Worst Nativity Sets Ever . . .

http://whyismarko.com/2011/27-worst-nativity-sets-the-annual-growing-list/

Check these out before the site goes down. Wow, talk about losing the reason for the season.

Keeping our eyes on Christmas . . .

Teach, O teach us, holy Child,

By Thy face so meek and mild,

Teach us to resemble Thee,

In Thy sweet humility!

Hail, Thou ever-blessed morn!

Hail, redemption's happy dawn!

Sing through all Jerusalem,

Christ is born in Bethlehem.

E. Caswall: See, Amid the Winter's Snow, (19th Century)

All the Days of Christmas . . .

Practically the day of Christmas, discarded trees were put out on the curb for trash pick up. How sad that people didn't realized that Christmas was only beginning and they were cleaning up and heading out for the after-Christmas sales . . . which seemed pretty much like the Black Friday sales . . . and the other pre-Christmas sales. I think they might be filling in the 'spirit' of Christmas with material items and still going spiritually hungry . . . so they continue to search for a meaning in the market place.

I was shocked at some of the published remarks made on various social networks from people complaining about what they got for Christmas One teen was actually livid and said her Christmas was ruined because the car she was expecting wasn't going to arrive until two days after Christmas. No matter to her that she was, indeed, getting a car for Christmas. She was angry because, as she put it, "No car in the driveway with a big, red bow for me. My Christmas is ruined!" Obviously, she required instant gratification and lost the grace of being thankful that she was still getting a huge gift! If I were her parent, the car would never arrive with that attitude!

I wonder how many of the complaining people were as generous to their friends and family at Christmas. Did they gift all of them with wonderful gifts that didn't disappoint?

I could tell who hadn't been to church since last Christmas at Mass. They settle into their pew, rustle the bulletin like a program, and chat . . . out loud!

I guess the world has gotten so far from God in their personal lives that they have nothing to carry over into their spiritual life. Everytime one of these people exclaim with an OMG, God listens but the people aren't responding.

New Year Reminders . . .

When my husband was a teenager, he worked weekends as a dishwasher and cook's helper at a local lodge. There was a big event one weekend and the owners hired an extra helper and asked my husband if he knew of anyone who wanted to earn some money. He volunteered his younger brother. During the course of the evening, my husband found himself short tempered and demanding of his younger brother. Nothing he did was right, he was too slow, etc. Meanwhile, the other kid hired for the evening was doing about the same job but my husband treated him with a lot more kindness and respect. Suddenly, he realized that he was only picking on his brother because he could but was being polite to a complete stranger. It brought him up short and he started thinking about how we often treat our own family less worthily than strangers. I suppose family can't leave and we are stuck with each other . . . but that shouldn't be the mind set. Now that he is a grown up with children, he always admonishes our teens and older to treat their siblings as strangers if they can't find it in their heart to treat them like family. The first time he made this announcement, it stopped them short until he explained it to them. No, they still aren't perfect children but they have come to realize who should be first in their hearts.

I remember a situation from my own childhood. I must have been around five or six and my mother, as always, was busy baking for some special event at our parish. She was known for her baking and always called upon or volunteered herself to help out. I had witnessed these frenzied baking sessions before and knew to keep clear of the clouds of flour and motherly muttering as she tried for perfection. The delightful smells and pretty cookies finally got to me and I quietly asked, "Mom! If you have a cookie that doesn't look good or is burned, can I have it?" There was a sudden lull in the culinary storm. My mother sighed and a tear crept down her cheek and she handed me a little plate with several of her most perfect creations. She, too, had gotten lost in the process and, perhaps, the 'fame' of her baking. I guess I had made her realize that family should always come first.

These episodes in our lives seem to pop into mind around New Year's and reminds me to share the best that I am with the people who mean the most to me in this life. My husband's story reminds me to respect the ones who love me the most. No, I'm far from perfect but I'm remembering more often to try!

Remembering to not cast blame . . .

Each of us makes his own weather, determines the color of the skies in the emotional universe which he inhabits.

- Fulton J. (Bishop) Sheen

The best way to shop . . .

After Mass, this morning, my son and one of my daughters headed out for the stores. My son had in hand a gift card from Best Buy and one for Barnes & Noble Books. Since each card was valued at $25, we didn't expect to spend much of our own on this venture. Having had several bad experiences at Best Buy, we weren't sure we'd be able to find anything. My son did his research, however, and got himself a cover/shield for his IPod.

Going to the bookstore wasn't a problem at all except at narrowing down the choices to stay within the limit of the gift card. A stop for some Chinese food and it was said to be a good day.

The weather has turned and we are having Spring weather which always confuses our orange tree. Besides being loaded with golden orange fruit, it is now starting to sport orange blossoms!

My husband patroled the backyard before we went to sleep last night to make sure the cat didn't wander in, again, to set off the Chick alarm! The dog went to bed on time and slept as did we.

Orange-Scented Oatmeal Short Bread

The one cookie I never got around to baking this year was shortbread. Although I very much enjoy a plain, buttery piece of shortbread, I also like oatmeal. This is one of those recipes that have both the buttery texture/taste with some bite with the crusted sugar and oatmeal. The orange zest and glaze only enhances the whole experience.

Orange-Scented Oatmeal Short Bread
½ cup regular rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
Dash of ground cloves
½ cup butter, cubed
Milk as needed
1 tablespoon coarse sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and toast the oats until lightly brown. Let cool completely. In a food processor, combine 1/3 cup of the oats; flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, orange zest, and cloves. Cover and process until oats are ground. Add butter pieces to food processor. Cover and pulse until mixture just comes together.

Pat dough into an 8-inch circle on an ungreased baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Form an edge around the circle. Brush dough circle lightly with milk. Sprinkle with the remaining toasted oats, coarse sugar, and press oat-sugar mixture lightly onto circle. Cut circle into 10 wedges (leave wedges in circle).

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Re-cut circle into wedges while warm. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Drizzle with Orange Glaze and let set. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Orange Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
Enough fresh orange juice to make a glaze.

Benjamin Franklin said it best . . .

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. ~Bill Vaughn

　

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan

　

Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits. ~Author Unknown

　

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. ~Author Unknown

　

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

Heading into the New Year . . .

I'm starting of the coming New Year in a good frame of mind . . . I finished the quilt I started before Christmas! It has been sitting on my sewing table since the beginning of December. With so many extra activities and chores to do, It remained a fixture there. I had finished my Christmas crocheting projects and needed something to keep my hands busy the other night and pulled out my pin cushion and thread and took up the plight of my incomplete quilt. There was nothing but hand sewing yet so a perfect occupation while I watched television in the evening. I got so busy on finishing the applique work on the back of the quilt that it wasn't until I put in the last stitch, last night, that I realized I hadn't looked at the front and couldn't quite remember how it looked! I had literally forgotten about my striped border I had pieced. All in all, I'm pretty happy with the outcome and it was totally pieced out of scraps for the quilt top. Lots of memories in all those bits and pieces of fabric.