For All the Saints Who From their Labors rest . . .

In the Catholic Church, tomorrow is the Solemnity of All Saints which is also referred to as All Saints’ Day. The feast day is in honor of all the souls that have reached Heaven, known and unknown.

November 2^nd is the feast day of All Souls’ Day. While The November first feast day of All Saints’ honors the souls that have attained Heaven, All Souls’ Day remembers those who are still in Purgatory and awaiting their ultimate entrance into the Sight of God.

Many faiths believe Heaven is a given for any deceased person, and it is, if that person has earned it. It is not enough to believe there is a God so much as it is necessary to live our lives knowing that God will judge us according to how we lived the lives He has blessed us with. I meet so many Catholics who say, "Well, I know he/she went directly to Heaven." Believing that won’t lead them to pray for that soul in case Heaven wasn’t a done deal, after all, and the person has some purification time needed in Purgatory.

I think people find themselves believing that Purgatory is a bad thing so concentrate on the best case scenario. I believe that attaining Purgatory guarantees you a place in Heaven eventually while a warmer destination would not . . . ever!

All Saints’ Day, then, is a wonderful celebration of all the saints enjoying their eternity and free of the obvious woes and tribulations of life. All Souls’ Day is a reminder that everyone needs prayer especially those who are waiting out a time in anticipation of Heaven and are unable to pray for themselves.

Whenever we get too complacent about our hereafter and work less hard on our spirituality and morality, All Souls’ Day comes along and reminds us of our mortality. As the old joke goes, the person is shocked at who is and who is not in Heaven when he arrives and the people in Heaven are shocked to see he has made it! Time to pray for all the souls and increase our reflections on our own hereafter.

An interesting thought . . .

The news seldom brings encouragement these days. Lies and deceit are the norm from the majority of our politicians. Hardly an election goes by that there isn't some kind of scandal presented to either expose or depose a candidate.  The television condones all kinds of immoral behavior and gets the ratings. Yet, we bemoan the demise of the nation that was founded on Christian, moral behavior. Who are we to blame? How do these terrible politician gets into office and promote these ungodly interpretations of the laws of the land.

Seems to me that we don't have to look any further than the pews of our churches to find the culprits. Last I read,  over 50% of the Catholic vote put the current administration into office. A vote is a sanction and approval of the politician. We have an administration that is for all the immoral behaviors that are in opposition to our Christian codes of behavior. Why do people who should know what their religion stands for vote in disregard to Godly ways?

I have been disrespected more than a few times by fellow Christians in the pew for my narrow-minded view of the last two elections. Even the wife of a deacon, who you would think have a better understanding, told me that although they, personally, didn't vote for the current president, they rejoiced that the American people came together so joyfully to cast the vote for his 'historic' election. Behind her, in the booklet rack at the church resided a pamphlet for voting and it did not name names on who to vote for but what kind of person should be honored with our vote so that we stay on the side of Christian behavior. These are called 'non-negotiable' in deciding our vote. Obviously, she as well as a great many others of the Christians persuasion, did not read or take this information to heart. In other words, they voted as a political party, first, and a Christians, second. When you put your Faith on the back burner, you can't expect God to pick up the slack.

We now face discrimination as Christians. The new health plan, besides ruining many peoples life and income, makes everyone support abortion and contraception no matter what their faith may tell them. We have no option. We have to 'tolerate' everyone's choices even if it infringes on more moral choices. As a very wise woman in England stated on the news recently - God is not a tolerant God, he is a long-suffering God.

Seems that the next time anyone wants to complain about the state of our country and world, we have only one group to blame - the Christians and Catholics who voted for the moment, for politics, for the false hopes and not for God.

A Picture Makes the Quote!

 

Quote of the Day . . .

“We’re lending money we don’t have, to kids who will never be able to pay it back, for jobs that no longer exist… That’s crazy, right? That’s what we’ve been doing for the last forty years.”  -- Mike Rowe

Future of Our Medical Insurance Policies . . .

Given the daily reports of insurance policies being cut, 300,000 in Florida, alone, you have to wonder if this promise was 'forgotten' or an out-right lie? Even those who still retain their policies aren't resting comfortably wondering what the next phone call or mail delivery will bring. Unconstitutionally, the time limit for enrolling in the medical insurance system has been extended but will that really help or just delay the next computer crash. It is truly a sad statement that a policy/mandate which was not favored by the majority is being such a burden on our lives right now.


"So let me begin by saying this: I know that there are millions of Americans who are content with their health care coverage - they like their plan and they value their relationship with their doctor. And that means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away." Barack Obama, AMA Speech, June 2009

Terrorists and Radical Threats . . . Christians? ProLife? The Politically Conservative?

Army Briefing Tells Soldiers Christians and Pro-Lifers are a "Radical" Threat

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 10/23/13 1:25 PM

http://www.lifenews.com/2013/10/23/army-briefing-tells-soldiers-christians-and-pro-lifers-are-a-radical-threat/

I’ve always wondered how a country adverse to the mercy and glory of God can exist. I prayed for Russia and China. I pitied people who would be afraid to exhibit any kind of Christian faith in public in case of reprisal against them or their family. How can people live free and in peace if their livelihood depends on being careful of what you say and to whom in case you chance losing everything. Oh . . . wait! I live in America and while we are still the most free country in the world, the current administration and other liberal factions are bound and determined to change that as well as turn us into placid taxpayers who don’t have an original thought in our head. I’m praying that many will be able to withstand that sort of onslaught but it is turning into an uphill battle.

In the LifeNews site, today, we learned:

A new Fox News report issued today says soldiers attending a pre-deployment briefing at Fort Hood were told that Christians and conservative political advocates are a threat to the nation. They were also informed that pro-life advocates are "radical."

　

". . . the counter-intelligence agent in charge of the meeting spent nearly a half hour discussing how evangelical Christians and groups like the American Family Association were "tearing the country apart."

According to a soldier interviewed, donating to any groups considered a threat to the military/government as punishable. And such groups included ProLife groups, evangelical Christians, Tea Party . . . I imagine that the people placing these restrictions on our soldiers have lots of subtitles under the basic ones mentioned with which to exact punishment if the minority deems the majority to be wrong thinking.

What happened to fighting for God and country? Wasn’t there a saying about ‘no atheists in the foxholes? If we don’t allow soldiers to take a moral and religious stand, why bother with anything.

ProLife groups are radical and tearing apart living babies in the womb is okay? I can see why the liberals wants to get the Christian attitude scared out of the troops. It makes it difficult for them to advance agendas.

And the elected presidential administration of our country which is supposed to represent everyone, calls people trying to save the unborn, terrorists. Something is every wrong in our country and it is evil. Liberty and justice for all is fading.

The report has more details and every person of faith and moral values should take heed because it is a further eroding of all that is good and holy in the world. Equal rights are not being equal.

Recipe results!

 I've already posted recipes for the pictured cookies but thought people might like to see how the recipe actually turns out. My daughter is visiting for a couple of weeks so I decided to surprise her with two of her favorite flavors: peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut.

Really fresh pomegranates!

 My dream has come true! My faithful, little pomegranate tree finally produced a nice crop of fruit this year. For a 'three year old', I think that is pretty good! There is something exciting about going out to the backyard for a ripe, juicy pomegranate rather than choosing one at the grocery store.

Gluten-Free Pizza . . . Really!

 There is life after going gluten-free and this pizza is pretty good proof. Everyone who has eaten it, hasn't realized it was not made with any wheat flour.

Frankly, some of my first attempts with gluten-free pizza weren't up to my hopeful expectations. That all changed when I discovered "The Gluten-Free Gourmet Bakes Bread" book by Bette Hagman. Her recipe for making pizza crust is so easy and always successful that my book just about falls open to that page. As you can see from the picture, it looks like a 'regular' pizza, it smells like bread baking in the oven, and it tastes great.

Kittens Day Out . . .

 Our resident kittens got to explore the kitchen floor today. They thought it was the most wonderful of kennels and so big, too. Their concentration of interest was a bit of crackly plastic they discovered. The vast area of available space was ignored in favor of fighting for control of the plastic bit.

Throwing away our future?

http://www.lifenews.com/2013/10/17/six-tremendous-people-with-down-syndrome-what-if-they-were-aborted/

What a sad world this would be for many people if the parents of these children had opted for an 'easy way out' and aborted these young people.

Update on our guest kittens . . .

 Well, the kittens are still with us and enjoying life in a roomy kennel to keep them safe and our house in order!

Oscar, the black kitten, is the smaller of the two and very lively. He meows if he doesn't get picked up and cuddled

Mittens, the gray kitten, is shyer but has put the responsibility of watching over Oscar as her ministry in life. She is slightly bigger and seldom sleeps if Oscar is sleeping. She tends to watch over him and make sure he is okay.

We are looking for a home for the two and hope someone will adopt both of them as they seem pretty bonded. No scratching from them. When they want your attention, they always use 'soft' paws. Oscar will definitely have golden yellow eyes. Right now, it is hard to say with Mittens but there is some green there.

Kittens . . . again!

 Well, we had a few months of no kittens. We were so happy when we found homes for Dunder and Mifflin. They were never our kittens to begin with yet we couldn't let them stay out in the heat and starve.

Yesterday, the same little boys that brought us Dunder and Mifflin, had another two kittens in hand. They were about the same age as the last boarders and even cuter. It was cold at night and, again, we couldn't let them be bumped around by three energetic little boys and then left to fend for themselves at night. They are residing in a kennel in our garage.

The first few days are always misleading as they are still getting their bearings. One of them is already pretty comfortable and pushing the limits of his confinement. The little boys who so 'kindly' inflicted them upon us sternly informed us that they had already given the kittens names. The gray one, we were told, is Mittens. Mittens is completely gray - no white paws. I didn't question the decision. The black kitten was christened Oscar.

Given the timeline between the births of the last two kittens we had and these and the fact that they look very much like Dunder and Mifflin, I'm thinking some family has a mother cat that they haven't bothered to have spayed. To make matters worse, it seems they feel free to abandon the babies in our neighborhood. Sad commentary on people today. If they can't be kind to a tiny, helpless kitten, you have to wonder about their consideration of people.

Off to post the fact that we, again, have free kittens!

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

It has been a very cool, overcast day so what better time to bake some cookies. I've been trying to organize my Christmas baking since we are gluten-free and what better way than to test actual cookies. Hey, a good excuse is a great excuse to make, bake, and eat a warm cookie from the oven.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed, dark brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter - crunch or smooth, your choice
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour. I like the version sold by nuts.com.
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line two to three baking sheets with parchment paper. The cookies actually seem to bake more evenly this way.

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend until just mixed and the dough is holding together. Depending on what size you want, shape the dough into balls or use a cookie scoop. With a wet fork, press a crisscross on the top of each cookie pressing down to spread out the dough a bit. They do spread a bit in the baking.

Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on the size you made. The edges should be nicely browned and the tops golden. Cool on the baking sheet for few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

*If you are being festive, you can drizzle a chocolate or orange icing over the cookies. You can always sandwich them together in twos with melted chocolate. Mix some peanut butter, powdered sugar and a touch of vanilla for another sandwich cookie filler.

How many are in on this?

Bundt Cake - Gluten-Free Style!

Since we've gone gluten-free for the benefit of my husband's health, I'm always looking for ways to either adapt my own recipes or find ones that serve my purposes in the kitchen. This recipe just showed up on my Facebook account. I reviewed it and it doesn't ask for anything exotic and it seems that it could end up being my go-to recipe. I think you could easily add some nuts or coconut to the batter as well as just enjoy it as the recipe is written. I haven't tried it, yet, but plans are being processed in my mind and I foresee it appearing at our dinner table in the near future.

Enticed to bake yet? The recipe is here --> http://www.thebakingbeauties.com/2013/10/gluten-free-vanilla-bundt-cake.html

Jubilee Jumbles Memories . . .

Cold, rainy weather seems to bring on the memories of the past for me. I guess the fact that I spend more time in the house has me looking inward! Anyway, the best way to warm up a house and bring some by gone days back to life is to bake something with nostalgic fragrance. And, since rain is in the forecast, perhaps I'll have a reason to warm up the house this way!

I was looking for a particular recipe,  and was thrilled and surprised to fine another one I had forgotten about but dearly loved as a child. They were relatively simple, plain cookies but they always disappear first from the Christmas cookie platter.

Jubilee Jumbles (from Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook, 1961)

1/2 cup soft shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Blend flour, soda, and salt: stir in. Mix in the chopped nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonful of dough about 2" apart onto a greased baking sheet. Vegetable oil spray works great. Bake about 10 minutes our until cookie is firm to the touch and lightly golden. Spread cooked cookies with Browned Butter Glaze. Makes about 4 dozen 2 1/2" cookies.

Browned Butter Glaze

Melt /12 cup butter until golden brown. Blend in 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in 2-4 tablespoons hot water until icing spreads smoothly. Before the icing hardens, you can to the cookies with tiny, chocolate chips, more chopped nuts, a whole almond, sugar sprinkles, etc.

You can substitute the nuts in the cookie recipe for chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dates, coconut, or add cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to the original recipe for a spicer cookie.

Love these statistics!

STATISTICS DON'T LIE!!!
How to stay safe in the World today!
Where IS the Safest Place?
1. Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for
20% of all fatal accidents.

2.. Do not stay home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home.

 

3... Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.

 

4.... Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve these forms

of transportation.
5..... Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in Hospitals.
So, above all else, avoid hospitals.

 

But

You will be pleased to learn that only .001%
of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders.

 

Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at
CHURCH!

 

And . .. . Bible study is safe too!
The percentage of deaths during Bible study is even less.

 

So, attend church and read your Bible
IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE!

 

 

GOD BLESS YOU!!!

Orange-Scented Truffles and more . . .

An elegant way to present after-dinner coffee or just to have on hand for a special treat. Orange lends itself nicely to chocolate! Also, a great way to make a special gift for a friend or as a hostess gift. Thanksgiving is coming up way too soon. You can try out your Christmas candy making on unsuspecting holiday guests!

 Orange-Scented Truffles
12 ounces dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Freshly and finely grated zest of one orange
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Run the zest and granulated sugar through the blended for a minute or so to thoroughly blend in the orange zest. Set aside.

Gently melt the chocolate until it is smooth. You can do this over a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir in the cream until blended and stir in the extracts. Bring to room temperature, stirring ever so often. Refrigerate until firm. Scoop into small balls, roll in orange/sugar mixture and place in paper candy cups for serving.

I'm thinking of trying a lemon zest/spice version. Still in the thought process but figure I could blend the lemon zest with the sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg and cloves.

Oh, now that is a sad bit of information! :-)

 · 

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Softies

I noted that pumpkins have appeared in the grocery stores. That is a sure indication that no matter how warm the sunshine is right now, Fall produce is coming into play. Although I make recipes with pumpkin throughout the year, there is something about having a good pumpkin cookie when the season is right. I love a crisp/chewy cookie but make an exception for this soft, cake-like version. They are even a nice break for a fast breakfast treat in the morning with a cup of coffee or tea.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Softies

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Combine sugar and butter in another mixer bowl and beat until fluffy. Add in pumpkin, egg, extracts, and zest. Mix to just combine. Beat in flour mixture until combined but not over mixed. Stir in the nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. A cookie scoop comes in handy here!

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes our until golden around the edges and slightly firm to the touch. Cool on baking sheets before removing to wire racks to finish cooling. Glaze cookies when completely cool.

Glaze/Icing: Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest, 1 teaspoon orange extract, and enough freshly-squeezed orange juice to form a glaze. Using a rubber pastry brush, brush the top of each cookie and let set.

America's Demise?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=dde_1374573750

Anyone who cares about our country and wants to bring it back to its place in the world, needs to view this video. It actually seems that we are under attack and from our own people. Uninformed voters brought us to this pass. Perhaps some education and a new voice in our political system is needed come the next election. Our country can't take too much more of the same.

Feast Day for Our Guardian Angels!

Dr. Taylor Marshall brought up some interesting facts about our Guardian Angels in his daily notes. I found out a few things both religiously and historically about them that I didn't know. One has to believe we do have someone helping to look over our daily lives and to be with us in times of trials and tribulations. God is everywhere but how kind of Him to give us a personal contact with another Heavenly Being. http://taylormarshall.com/


The concept of "guardian angels" is thoroughly Jewish. Moses records human interaction with guarding angels in the Torah, and Daniel frequently mentions the powerful role of angels as guardians

Christ our Lord explicitly teaches the existence of guardian angels in Matthew 18:10: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."

The early Church Fathers also spoke of our guardian angels. St. Jerome, for example, taught that each person (whether they are Christian or not) has a guardian angel appointed to a person from the beginning of his existence.

Saint Thomas Aquinas taught that all humans have a guardian angel and that these were chosen from the lowest hierarchy of angels.

Blessed John Paul II emphasized the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the ministry of guardian angels: "Let us invoke the Queen of angels and saints, that she may grant us, supported by our guardian angels, to be authentic witnesses to the Lord’s paschal mystery" (Regina Caeli Audience, 1997).

Maria Agreda, the visionary, taught that the Blessed Virgin Mary had hundreds of guardian angels, including St Michael and St Gabriel. I’ve heard some people say that Catholic priests have "two guardian angels," but I don’t know if this tradition has any magisterial support.

And to raise a very controversial topic, you’re not supposed to name your Guardian Angel. Sorry, just don’t do it.