Christmas Tunes

Sandra of Diary of a Stay At Home Mom has a delightful December meme going on through the month celebrating the joys of Christmas.

Music is such an integral part of Christmas...  whether in rejoicing  praise and adoration of the Christ-child, in expressing the  cheerful mood   of the holidays...  Christmas  songs and carols  capture  our heart   by the memories they evoke.

This year  my hubby and I are   singing in the Christmas  pageant at church....   and   some of  our  favorite songs in the program  are completely new to us,   but  will forever more   be  very special because of the memory of  all the  work we have put into   singing them.

For example this  very   wonderful   song that  encapsulates  everything  about    this  wonderful season of love and  mercy!

Some songs are    so  amazing in their  joyfulness and  exuberance... their  excellence...  that they instantly become our  favorites..

 or like this song   whose lyrics   are so moving   that  when  performed with such precision  that  it moves right up to the top of the  list..

  

Then  there is this song that every time I hear it I  still weep...  because  it was  popular  my last year  of college,  and my fiancee' was  overseas serving   in the army and  I was missing him so much!

 Hubby and I  always stop what we are doing  and  sing along  with this old favorite.

  The medieval lass in me  swells with  adoration  when I hear  anything Anuna sings..

  
Then several years ago   I will never forget the first time I ever heard this song....  and   it  was  played at a small country church  by a young  lady  (maybe age 14)  who did the most  dramatic interpretive dance to it....    there wasnt a dry eye in the sanctuary...  I have loved it ever since

  Who could  deny this  rendition of a great song!

 And  this reminded me  of  a song that  was popular  when  Lynn and I were dating  and how I hated to  send him  home on cold snowy nights...

  and if I go  way back in my memory banks  I will end with this   one.....  My  dear sweet daddy loved  for me to play this song every Christmas on the piano while he sang along!

Favorite Christmas Movies

Sandra of Diary of a Stay At Home Mom has a delightful December meme going on through the month celebrating the joys of Christmas.

Well, this all depends on whether  we're talking old classics  or  new hallmarks, because I adore them all.

  My alltime favorite classic, of course

A close second is  this wonderful  film!  Love the cast so much!

For more modern films.  my most memorable ones are  these.. I could watch this one over and over.

One  I only saw once  but cant   get it out of my heart. is

  and  Christmas isnt complete without 

What Christmas Means to Me!

Sandra of  Diary of a Stay At Home Mom  has a  delightful December  meme  going on  through the month  celebrating   the joys of Christmas 

Christmas is my absolute  favorite  season of the year.  I  can hardly wait until Thanksgiving is over to start decorating the house.  I actually start  playing the music    just as  the  weather starts to get a bit nippy, usually  around mid November... because  I  am  such a really olde fashioned gal,  I enjoy  Olde English  carols, so my husband   doesnt get too tired of  Christmas  before it's time!



Christmas is a time of deep reflection for me.  I love to sit  in the   parlor  enjoying the   lights of the tree and  a  cosy fire,  cocoa in hand    and   recounting all the    wonderful gifts of life, family, home, and  goodwill  with which we are  blessed.   In my heart I celebrate the  advent with each new  lighting of the  candle  for that week..   ever thankful for the redemptive  gift  of  Christ  sent to  us  in His mercy   toward us..

Christmas  is   the time when  love abounds   in so many ways..  I love  the  effervescence  of it in the market place as the spirit of Christmas  flows from person to person that  you meet.  I  love   to  be a conduit of that  spirit  wherever I go.. I love to dress up in festive colors and  spread  the cheer  in manner   and in presence,  because we have  His presence  within us!

I love  the trappings of Christmas....  the lights, the  trimmings,  the greens  of the  garlands and wreaths  that I so  rapturously  mulled through  at the downtown  market  last Saturday...

 the smells of fresh cut pine and cedar...  the festival  atmosphere of  shoppers  in  the  quaint  shops  on the Market..  I love    the   present  buying for my family....  picking out the  special gifts for  each one...  and  now that our  lil Birdie is  15 months old and scampering around the house,   I love  trying to decorate  "grammy's"  house   with  things at her level that will be   just fine for her  precious  hands  to  grab hold of and  explore.  I love it all...  Christmas is a  feeling of the heart   all   bound up in love and  good   things from  on high....  if you  have  a Christ- centered  heart, you have the freedom to  enjoy Santa and His reindeer, too!    This  post put a huge smile  on my face!!!!  Now gotta go and  do something  Christmassy right now!!!

One Thousand Gifts (670-681)

It has been a  while since I  participated in the  Joy Dare with Ann Voskamp!  I am thankful  for

670.  the fast moving clouds in a late  autumn sky

671.  white sheets  billowing in the  breeze hanging on a clothesline of my  memories

672.  wedding gowns coming down the aisle

673. gold

674. frankincense

675.  myrrh  the  three gifts of the magi

676.  the lights on the Christmas tree

677.  the  stage lights  shining on the   pageantry of a Christmas play

678. the star of Bethlehem  shining on  my Christmas cards announcing the  advent of the           Messiah

679.  the  clickety clack of the  toy train circling overhead  at  a  favorite diner  of mine

680.    the  wreath of flowers crowning a little  girl  traipsing across the meadow on a spring day,   arms  spread wide

681. the  prayer shawl crafted by loving hands and  presented to me   when Daddy  went to be with the Lord almost a year ago today

Happy Homemaker Monday

Visit HHM  here!

Wow, can it really be December, already!!!!

The weather outside is::::
dark, getting colder, and there is a threat of icy weather on the horizon!

On the breakfast plate this morning::::
This morning a delicious breakfast of fried country sausage, 2 hard boiled eggs, and a buttered Cinnamon and raisin English muffin awaited us..... along with fresh ground/ brewed coffee.... my favorite winter breakfast!

As I look outside my window:::
Well, it is dark and a bit windy out tonight.... today it was sunny and very warm for teh season.... but the weather man forecasts a mighty change for tomorrow!

Right now I am::::
enjoying being able to catch up on some blogging that I have missed for some weeks!

As I look around the house::::
I got the Christmas tree up, the candles in the windows and the mantel arranged..... the mantel ... well, Im not too sure that is the final display, but it is getting there!








On today's to do list::::
Laundry....Well, I wanted to get to teh laundry...alas... I am way behind in laundry!

Cleaning....We did get the vacuuming done before we put up the tree..... I could co ntinue the dustings, however!

Errands... We got all the errands done that had been collected to do over the weekend... it will be nice not to have to get out tomorrow in the predicting icy conditions!

Currently reading::::
I am reading the most fabulous book, Prayer Altars


Highly recommended for these days!

On the TV today::::
I totally enjoy the Hallmark Christmas movies.. I can watch them over and over again

What I am creating at the moment::::
Christmas tree and not sure yet if I'll be doing something else for Christmas presents.

New recipe I tried or want to try this week::::
Out of the mood for cooking for a while

Favorite photo from the camera::::


our precious grand baby, Birdie, in her Thanksgiving dress taken during our video chat last week! She is always on the run and so it is hard to capture her in a still photo!!

Prayers, Inspirational Quotes or Devotionals:::: I am sharing the author's note for the book I am reading...Prayer Altars...

What if the Scriptures had a secret that revealed how territory can be taken for the kingdom of God? What if that secret was impacting nations on the earth today? Whether it is through Abraham, Moses, or the early church, God uses prayer altars to occupy territory, advance His kingdom, break the powers of darkness, and draw His presence. This strategy from the Word of God has helped bring revival to entire nations. And the best part is.. God is still using them today! Come explore how you can be a part of this strategy and build prayer altars today in your home, church, city, workplace, and even your nation.
The secret is   developing a  deeper relationship  with God in your heart.....    the prayer altar is the living sacrifice you give of your personal time    before God seeking His will instead of  bombarding Him with a  list of  desires and wants  on one's prayer list....  instead, knowing Him so well...you can  actually   feel His presence and hear His  small, still voice  directing  your prayers and  really praying that it is  on earth as it is in heaven!
I highly recommned every Christian to read this book..  available on the  Intercessors for America Website  store.

Christmas Traditions

I am  looking forward to  sharing all about my yuletide  ideas  through  

The Diary of the Stay at Home Mom 

All through the  years  family has played  the best part of  all  Christmas  plans....  until   the Lord called my grandparents home  Christmas meant getting together with the whole clan on both sides of the family...  The main event at both  farms  was  the  Christmas dinner  at my mom's folks  and the Christmas Supper at dad's....  by the end of the day  we were  completely  stuffed to the  brim... both full of  Christmas joy, fellowship, love, and  more  food that a  body should even  ever consider consuming!.   Then   Christmas reverts to  my   mom and dad's  home in the country  and by that time   we had our  wee Amanda...   and the tradition  continued   with   great  food and    to  replace the hordes of  cousins, aunts and uncles,  Mom always  invited  the neighboring countryside in for  a Christmas Eve Open House, then gift opening  took place on Christmas Eve after the party....  seems strange to me now...It wasnt until   Amanda  was  a teen  that  I got    determine  our  own family's tradition... that  we actually  were  in our own home  over  the Christmas  celebration.  I broke all previous tradition   and  decided  that  we would open gifts  i\on Christmas Day..

Christmas Eve  we would  always go to the  Christmas Eve service  at our church...  and  center ourselves over the true meaning of Christmas,  reading scripture and singing carols around the piano. 

On Christmas morning  we traditionally  have our  festive Christmas brunch...

  Our  favorite  Christmas morning delights are the  Cranberry  walnut Scones

 

Our   lovely Amanda  loves to bake them   lately  which is a huge help   on Christmas morning

 I love to whip  up  our  Christmas    quiche   each year... we usually bake 2 and  eat on it  all day long!!!!

  

Brandied fruit  rounds  out the menu  for Christmas morning...   and then we   head to the  parlor and open  the gifts!!!

Thanksgiving Week

Life can  become so hectic this time of year.Last weekend  as  chairman of the Benevolent Committee at church  I was  privileged to be able to  provide Thanksgiving   food bags and turkeys  with  all the trimmings  to  61  needy families in our community.

  ON  other   days and evenings  Lynn and I have been practicing for this up coming weekend's  Christmas musical, entitled Behold the Savior!  Lynn is singing tenor and  I am first soprano.  we  both are   honored to get to  sing in  an ensemble  of the title song.

Somehow in between all of this   we  hosted a lovely  Thanksgiving dinner for our  dearest friends, Dottie, Bill, Sandy, and Wes!

The day before Thankgiving, it snowed, making a great day for prep work.  I made the most  delectable  turkey stock  and  prepared the  appetizers.  Then put the  finishing touches on the setting.

We enjoyed using Lynn's  mother's  Sunday china.. 

After  we prepared   the house, and the food,  we prepared our hearts for   pure thanksgiving before our Lord!  We all have so much for which to be thankful.

 The cooler weather  set a  great  tone for  mulled cider  in pewter.

 And dinner  was  not only a vision  for the eyes, but  a  triumph  of  God's bounty....   and it  goes  so much better  when everyone pitches in  and helps   by bringing their favorite  dish of food.  I   got to make the turkey and   my mom's  delicious dressing/ gravy/ and mashed potatoes...

I used  Daphne Oz's  mashed potato  recipe from The Chew!
I didnt  make them ahead  so I didnt bake them.

ingredients

 

s

tep-by-step directions

CREAMY MAKE-AHEAD MASHED POTATOES

• 5 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 2 cups half and half
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 Sticks room temperature butter, plus more
• 1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced, plus more
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Place on the stove top and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender (about 15 minutes). Drain potatoes and set aside until cool enough to handle. Using a kitchen towel or a paring knife, peel the potatoes. Then pass the potatoes through a potato ricer and add to a large bowl. Add 2 sticks of softened butter to the potatoes and stir just to combine.
• Meanwhile, combine the half-and-half and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring up to a gentle simmer and remove from heat. Discard the garlic cloves. Add the sour cream to the half-and-half and stir to combine. Then add the creamy mixture and scallions to the potatoes and stir just to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with more scallions and serve.
• For Make-Ahead the Day Before:
• Repeat process above. Place the mashed potatoes into a baking dish. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and place in the fridge the night before. The next day, remove baking dish from the fridge and let come to room temperature. In a separate bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and top the potatoes in an even layer. Dot with more butter on top. Place in an oven preheated at 375 degrees F and bake until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes. Garnish with more scallions and serve.
  
  Tips
  - Be sure not to over-mix your potatoes or they will become gummy!

Make it Pretty 
A Return to Loveliness@ A Delightsome Life

Cottage Style Party@ 

The Charm of Home

Thursday Favorite Things