Author: RefreshHer

Christmas

Are We Really Celebrating Christmas?

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After being gone for a few days last week, I came home and realized it was now December! Ahhh!  I literally felt like the Christmas train was puffing its way speedily down the track and I was running behind the caboose, trying desperately to catch a ride!

It seems like December gets filled up before we can even take a breath! But with all the busyness, let’s be reminded that the single thing we need more than a personal shopper or an extra few hours on each day, is to really celebrate our Savior coming to earth to die for us.  It’s easy to be so busy that we forget and we really miss the opportunity to personally celebrate Christmas

Consider this:

If our  schedule rushes us through our daily Quiet time and Bible reading, will we  really have celebrated Christmas?

If our Christmas list includes everyone but Christ, will we really have celebrated Christmas?

If our agenda makes us cross and short-tempered will we really have celebrated Christmas?

If our busyness causes us to miss church will we really have celebrated Christmas?

If our preoccupation keeps us from giving the Hope of the Gospel will we really have celebrated Christmas?

Let’s celebrate Christmas every day by making Christ the center of every moment, every gathering, every conversation, every gift – every day in December.

Merry Christmas!

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Christmas decor

Christmas Kitchen

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Christmas kitchen.jpg

If ever the kitchen was the heart of the home, it’s at Christmas!  Baking up yummy treats, candies and cookies makes the house smell so inviting, so why not make it look inviting, too?

I like to add just a few touches that make everything Christmas-y, and also help keep things easy to use.  Making my cookie cutters a part of the centerpiece of my counter just helps them to be handy, and puts their pretty shapes and shiny surfaces at center stage.

Here are some other little touches I added to my kitchen:

 

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Do you decorate your kitchen?  I’d love to hear how you bring the season into the gathering place of your house!

With love from my country (Christmas-y) kitchen,

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Uncategorized

Fifteen Hostess Gift Ideas

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Hostess gift

During the month of December you’ll probably find yourself at someone else’s home for a gathering, a party, or a celebration of Christmas.  You know how much work goes into having others over, so be sure to be a gracious and appreciative guest and take a Hostess Gift for the one who has extended the invitation.  Not sure what to take?  Here are Fifteen ideas!

Hostess Gifts

  1. Hand soaps
  2. Kitchen Linens – Cloth napkins, dish towels, pot holders – Roll them up and tie with a beautiful ribbon
  3. Holiday paper napkins – Wrap a ribbon or raffia bow around the package
  4. Home-baked Goods in pretty container
  5. Fresh flowers, already arranged – You can buy them at the grocery store, just put them in a container before you take them to your hostess
  6. Scented candle
  7. Guest book
  8. Boxed chocolates
  9. Cookbook
  10. Kitchen papers – Menu list, organizer book, magnetic memo pad, recipe cards – Try bundling several of these items together and tying them with ribbon or packaging them in a gift bag.
  11. Coffee, tea or hot chocolate mix
  12. Cutting board and cheese knife
  13. Unique salt and pepper shakers
  14. Bread from a bakery
  15. Olive oil – It doesn’t have to be a big, expensive bottle, but even a small, nice oil for cooking would be perfect!

I gave some suggestions about the presentation, but use your imagination.  Make it pretty.  If you put it in a gift bag, add a couple poofs of tissue on the top.  Use pretty boxes found at the Dollar store to pop your gift into and make a simple thank you even more special.  It’s not about something that will “wow” your hostess, but a thoughtful gesture that expresses your thanks.

Be on the lookout for some of the items above that you can keep on hand so you’ll be prepared.  Grab these items on sale and stash them away for the next time you are invited over to someone’s home!  Your hostess will feel loved and appreciated!

Stay refreshed and refresh others,

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Christian Life · womanhood

“Picture Perfect” Lives

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Wow! Yesterday a few hours after posting my pictures of our Thanksgiving on my blog, I had gotten over 800 views! It’s pretty amazing to me how much people enjoy seeing pictures of what others do, how they spend their vacation, their free time, or their family time. But it’s true. They do. I do. We’re curious.

There is a danger, however, that I think we should be aware of. It’s the danger of making assumptions. We look at pictures on blogs, Facebook or Instagram, then we start processing what our eyes see. We might assume that:

  • They never struggle with “stuff” like we do.
  • They’re well-off.
  • Their life is easier, better, or happier than mine.
  • They wake up gorgeous and never have a “bad hair day.”
  • Their family life is perfect.
  • They never work.
  • Their house is perfect.
  • They have no inner struggles, hurts or losses.

I won’t go on, but I think you get the picture (pun intended!).

None of those statements are true, of course, but we often let ourselves go on believing it’s so until we’re ready to jump off the proverbial bridge.  It’s at those moments that we need to do two things –

  1. Stop looking in-between the lines.  This means to just look at the picture for its face value.  Is their tree decorated beautifully?  Don’t assume that “everything is always perfect at their house” just because their tree is lovely. What isn’t pictured is the mess from the ornament boxes, the pine needles on the floor everywhere and the crying child in another part of the house.  No one has a perfect house all the time.
  2. Start thinking the truth.  Everyone has difficulties, every marriage has to work through issues from time to time, everyone struggles and needs the Lord and His Word.

So, the next time you slide your way through pictures, be aware of what thoughts are going through your mind and “stop” and “start” with the right assumptions!

Lovingly,

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Thanksgiving · Uncategorized

Views of Thanksgiving

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Today’s post is a pictorial view of my Thanksgiving.  It was a wonderful weekend – see for yourself!

Dad and Denise
Dads and the guys

Let me just comment about the last two pictures.  Remember my cornucopias?  I finished them by dipping them in melted chocolate then crushed walnuts.  As is our norm, we had dinner at 1:00, so around 8 we had turkey sandwiches and for dessert….we took those cones and filled them with Turkey Hill Pumpkin Pie ice cream. Oh.My.Goodness.  They were scrumptious!  By the smiles on those men’s faces, I think I may have started a new family tradition!

How was your Thanksgiving?  Start any new traditions in your family or did you carry on any old ones?

With love and a thankful heart,

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