seems I stick exactly to my list.  I always have lofty goals on "this time" reading everything on my list before I add other books but then along comes review books.  And the books I just can't turn away from the library.  Though why I go to the library when I've got a list is something I can't answer.  I'd probably make a good subject for a psychology report.

This fall I completed 8 of the 11 books on my original list, which is really good, and I finished off with 2 review books that came in after the list was made,  for a total of 10 books this fall.  Considering I work full time and am involved in a few church things, and taking into account a couple of weeks where I just couldn't I think that's pretty good.  And throw in the fact that 3 of the finished books were non-fiction, well I think I did amazing!  LOL.  Katrina, can you believe I actually finshed 3 non-fictions?  I think that's some kind of record for me since starting these challenges.

While I really enjoyed all the books I think "The Moment Between" was my favorite of the group.  It was absolutely gripping and emotional and beautifully written. Hard to put down and hard to forget afterwards.  I didn't have a least favorite.  They all were good reads for me this time around.  Reviews for all my reads are here.

Thanks Katrina, for hosting another fun season of reading.

Is this considered baking? 'Cause I can handle this all too well.

Oh no! The horror of it all!   This is what I found this weekend:

Panic ensued.  The fridge was combed for any remnants of butter and pecans, the cupboards ransacked for all chocolate chips available.  The fry pan and baking pan located.

C'mon, batch #4,  hurry up and set.  This waiting is making me antsy!

Ahhh.  All is right now at Living to Tell.  The joy has been found.  Christmas may go on.  Carry on, people.

Gulley's Toffee

Disclaimer:  This toffee is highly addicting.  Christmas will never be the same without it once you make it.  Living to Tell the Story (and I'm sure Big Mama) takes  no responsibility for what happens after you make your first batch.  Once you take your first bite, you are on your own!

To join in with finding the Christmas joy head on over to Bungalow '56.

Friday's Fave Five #118

Welcome to Friday's Fave Fives!  Wow, during this busy, busy season I've really needed this exercise in looking at my blessings over the week.  They can so easily get buried in the busy and the "to do".  And there is lots to do!  So take a few moments with me and look back over your week and find those things that gave you joy, that gave you peace, that blessed you.  If you are new, take a peek here first for the guidelines, then just join in.

1.  Snatches of time here and there throughout the day to just catch my breath, to slow down, to refocus.  I'm thankful that in my day there are pockets of a few minutes here and there where I can take a deep breath before I go charging on again.

2.  Baby funnies.  Oh the cute and funny things a 16 month old and a 20 month do.  These two little ones in my dayhome crack me right up.  Special gifts of laughter given to me.

3.  Christmas shopping done!  And most of it wrapped.  Yipee!

4.  The smell of baking in the house.  Baking is not my forte but I do like to do a bit a Christmas.  So the wonderful smells have been wafting through the house this last week.  I've made gingerbread cookies, shortbread cookies, chocolate mint crackle cookies and spiced nuts.  It smells yummy in here.

5.  A nice comfy bed.  Haven't been feeling well this week and my bed has felt especially good when I finally get to it at night.

What has been your favorites this week?  Please join in and sign on to Mr. Linky and then take a moment and visit around.

Also, just a note, I will have Fave Five's up next week, but being Christmas I know everyone will be busy, busy, busy.  If you have a moment to look back over your week and do a post, please sign on, and if not, then have a very Merry & Blessed Christmas with your family and friends.

Got this in my email today and it made me smile so I thought I'd share it.

'Twas the night before Christmas and out on the ranch

The pond was froze over and so was the branch.

The snow was piled up belly-deep to a mule.

The kids were all home on vacation from school,

And happier young folks you never did see-

Just all sprawled around a-watchin' TV.

Then suddenly, some time around 8 o'clock,

There came a surprise that gave them a shock!

The power went off, the TV went dead!

When Grandpa came in from out in the shed

With an armload of wood, the house was all dark.

"Just what I expected," they heard him remark.

"Them power line wires must be down from the snow.

Seems sorter like times on the ranch long ago."

"I'll hunt up some candles," said Mom. "With their light,

And the fireplace, I reckon we'll make out all right."

The teen-agers all seemed enveloped in gloom.

Then Grandpa came back from a trip to his room,

Uncased his old fiddle and started to play

That old Christmas song about bells on a sleigh.

Mom started to sing, and the 1st thing they knew

Both Pop and the kids were all singing it, too.

They sang Christmas carols, they sang "Holy Night,"

Their eyes all a-shine in the ruddy firelight.

They played some charades Mom recalled from her youth,

And Pop read a passage from God's Book of Truth.

They stayed up till midnight-and, would you believe,

The youngsters agreed 'twas a fine Christmas Eve.

Grandpa rose early, some time before dawn;

And when the kids wakened, the power was on..

"The power company sure got the line repaired quick,"

Said Grandpa - and no one suspected his trick.

Last night, for the sake of some old-fashioned fun,

He had pulled the main switch - the old Son-of-a-Gun!

-anonymous

Book Tour ~ City of Tranquil Light

City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell


Publisher's Summary:

Bo Caldwell’s 2001 debut novel, The Distant Land of My Father, set in historic China and based on the story of her uncle, was a critical and commercial success—a national bestseller that was loved by critics, booksellers, and readers in equal measure. In 2002 Caldwell turned to the story of her maternal grandparents who were missionaries in China in the early 1900s. For years her mother had urged her to write about them and when she dove into the research she found their lives full of conflict, danger, and heartbreak, as well as joy and fulfillment. But life, in the form of a cancer diagnosis, kept her from her writing desk until 2006. When she returned, she completed City of Tranquil Light (Henry Holt and Company), a searing love story of a man and a woman, their God, and the country they jointly loved and a deeply researched and page-turning portrait of a country in utter turmoil.

At the center of the novel are Will and Katherine, two Mennonite missionaries from the heartland who have come to China because they feel called by God to serve the poor and spread the Good News. But this is more than a missionary story; it is really the portrait of a marriage set against the backdrop of a radically shifting nation that is plunging into revolution.

A novel based on her grandparents wasn’t Caldwell’s idea. “I’m embarrassed to say that before I had dismissed my grandparents’ lives as too dull and simplistic. But as I reread my grandfather’s memoir and began to ask my mom about my grandparents, I learned how wrong I’d been.” As she began to see her grandparents as her mother had seen them, and to read the biographies and autobiographies of other American missionaries in China, Caldwell found similar stories. “I saw a pattern emerge in the later lives of many of these men and women. Most eventually returned to the United States, usually to be near their children (now grown) and grandchildren, but also because of illness or frailty. I was moved by the contrast between their lives in China and their later lives in the U.S. After enduring decades of war, famine, illness, personal danger, and great hostility toward their work, these people settled safely in the suburbs where they walked in rose gardens and played with their grandchildren and lived out their days. I was struck by the sacrifice that must have been involved in leaving the people and work that had been at the center of their lives, even with the reward of the comforts of modern life. I also began to feel that missionaries often get a bad rap in fiction. While there were certainly those who exploited the people they had come to serve, there were also many who poured out their lives for strangers and for their faith. And I wanted to tell their story.”

That story is one of marriage, of leaving one home and finding another, and of faith. “When I began the novel, I tried to understand my grandfather’s faith and to present it accurately,” says Caldwell. “I tried to see the world through his eyes.” Then life intervened, including a battle to quit drinking followed shortly after with a diagnosis of breast cancer. Once Caldwell returned to writing two years later, she returned as a different person. The combination of sobriety and a serious illness had affected her faith deeply, and she was no longer writing about her grandparents’ faith. She was writing about her own.

My Thoughts:

I excitedly said yes to this book tour because I have very good Mennonite friends who are right now missionaries in China.  So it intrgued me to read a novel based on the author's own grandparents and other missionaries to China.  The story is breathtaking, taking you through the life of a young man in the early 1900's who said yes to the appeal of another missionary visiting his church, to come to China and yes to the call of God.  On the way there Will meets Katherine, a nurse, who is also going to China to serve the people.  Katherine and Will take turns telling their story, Will through a narrative and Katherine through journal entries.  The story spans their life together as husband and wife ministering to the people in the city of Kuang P'ing Ch'eng -City of Tranquil Light.  Tested spiritually, mentally and physically, they rise to the daily challenges of the time: poverty, bandits, warlords, changing governments and a people who don't trust them.  

The story is beautiful and heartbreaking, challenging and eye opening, historical yet relevant for today.  Not only do we get a glimpse into the life of a missionary as they totally lay their lives down for a people, but we get a peek into how all the hardships and the joys affects personal faith and marriage against the backdrop of early 19th century China.  I don't think you have to want to be a missionary to be touched by this story.  

Thanks to B&B Media Group for providing a free copy for review.

You can go here to purchase a copy of City of Tranquil Light.

Friday's Fave Five #117

Hi everyone, welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  This is where we look back over our week's and find those things that were blessings in our lives.  Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes, like for me this week, it is hard.  But there are blessings in our everyday if we are but aware enough to look for them.  So let's do it!  :v)
If you are new and need the guidelines, they are here.

1.  Kind Words.  Thank you to everyone who wrote me kind and emphatic words on this post.  It really did help me get to this Friday.  Words, good kind uplifting words, are a precious gift indeed!  Thank you.

2.  The Sing Off.  Apparently this is season 2, but I just found it.  I. Love. This. Show!  It is accapella groups competing.  It is hard to believe there is not one instrument, only voices.  Pure incredible talent. I like to think I will sing like that in heaven, cause right now I'm just sorta making a "joyful noise" unto the Lord.  Anyway,  dare I say I'm actually liking it way better than American Idol?  Yes, yes I am.  My favorites are Committed and BackBeat.  Here's the opening number that all the groups did on the first night of the season.



3.  Toned-Down Christmas Decorating.  I made a decision at the end of November that I was going to tone down on the decorating a bit this year.  With all the stress we were under with our dog and Hubby's mom having health issues, the thought of decorating clutter seemed almost suffocating and overwhelming.  And it's always a bit of added stress to try to figure out where to put everything.  It just seems to be more and more each year.  So I pared it down, putting out only that which I really love or what spoke to my heart.  And you know, I really like it.  Another step in my "simplify" goal.

4.  The first batch of Christmas Cookies.  Out of the oven and being gobbled up by my baking deprived family.  They are raving about them, saying they are the best shortbread.  Ever.  I used this recipe.  Now mine did not come quite as easily as described.  I used new measuring cups and I don't think they were accurate.  My dough was on the dry side and would not roll.  But I made the rolls as best as possible in plastic wrap.  They don't look as lovely but they sure taste wonderful.  This is now my "keeper" shortbread recipe.

5.  The simple pleasure of sitting in the dark with just the Christmas tree lit and sipping on a hot tea or apple cider.  The peace of those moments is priceless.

Please join us with a post of your own and link up so that we may come and visit.

Tree Sharing

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee is hosting a carnival to share pics of our trees and or special ornaments.  Please join in with us.

I must confess two things.  First I love taking a peek a everyone's trees.  I find them so lovely and original to each family's personality.  Secondly, I take full responsibility for the state of the ribbon on the tree. It was the state of mind I was in.  But I was just too tired to rip it off and start again.

 The last couple of years I've really been getting into bird ornaments and eventually I'd love to get one of those sprayed trees that look like they are thick with frost and snow and just have bird and pinecone ornaments.    But for now my "memory" tree warms my heart.

Standard daytime picture

The night glow picture

A few of the bird ornaments I'm starting to collect

Join us over at Linda's and show us your tree!

Broken Hearts

With an absolute hole in my heart that only belongs to this little guy

I write with buckets of tears flowing

That we had to say goodbye to our buddy

Rest in Peace our little Sam

You aren't blind or having trouble breathing or sick anymore.

We miss you like crazy!

And I never swear on this blog but I just have to say

Damn cancer.

Friday's Fave Five #116

Hi and welcome to Friday's Fave Fives!  If you've noticed something is a little bit different, you're right.  My button is missing.  I can't access my file and hubby is not here so it will have to wait until sometime tomorrow.  Oh well, it's still Friday and we can still look for that which was a blessing in our lives without the button, right?  So on we go.  If you're new you can go here first and then please just join in with the rest of us.

1.  Graters that clear the streets of all the snow during the winter time.  We have had so much snow in the last week and the streets are quite the mess.  I'm really glad for those big ole' graters that come and clear my street of all that slippery stuff.  I wasn't too crazy about the one working down the intersecting street this morning at 4:30 a.m. with it's loud beeping back up signal.  I kept waking up thinking my alarm was going off.  But I sure am grateful (grateful, get it?   ....grater... Oh I crack my self up) for the work that they do.

2.  A cup of mint tea to wrap up the day.  I've been enjoying nice, soothing mint tea in the evenings.  So relaxing.

3.  Warm blankets to snuggle into in the evenings on the couch or reading chair.  With it being chilly this last week those blankets felt pretty darn cozy.

4.  Chili.  I made an awesome batch of chili the other night.  I'm not sure but I think the secret might have been in using a can of Hunt's "original" pasta sauce rather than a can of plain old tomato sauce.  The chili was so good.  I think I'll keep using the pasta sauce all the time.

5.  A good, calm week with our dog's health.  After the horrible scary week with his health last week, I am very thankful it has been a calm, good week for him this week.  It was an awful rollercoaster of emotions when we thought we were losing him, and good and bad moments since August,  so it's been nice to be calm this week.  Hopefully he has many good weeks, months and hopefully years of calm and happiness coming to him.

What have been your blessings of the last week?  Join us with a post and sign on to Mr. Linky.  Don't forget to visit around and share in other's blessings too.