National Day of Prayer

Hey friends!  As you may already know, or just to serve as a reminder, today is National Day of Prayer. 

And if you don’t already, what a great time to start a routine to pray together as a family.  It’s never too late to make this a part of your day and you’re sure to be blessed by it!

For our family, it’s how we end the day with our children, even though they are now mostly grown.  Developing this habit has become a memorable and special part of life for us.  Usually we include a devotion or something that the Lord has pointed out that day.  It’s an informal time for us, and more times than not our gathering begins with swapping some laughs, all piled in our bedroom.  My daughter’s poodle Navi is so accustomed to the routine that she oftentimes arrives in our room before we do where we find her at the foot of our bed wagging her tail. She is so funny about this!  But one of the dearest memories that I will always store in my heart is my youngest daughter’s after prayer routine of going around the room giving us all goodnight hugs, and yes, even Navi gets a hug and has developed a remarkable ability to stand up on her back legs and literally return the hug.

And speaking of hugs, since I just used that word three times in one sentence :), hugs to you and I hope that you are enjoying spring!  The air is so sweet in our neck of the woods right now that I can hardly stay indoors!

We Can Be Thankful…

He loves us. 
   He is sovereign.  
       He is trustworthy.  
            He is righteous. 
               He is with us at all times. 
                  He hears and answers our prayers. 
                     He forgives us. 
                        He loves us unconditionally. 
                           He gives us grace and mercy. 
                              He is our help and our shield.  
                                 He has an eternal home waiting for us. 
                                    He shares our joys and victories. 
                                       He comforts us in our sorrows…

For those of us who are believers, there is much to be thankful for--wherever we are in life!
“BLESSED is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.”  Ps. 128:1

I hope that each of you have a Happy Thanksgiving and that your day is filled with rejoicing!

“O GIVE thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 136:1

A 4th of July Tale

 

                          I hope that you have a very happy Fourth of July! 

What a day to celebrate!  If you been here before, you may know that I’m from the South and have an interest in history, so here’s a little southern historical tale for you. 

Did you know that an entire southern town didn’t celebrate Independence Day, even in my lifetime?  If you lived in Vicksburg, Mississippi, oh, say, 38 or more years ago, you would still have to go to work on Independence Day, you would still walk down your driveway when you arrived home and find mail in your mailbox, and you likely wouldn’t anticipate a local fireworks display that evening. 

By now, this might seem like a tale for sure, but it’s not a fictional one. 

You see, this lack of enthusiasm wasn’t because Vicksburg had a problem with the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  No, they just had harsh memories to deal with, and each 4th of July was a painful reminder. 

As you probably already know, Vicksburg played an important role in the Civil War.  So much that President Abraham Lincoln believed that whoever held “the key” to the city would be victorious in controlling the Mississippi River, which was a vital waterway for both the North and the South .  As a result, the Union’s General Ulysses S. Grant was a man on a mission, beginning in the spring of 1862, when he set out to clear a trail to Vicksburg.

Long story short, it took more than a year for Grant and his troops to reach the doorsteps of their Vicksburg destination.  Familiar with victory and defeat, their campaign took another unwelcomed turn after two attempts to crash Confederate Army lines failed.  But the brave in blue arched around the scenic city that stood hedged within river and bluffs, settling in for a siege, as they starved the people of Vicksburg out.  Forty-seven long days later, their plan was successful.

Confederate Army General John Pemberton strategically surrendered Vicksburg to General Grant, on July 4, 1863.  The hope was that by surrendering on Independence Day, the Union would have mercy on them.  Apparently, that is just what happened.  The southern army was paroled rather than taken captive, and the Union shared their food with the starving folks of Vicksburg.

Like leaven in dough, accounts of great suffering were passed from one generation to the next.  So from that infamous day forward, Vicksburg did not celebrate Independence Day until the Allies won WW II.  However, as the years passed, the celebrating fizzled out and didn’t revive again until our nation’s Bicentennial in 1976.  The folks of Vicksburg got their celebration on once again.  And now, if anyone unwittingly were to walk down their driveway to check their mail on the 4th of July, well, they would find their mailbox empty, which might serve as a reminder that they better hurry and fire-up the BBQ, because the fireworks extravaganza on the Mighty Mississippi begins at sundown.   

Long Lived The Queen

I kind of have a thing for history.  I kind of have a thing for Victorian decorating.  I kind of have a thing for the Victorian Era.  Kind of would be better translated, I LOVE those times! 

But this post isn’t about me, it’s about Queen Victoria. 

 
Now, even if history makes your eyes glaze over, and even if you think the ornate Victorian style is overdone, you still might enjoy this post. :) 

And besides, it’s in honor of Queen Victoria’s birthday.    

She was born May 24, 1819, which, according to my calculator app :), that makes her 195 years old.

The English monarchy was in a sad state of affairs when the Duchess of Kent gave birth to Victoria.  And without boring you with lengthy details, the reason why is simple:

It was under the rule of immoral leadership.

As proven time and time again in history, from ancient times to the present, God does not bless immorality.  


This royal baby that was born at 4:15 a.m., would in merely 18 years, begin to carry out a legacy reigning as queen for 63 years and 7 months, which puts her in place of having the longest female monarchy in all of history.  At only 11 years old, Alexandrina Victoria resolved that her reign would be different from her predecessors, declaring “I will be good.” 

During her reign, she caused the people’s view of the monarchy to shift from contempt to admiration.  

Thriving under her honest rule, Great Britain reached the height of its glory.

It expanded in:
Wealth
Geographical dominion
Manufacturing achievements
Cultural achievements
Economic progress
Marriage rate and birth rates
Environmental and health standards

Mortality rates decreased.

God blesses God honoring nations! 

In Revelations 3, God’s Word refers to this time period as “The Church of Philadelphia.”  The church of Philadelphia was the church of opportunity and took place in the 18th - 19th centuries. 

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write;  These things saith he that is holy…I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”  Rev. 3: 7-8

The popular Queen Victoria recognized the source of her success. 

A visiting African chief once asked her the secret to England’s greatness.  

Oh, she could have taken him to see the great wealth and gleaming jewels, the brilliant orators in Parliament…  But she didn’t. 

But what she did do is why I am her fan. 

She presented him with a Bible, explaining to him that God’s Word is the secret of England’s greatness. 

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience…”  Rev. 3:10 

Queen Victoria represented and characterized the mindset of the middleclass 19th century English. 

In general, they were a God honoring society, God’s Word was of the utmost importance to them, and they took a stand when the Bible was attacked.  They were virtuous, loved morality, and they understood the importance of setting a good example. 

It’s my prayer that we do the same. 

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  2 Chronicles 7:14

Blessings, my friend.  I hope that you are enjoying these first bits of summer!   

A Family Fun App

Hey dear friends,

Just in case you haven’t played it, I wanted to share with you an app that is so much fun! 

Everyone in our household, from 15 to 50 (plus a little more!) has gotten addicted to playing this fast-paced word search game called Scramble with Friends by Zynga.

We play with each other on our various tablets and it has started numerous impromptu family game nights. 

Each turn is 2 minutes long.  You make as many words as you can on a 4x4 grid by sliding your finger across the letters.  You can go any direction, as long as the letters connect.  

This game is so much fun and it’s FREE!  I got it from Amazon, but it is available other places too.

Have a great week, dear friends, and stay warm!  Looks like many of us are going to freeze!  But the good news is, spring will be here before we know it!

The Little Tree

It began with a red Christmas ornament.  A lone little tree sat on the side of a road in Brandon, Mississippi for months, after perhaps falling off of a truck or maybe being dumped out, back sometime in the summer.  The tree died, and had been there long enough that those that passed by regularly didn’t notice it anymore, if they ever did. 

Until one day, a shiny red ornament showed up on the crispy, dried branches of the little tree. 

The following day, the tree had a new addition; a strand of silver garland glistened in the sunlight as it curved around the branches, making the little tree with a sparse scattering of small brown leaves hard to miss.  Over the days ahead, morning commuters were filled with curiosity and anticipation as to what might adorn the tree next as they journeyed out to their tasks of the day.      

As darkness shrouded the night sky, bit by bit, evening by evening, town folks quietly added to the now endearing little tree, hoping to be as anonymous as those who had already taken part in embellishing it.  With smiles and laughter, families began to tell each other about the little tree. Who knew that one small action would grow and spread such merriment?

Before long, the little tree was filled with a colorful array of Christmas ornaments, bright red bows, beaded garland, and a set of solar powered lights.  Packages wrapped in festively printed Christmas paper appeared, each one nestled under the little tree.  Beside the tree, a small American flag brought patriotism to the scene, which to me, in a nutshell, represented what was happening in the Brandon community.   

This real life story makes me think of another little tree that is told about in one of my favorite childhood tales, as it probably does you.

In light of the new year as I map out hopes and goals, the story of what happened with the little tree also makes me think about how if we each do our part, what a difference it will make.  With busy schedules, we sometimes neglect what is in our hearts to do.  But like the town’s people in Brandon, MS, if each of us do a little something, just think of all the lot of somethings that will happen, and what great things will be accomplished as a result!

I hope that you, dear reader, had a Merry Christmas, and are off to a great start with the New Year.  Hugs to you, and thank you for the time that you have taken to read my posts and visit.

Christmas Traditions Trivia Series: Gift Giving

Most of us have been on a quest the past several weeks (or more!) to find the perfect gift to give our family members and our friends.

No doubt about it though, the perfect gift has already been given;

Jesus! 

God Himself gave us the first and best Christmas Present that there could ever be!!  Thus, the tradition of gift giving began.

The image of the Wise Men giving gifts to Jesus is associated with Christmas, and we often see Nativity scenes with the shepherds and the Magi peering at Baby Jesus.  The chronology of the events of Jesus’ birth are understandably confusing.  When studied closely, however, evidence points to Jesus being about one or two years old when the Wise Men arrived.

The Bible does not tell us how many of these men followed the miraculous star in the East, which led them to where the Christ Child was, but we do know that they brought Baby Jesus three gifts.

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.”  Matt. 2:11

Gold symbolizes  the deity and glory of our Savior.  Frankincense is a fragrance, representing the sinless and perfect life of Jesus.  Myrrh is a bitter herb, signifying the suffering Jesus would endure to pay our sin debt.

These Magi were divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod.  In spite of how they might have lived before their journey to Jesus, once they experienced Him, their obedience was to God, not Herod.  Isn’t that the way it goes - an encounter with Jesus is always life changing, and route changing too! 
The most common gifts given in times past of celebrating Jesus’ birth were sweet oranges, which were rare treats, or homemade food items, and handmade clothing & crafts.  Stockings that were actually worn were hung on hearths with anticipation of finding treats in them, dating back as early as the fourth century.

 
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, we can give back to God by giving to others.  While we hope that our loved ones’ faces light up with joy as they open their presents – presents that we put such thought and effort into - what’s more important is that we do all that we can to help them receive the Greatest Gift of all!

I hope that each of you have a very Merry CHRISTmas!   

Christmas Traditions Trivia Series: Christmas Cards

Continuing my Christmas Tradition series, today we will look at the history behind Christmas greeting cards.

Greeting cards were originally created by the Chinese celebrating the New Year.  In those ancient times, they were sent primarily by the ruling classes.  Later, ancient Egyptians also sent greeting cards.

A postal service called the Penny Post began in London, England in 1680.  It was affordable enough that ordinary people could send mail within 10 miles of the city.  The Penny Post was highly successful and the idea caught on. 

  

In the US, Benjamin Franklin initiated the forerunner of the US Postal Service in 1792.  Before long, postal delivery became widespread, making it possible for people to send cards and letters worldwide.

With the postal services in place, the first commercially available Christmas cards were commissioned by Sir Henry Cole in 1843. 

Cole’s credentials included writing children's books, designing the world’s first stamp, inventing a prize winning teapot, and he was the founder of the Victoria and Albert museum in London.  If you’re not familiar with his name, you may recognize him by his nickname – “Old King Cole,” as he was affectionately called.

The designer of this first American Christmas card was John Callcot Horsley.  Below is what the card looked like, and it was met with a bit of controversy because of the young child sipping wine.  

Printing methods improved, and Louis Prang from Germany became known as “the father of the American Christmas Card” as he began massively producing and selling Christmas greetings in the US in the mid 1870’s. 

Christmas greetings became more common by this point, and provided ample opportunity for artists, writers, printers, and engravers. 

The following cards are by Kate Greenaway, a famous children’s book illustrator.  She began her career designing Christmas, New Year, and Valentine cards. 

 

Aren’t they sweet!  I love her artwork!

Well, thank you for joining me today as we take a look at the tradition of sending Christmas greetings.  Will you also join me in prayer this week for those that are in need of knowing Jesus as their Savior?  Let’s pray that they will be drawn to Him this Christmas Season, realize their need, and respond to His calling.

Christmas Traditions Trivia Series: Christmas Lights

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”  John 8:12

I’m so glad that you joined me for the continuation of my Christmas traditions series.  Today, my post will explore the tradition of Christmas lights.  As I begin, I find myself wondering if perhaps the stable where Baby Jesus was born was softly illuminated by lamplight.

We couldn’t know about then, but before electricity, once upon a time, as people assembled together to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, churches were beautifully illuminated with candlelight and lamps.  I can just imagine the glowing scene on a crisp, wintery night.

  
Also, the early Christmas trees were sometimes lit by candlelight.  Melted wax secured the candles to the evergreen branches until candleholders became fashionable in the late 19th century. 

Germany is due the credit for beginning the tradition of lighting Christmas trees in this way.  Queen Victoria helped this idea grow in England and the United States as well, largely as a results of a woodcut picture of her candlelit Christmas tree.

 

In the 1880’s, Sir Joseph Swan facilitated actors to be dressed in small lights as part of their costumes in an operetta, which inspired the term “fairy lights.”  And soon to follow, Thomas Edison’s work with electrical lighting became directly responsible for the invention of electric Christmas lights.

Edward Johnson, the vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company, had eighty red, white, and blue miniature light bulbs made for his Christmas tree in 1882, which is believed to be the very first electric lights to adorn a Christmas tree.

The first electrically lit Christmas tree at the White House was switched on by President Grover Cleveland during his second term in 1895. 

The cost of lighting a Christmas tree in the early 1900’s would be about $300!  It would be another 30 years still until Christmas lights were affordable enough to be sold to the general public.

 

Oh, the beauty of Christmas!  May the beautiful light of Jesus shine brightly in your heart, filling you with joy that is evermore infectious! 

Christmas Traditions Trivia Series: Cookies

Celebrating Jesus’ birthday. . . simply the best!  I love, love, love this time of year!!!

As we make preparations to do so, do you ever wonder where some of the traditions began?  This month, I will feature a few of those traditions in a series of posts.

Today, it’s Christmas Cookies!

The English word cookie comes from the Dutch word “kookje,” which means “little cake.”

 

The history of cookies can be traced back to Medieval European biscuits.  Across Europe, by the 16th century, Christmas biscuits had become popular, with mothers intent to bake special sweets for their children. 

It was fun reading this excerpt from The American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, which was published in 1796,  where she writes:

“Another Christmas Cookey…Kneed all together well, roll three quarters of an inch thick, and cut or stamp into shape and slice you please, bake slowly fifteen or twenty minutes; tho’ hard and dry at first, if put in an earthen pot, and dry cellar, or damp room, they will be finer, softer and better when six months old.” 

“Cookey” - cute spelling but I don’t think I would want to eat six month old cookies! :)

Gingerbread cookies have been around for a long time, and weren’t associated in particular with Christmas until Queen Victoria. She is credited with making them a popular tradition of Christmas as they were a part of her Christmas Day menu, along with following other imported German folk traditions of her Prince Consort, Albert.

 
Nationalities sometimes have their own specialty Christmas cookies. One of my favorites are Papparkakor cookies which are Swedish. These spicy ginger and cinnamon flavored cookies that were traditionally cut out in flower & heart shapes, became a favorite in my family when I tried a delicious recipe that you can find here.

 

A popular Mexican Christmas cookie is called Reposteria, which is a sugary shortbread cookie coated in cinnamon. Pepernoten are ball shaped cookies that were a baking tradition in Holland, and the popular Norwegian Christmas cookie Krumkake is a thin wafer that is oftentimes filled with cream. (I haven’t tried these three types of cookies, but if you are interested, you can click on them to see recipes.)

I love to bake spritz cookies at Christmastime. I find it fun to use a cookie press and they are quite tasty! These delicate, buttery cookies are originally German biscuits that are called Spritzgebäck. Germany is credited with introducing cookie cutters to the United States at the end of the 19th century, also.

I hope that the kick-off to your Christmas season is overflowing with fun and festivities!  What are your favorite Christmas cookies to bake this time of year?