There's something about the combination of chocolate, coffee, and coconut that just sets my heart astir.

    When the flavors are blended "just right", with no added sugar, then I can enJOY drinking this completely guilt-free. 

    As often as I'd like.

    Even twice a day...or more. 
   
    Sigh. 

    Can you tell I love this new recipe?  A Coconut Mocha Frappuccino is just what I want to have when I'm craving for more complex tastes and textures within a protein-filled frozen blended beverage.

    Here's the recipe for two large servings:


Coconut Mocha Frappuccino

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup chilled coffee + optional 2 tsp. coffee extract (directions to make your own, here)
  
• 1-2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder (no sugar added)
• 4 cups ice cubes
• 2 strips Lily's Chocolate (no sugar) or 2 squares Lindt 90% chocolate (contains small amount of sugar)
• 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut*; toasted or untoasted OR 2 Tbsp. coconut cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. Celtic salt, Himalayan salt, or Redmond RealSalt
• 2 small shakes powdered stevia extract, or to taste
  
• 1/2 tsp. glucomannan powder or xanthan gum (optional - to improve texture)
  
• 1 tsp. THM Sweet Blend or 2 Tbsp. non-GMO erythritol or xylitol or Swerve Sweetener

    Place all ingredients into blender (halve the recipe if your blender won't handle this much at once).  Blend well.  Add additional sweetener, ice, or almond milk for your desired sweetness and thickness.  If desired, sprinkle tops of frappuccinos with toasted coconut or a dusting of cocoa powder or whipped cream.


    Toasted coconut has the same flavor as untoasted coconut, but it also has a caramelized nuttiness and a crisp-chewy texture that raw coconut doesn’t offer. It’s easy to toast unsweetened, flaked coconut at home!  Remember, though, that you may also use 2 Tbsp. of coconut cream (I find this cheapest at Trader Joe's) for a quick and easy version!)

Oven:  spread shredded coconut in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 300° F for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to make sure that the coconut browns evenly. 

Stove top:  spread shredded coconut into a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until coconut is mostly golden brown.  

Microwave:  spread some coconut in a thin layer on a glass/Pyrex pie plate or microwave-safe plate; cook on high, stirring the coconut every 30-45 seconds to ensure that it browns evenly and doesn’t scorch. Depending on how much coconut you’re toasting, you should be done in less than 3 minutes.  Stick with small amounts of coconut with the microwave method, and watch closely so it doesn't burn.

*Note:  By following these directions, you'll still have the texture of flaked coconut in your frappuccino, even using a Vitamix.  If you prefer a smoother texture, place unsweetened, untoasted coconut into food processor and blend until "butter" is formed; this usually takes several minutes...OR use 2 Tbsp. coconut cream in this recipe.  


    If you are following a Healthy and Trim / low-carb lifestyle plan of eating, this recipe is an S.

(click below to save to your own computer or to print this recipe)

This page may contain affiliate links.

   

    I was in a couple of stores around town right after Christmas...on December 26th through 28th, and as I walked around doing some shopping, I heard the following type of conversation twice, between different women in different stores:

 

What is "Strategic Shopping"?

    Candy Foote is a mother of twelve, which has given her a great incentive to learn how to save!  With each new baby, she became a better shopper.  Now, she teaches others how to do the same through her website, http://candyfoote.com/, her classes, and her e-book, Strategic Shopping.

    Strategic Shopping is a step-by-step guide that teaches both the novice and the experienced shopper how to save big at the stores. It teaches that strategic shopping is all about having a plan and knowing when to buy.

    By having a strategy, Candy is able to get rock-bottom prices, FREE items, and even has the stores pay her to shop!  Strategic Shopping is a 143-page eBook that will show you how you can do the same. 

    In Strategic Shopping, you'll learn:

• the exact details for how to use coupons for ultimate savings
• the strategies Candy uses to get rock bottom prices and FREE items
• how to shop so that the stores pay YOU!
• how to save at least 50% off at your grocery store
• how to buy "real' food on a budget, foods like eggs, butter, cheese, milk, bread, organic produce, meat, and more!
• the purpose of pantry
• the difference between stockpiling and hoarding
• how to feed a mega family without living on beans and rice!

    Strategic Shopping even shows you how to get the best deals on prescriptions, how to find military discounts, and finding senior citizen discounts! With the knowledge gained with Strategic Shopping, you can quit buying generic brands and fill your pantry with all brand name items at deep, deep discounts.

    I read a lot of Christian fiction books.  Why "Christian" fiction only...or mostly?  Well, I just don't enjoy filling my mind and my life with obscenities, disrespect, innuendo, and the like. 

    The drawback to sticking with mostly Christian fiction books is that many of the themes are repetitive.  Same 'ol, same 'ol. 

    So when I come across a Christian fiction book that has incredible depth and meaning to it, I'm very pleasantly surprised! 

    Stones for Bread is definitely a "keeper."  ☺

    The irony?  Due to health reasons, I'm not supposed to eat bread.  So I guess I'll just drool while looking at these photos of delicious artisan bread.  Ha!

    A solitary artisan. A legacy of bread-baking. And one secret that could collapse her entire identity.

    Liesl McNamara’s life can be described in one word: bread.

    From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise Bake House, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, nourishing and perfecting her craft.

    But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated. Her head baker brings his troubled grandson into the bakeshop as an apprentice. Her waitress submits Liesl’s recipes to a popular cable cooking show. And the man who delivers her flour—a single father with strange culinary habits—seems determined to win Liesl’s affection.

    When Wild Rise is featured on television, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. And then a phone call from a woman claiming to be her half-sister forces Liesl to confront long-hidden secrets in her family’s past. With her precious heritage crumbling around her, the baker must make a choice: allow herself to be buried in detachment and remorse, or take a leap of faith into a new life.

    Filled with both spiritual and literal nourishment, Stones for Bread provides a feast for the senses from award-winning author Christa Parrish.

    This was a hard book to put down; a totally surprising “bread book”.  It even has numerous detailed recipes for making various breads from well-kept cultures used for making the beautiful and delicious flavors and aromas that come from freshly-baked bread. 

    The story is not actually about just bread, but much more of the life of the young woman whose obsession in life has become her own bakery and what she produces there; it is of her life and journey from girlhood to womanhood, her emotional and spiritual adventures along the way, her attempts to keep private and self-contained thoughts and feelings, her slow awakening of her need for human love and compassion, her relationship with the fabulous personalities who surround her in her bakery, and most of all, her realization of how a living God has enhanced her life and surrounds her and enriches her with the Bread of Life.

    The truths illumined here are life-sustaining.  The author’s use of Scripture and assurance of God’s love in Liesl’s life are true to any person’s needs for direction and comfort.  This is a fabulously rich lesson on love and forgiveness, even redemption for thoughts and actions which may not seem forgivable; many beautiful lessons to be learned through the reading of this story.

    This reader had to go to her kitchen and make a loaf of bread when finished reading—though not from a culture that has been fed and cared for by generations before—still a lovely reward and reminder of how good it is to know a loving God who cares even about the crumbs we have with which to sustain ourselves, and to be thankful for what we are given.

    I received a copy of this book for review, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are those of Joy In Our Journey.com and are based solely on experiences while reading this book.

     In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission...without it costing you a penny more.   I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!

    Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, who was raised Plain in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She travels back east a couple of times each year for research. For fun, too.

     Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. She has an underlying belief in her books–you don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate many of their principles into your life: simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily, trusting in God.

    In the current Christian Fiction market, there seems to be at least one new Amish novel every day.  However, they all seem to follow the same outline.  The things that the Amish cannot do, say or be.  The problem with this is that it has already been said, done, or been.  That said, it was with that anticipation when I opened the new novel The Calling, by Suzanne Woods Fisher that here was just another Amish book.  I was wrong!  It was great!  She has taken the Amish and brought them into the 21st century with her newest book.  She has lost none of the uniqueness that is the earmark of this group of people, but instead has used the culture and strong family ties to make this book a joy to read.

     Bethany is living under the difficult stigma of a mother who abandoned her family.  Not only that, but her father’s business has failed and he has died and all because of the man she thought was ‘The One’ was dishonest.  Her step-mother’s inn has attracted a lady reverend who is recuperating after being fired from yet another church because she is a woman and she just cannot preach.  Her younger sister has taken a job as an advice columnist for the newspaper and she is only 14.  Can life get any more complicated?

     It can because she has now undertaken the job of cleaning out the home of five sisters, who have not thrown out anything for at least the last 60 years.  What a mess that is!  She finds a trunk with not only one skull, but two!

     Have I awakened your interest to the second book in Ms. Fisher’s new series The Inn at Eagle Hill, The Calling?  I hope so because it is really a delightful, interesting book.

     Oh, did I mention the Community Garden and the Soup Kitchen?  They are there also, as is a really interesting young man named Jimmy.  'Nuf said, excellent book for an interesting read; I think that you will agree.

    I received a copy of this book for review, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are those of Joy In Our Journey.com and are based solely on experiences while reading these books.

     In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission...without it costing you a penny more.   I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!

    A few years ago, our family switched from plastic water bottles to glass water bottles (reusing Sobe beverage glass bottles) to using stainless steel water bottles. 

    In an ideal world, I wanted to be able to use a drinking bottle that was glass.  However, my husband, Elmer, wisely encouraged us to stop using glass bottles because of the shattering hazard.  I followed his lead and began to only use glass beverage bottles for storing homemade extracts like vanilla, chocolate, and coffee.

    I was still on the lookout for a glass water bottle that was shatterproof - and if the glass did happen to break, it would be contained so that no one would be injured.  Why?  Well, in aluminum and many stainless steel water bottles, the water begins to taste a bit on the metal side of life after being in a warm car, or after sitting around for a few hours.  Not exactly the taste I was looking for with water stored in a drinking bottle.

    Guess what?  I've found what I was looking for!  I am SO excited!  :)  It's...GLASStic!

    GLASStic is a very workable concept that will fit everyone's needs for glass water bottles.  Here's how they are made:

    GLASStic glass water bottles start with an ultra pure, toxin-free glass bottle; then, they add a silicone rubber gasket at the top, and finish it with a BPA-free, durable outer shell. To use a GLASStic water bottle, simply slip the plastic outer shell over the glass bottle, screw on the bottom base, fill it with your favorite beverage, cap it, and go!

    Now that I've had my GLASStic water bottle for about a month, you should know that I ♥ it!  In fact, it sits out on my kitchen counter so it's ready to grab and fill with water when I'm ready to leave the house. 

    I really like the fact that I can use this safely for drinking water on the go, and I can also use it for almost any other beverage I want to take with me.  GLASStic water bottles will contain 2 cups of beverages, although it's not designed for hot beverages or for placing in the freezer.

    The GLASStic water bottle is designed to be thin enough to fit into the drink holders in my car.  Nice!  All of the other water bottles we've tried in the past won't fit into our cup holders.

    With aluminum and stainless steel water bottles, I wouldn't have been able to take acidic juices and beverages in them, like orange juice, homemade lemonade, or any tomato juice-based beverages.

    That isn't the case with GLASStic, however! 

    GLASStic water bottles are also great for adding essential oils to your favorite water or beverage. 

    So...how hard are the GLASStic bottles to clean?  They are easy.  While their website says that they may be washed in the dishwasher, it's preferable to hand wash these bottles.  A baby bottle brush can be used if leftover beverages are allowed to dry inside the bottles.  Since I'm used to hand washing our beverage bottles already, it wasn't a big deal to hand wash this new bottle. 

    GLASStic water bottles aren't designed to withstand the pressure of being thrown on purpose or being dropped more than four feet in height, but they are definitely durable to use, even for a child.  I feel great about my daughters using my GLASStic bottle if they want...although I'm tempted to just keep it for myself.  ☺

    Thankfully, if the glass does happen to break inside my GLASStic water bottle, it's designed so that none of the shards of glass ever break through to go anywhere but stay inside the bottle.  If my GLASStic water bottle ever breaks, all I'll need to do is to carefully use the cap to push the broken glass out of the shell and into the garbage can.  I can even order a replacement glass insert for $7.99 (includes shipping and handling) from GLASStic!  Wow.

    The double walled construction of the GLASStic Glass Water Bottle provides some additional insulation for my beverages, keeping it cooler than single walled bottles.  Plus, it’s totally sweatproof on the outside. No worries about the bottle ever dripping on my furniture ever again!  

    I've seen nothing but positives with my new GLASStic water bottle, and I like the variety of colors and designs that are offered.  I think these would be a great gift for the friend who appreciates wholesome foods and beverages and doesn't want any contamination from metal or plastic drinking bottles.

    Can you tell that I'm impressed with this new product?  It feels great to finally find a glass beverage bottle that meets my criteria for purity and safety.  It's been a long search!

    The fine print:    I received one GLASStic water bottle for review purposes from Tomoson.com, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences while using this product.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

    In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!

    How many of you enjoy drinking protein shakes for breakfast, a snack, or dessert? 

    Milkshakes have always been a favorite of mine!  However, they're loaded with unhealthy sugar, fat, and all kinds of other chemicals, so I usually avoid them.

    Until now.

    This Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake / Protein Shake is so delicious - and the recipe is quick and easy to mix.  I love having this for breakfast! 

    For those of you who have a Chick Fil A restaurant nearby, you'll enjoy a carb- and calorie-loaded Chick Fil A Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake like this during the Christmas holiday season...but then it disappears, and you have to wait another year to get more.

    But in all honesty, do you really want to do this to yourself?  Look at the list of ingredients:

    Wow.  That's a long list of natural and artificial ingredients.  Take a look at the sugar, fat, and carb counts in the Chick Fil A version:

    Ugh.  89 grams of sugar!  Now how 'bout making a homemade protein-packed version of this that is all-natural and good for you?  Here's my Mock Chick Fil A Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake recipe...but turned into a healthy protein shake!

Serves 2...and takes 2-3 minutes to make!

• 3/4 cup 2% cottage cheese (I prefer using the natural versions of cottage cheese, like Daisy brand)
• 15-20 cubes of ice, depending on how thick you like your milkshakes/protein shakes
• 1-1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1-2 scoops low-carb vanilla whey protein powder (I use Swanson Premium Vanilla Whey Protein Powder)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract or make your own vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract or 1-3 drops food grade peppermint essential oil
• 1/4 tsp. (or to taste) Celtic sea salt orRedmond RealSalt
• 2-3 Tbsp. non-GMO erythritol (or xylitol or Truvia) plus stevia extract to taste (I usually open three of the smallest holes in the lid and add 2-3 small shakes of stevia extract to my protein shakes)
• 1/4 tsp. glucomannan (helps with weight loss and is a natural thickener) or xanthan gum (both are optional and help with milkshake consistency)
• 1 tsp. chocolate extract (or 1 oz. 90% chocolate - Lindt is an inexpensive brand)*

    Combine all ingredients into blender and mix well until thick and creamy.  Taste and add additional ice cubes, salt, sweetener, or peppermint extract as desired.  Top with real whipped cream and small amounts of shaved 90% chocolate, if desired.  Serve immediately.

    *(If you want a true "chocolate chip" style milkshake or protein shake, you'll probably want to use the 90% chocolate added in at the end of the blending time.  You can easily make your own chocolate extract, though, or you can purchase your own, to make this a true, no-sugar-added protein shake.

    This protein shake is a Fuel Pull.

    PRINTABLE version for you:

 

    I like reading a wide variety of genres of literature...but I have one main concern:  that the books I read are not filled with swearing and inappropriate content.

    It's nice to know that some authors, like Lynette Eason, are writing faith-based suspense fiction that doesn't contradict my values for the books that I choose to read.

    One of my favorite authors, Lynette Eason has just published the first novel in her new series Hidden Identity:  No One to Trust.  For fast paced action and characters that move from one seemingly impossible situation to another dangerous problem, this book has it all!

     Summer is a newly married lady, and her husband is now missing.  When she finds him, to her dismay she discovers that he is not Kyle, but David, and has a life completely different than what he has told her.  She is both hurt and angry as could be expected.

     But wait!  Doesn’t she still love him?  After all, she married the man, not the name.  The story proceeds from dangerous situation to deadly situations, and soon Summer and David are fleeing for their lives.  This fast paced book keeps the reader in suspense and turning the pages as fast as they can read to see what impossible problem they are going to face next.

    There is a satisfactory ending to this book, but I would not recommend it for younger readers as life seems to be cheap, and the way to solve your problem is to either go to work for the bad guys or to kill whoever is causing you the problem.  There is some reference to a spiritual life, but the wrong way to deal with your problem is the main emphasis.

    In spite of this, I enjoyed reading the book and feel No One to Trust by Lynette Easton is the first of another of her interesting and fun to read books.

    I received a copy of this boook for review, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are those of Joy In Our Journey.com and are based solely on experiences while reading these books.

     In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission...without it costing you a penny more.   I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!

    Earaches and ear infections are not pleasant.

    I think I had an ear infection once as a very young child, but I don't remember any ear pain or infection until I reached my mid-30s. 

    For some reason, I began getting ear infections at about age 35.  At first, I was shocked to realize I had an ear infection. 

    After it happened several times within one year, I was dumbfounded.  What was causing the ear infections?

    I've had itchy ear canals for most of my life (due to a recently diagnosed problem with candida), so what I finally figured out was that I'd be out and about, grocery shopping or doing errands, and try to get the itching to stop in my ears - without washing my hands.

    Oops.  Not a good idea.

    The second point I learned about my ear health is that sometimes, when showering and rinsing out my ears, I'd accidentally allow water to get into the ear canal.  That was a problem, and it began causing outer ear infections.

    After having a couple of ear infections and being placed onto antibiotics for them (because I was too naive to know better at the time), an older friend at church suggested that I try combining apple cider vinegar and water and placing drops of that mixture into the ear that was affected, four times the first day, and 3-4 times each day thereafter for the next several days until the pain and infection went away.

    Please note that you must use apple cider vinegar, and not regular clear, "white" vinegar.  I highly recommend the Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar with the "mother".

    The first time I tried this, it worked!  I was thrilled to not have to go on antibiotics, and not have to pay for a doctor's visit.  Wow! 

    The second time I tried this method, the ear seemed to clear up, but then three days later, the infection returned with a vengeance!  Oh, it was horrible!  It developed into an inner and outer ear infection - not pleasant at all.

    Back to the doctor I went, and had to be placed on antibiotics, because the infection had spread enough that it wasn't safe without antibiotics.

    Interestingly, though, this is what the physician told me that day:  apple cider vinegar is an excellent remedy for ear infections, but water cannot be used in the same mixture.  Even sterilized water combined with apple cider vinegar will enter the ear canal...and then the water is no longer sterile.  A wet ear canal actually creates a breeding ground for bacteria, which is what gave me the horrid outer ear infection that time.

    The doctor told me this:  feel free to use apple cider vinegar to treat ear infections.  However, combine it with rubbing alcohol, which will help to dry out the ear canal and prevent a bacterial infection from developing.  He also said that this natural remedy (or using Swim-Ear drops) is as effective and sometimes more effective than using antibiotics.  Wow.

    I used this method for the next several ear infections that started, and it has worked every time! 

    You can use an empty dropper bottle for storing the apple cider vinegar/rubbing alcohol mixture to keep it sanitary.  Use one part of each liquid for maximum effectiveness; for example, 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 Tbsp. rubbing alcohol.

    After swimming, these drops work very well in the ear canal to prevent swimmer's ear!

    Another option is to purchase Swim-Ear drops. They're inexpensive, and only contain glycerin and alcohol, designed for people who tend to get swimmer's ear after swimming and need something to dry out the ear canal a bit after each swim.


Directions for using Swim-Ear drops or apple cider vinegar/rubbing alcohol drops:  Place 4-5 drops into the ear canal, and tilt your head for a minute; then, tilt the other way and let the drops drain out of the ear onto a tissue. Do this 4-5 times a day the first day, and then 3-4 times a day for the next few days. Usually, the pain starts to subside within 1-2 doses.


    One more thought:  sometimes, as the drops drain out of the ear canal, the rubbing alcohol contained in them can burn a little bit. It doesn't bother me, but some children might be more sensitive to it. To help prevent that, before using the drops, put a little bit of Vaseline or coconut oil on a Q-Tip, and rub it on the OUTSIDE edge/tip of the ear canal, not inside it. This should coat the skin so that when the drops come back out, it should prevent any hot or burning sensation.


    Keep in mind that I'm not a doctor nor a medical professional, nor do I play one on television.  This is just what has worked well for my own ear infections.  If you use this natural remedy for ear aches and infections but find that the pain is not subsiding, please see a medical professional for treatment.


    If the pain begins to get more severe, then it may be more than this natural remedy can handle...but I've never had that happen.

    Interestingly, I haven't had an ear infection for about a year now, since I stopped eating most sugar and flour, but if I do get itchy ear canals (usually a precursor), I use the Swim-Ear drops once or twice, and the itchiness goes away.

    There are other natural remedies I've heard of friends using:  warmed olive oil; honey; garlic.  They're messy, and I'm a bit on the lazy side when ill or not feeling well, so I prefer using the Swim-Ear drops or apple cider vinegar/rubbing alcohol drops.

    Have you tried anything else that helps stop ear aches before they turn into full blown infections?

    You've probably been so busy the last two weeks that you didn't even miss me. 

    But in case you haven't noticed, I took the last couple of weeks off to focus more on spending time with my family.  It was so worth it! 

    I missed visiting with you all here.  December was a very busy month for my family, filled with preparations for Christmas, Kelsi's 16th birthday, our 19th wedding anniversary, Brittany's 3rd annual Christmas party that we host, and many music concerts in which the girls were either singing or playing instruments.

    Here's a quick recap of the month of December for the Miller family:

    For some reason, the area in which we live rarely gets snow.  When it snows one inch overnight, it's a "snowstorm" to us!  ☺  Not only did we have some beautiful snow, but it got down into the teens.  Day after day, the snow hung on and was so beautiful!

    My husband does such a wonderful job at hanging up Christmas lights and decorations outside our home.  I love it!

    When our girls were around ages 4 and 6, I brought home some gingerbread houses for them to ice and decorate on Thanksgiving evening.  At some point in late November or early December each year since that time, the girls decorate gingerbread houses.  This is an annual event in our home that has been going on for 10 years now!  :)  I love seeing the variety of creativity in their finished houses.

Kelsi's Gingerbread House:

Brittany's Gingerbread House:

     Yeah, we're a bit crazy here...to host a teen girls' Christmas party and sleepover every year, in the midst of everything else that goes on during the month of December.  But this has been an annual event for Brittany, our 13-year-old creativity queen, and I hope that if you have teens or know teens in your neighborhood or church, you'll consider hosting a teen Christmas party of your own some time.  Fun!

    Kelsi, our 16-year-old, delights us each Christmas Eve with a violin solo at our Christmas Eve worship service at church.  It's such a thrill to hear her play!  It brings tears to my eyes.  I wish you could hear her.

    After our Christmas Eve worship service at the church we attend, we come home with my parents and our friend, Marge, and enjoy some quiet, contemplative time together.

    My mom or I set out Christmas sweets and eggnog or sparkling cider for everyone to enjoy while we either read the Christmas story about the birth of Christ from the book of Luke in the Bible, or we read through Helen Steiner Rice's poem called, The Christmas Guest.

...and of course, the crackling fireplace makes the evening seem even more warm and cozy.  It is a special time of family memories and traditions that we repeat year after year.  I'm so thankful for my family!

    I pray that your Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations provided you with some new, delightful memories for you to treasure.  I look forward to celebrating Christ's birth every year...and celebrating His birth every day of the following year, as I should.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!