I knew yesterday at work was going to be light - so I decided to get a jump start on my baking for Christmas gifts. I ended up baking 3 batches of my cranberry pumpkin nut bread and one batch of pumpkin bread - for those who just refuse to eat cranberries. It felt good to be able to bake and my house smelled so good with that fragrance. More packages arrived of things that I ordered so I am nearly done with Christmas purchasing. Back to saving money instead of spending it!
I had to make a run to Walmart yesterday to pick up thread to finish a quilt and I made mental note of where my daughter-in-love will be working soon. I sent her a text later and told her that I just felt I needed to let her know Walmart was about a mile - mile and a half - straight north of where she will be working. What is even more cool (to me) is that she will be working just a mile or two north of where we live! (of course I'm no judge of miles!) I haven't done it in a long time, but I loved it when - before we moved - she would be able to stop at our house to pick up dinner that I had cooked so she didn't have to. Again, that's my love gift to others, fixing a meal and being able to give it away. Plus, I would think she was tired after working all day (cause her job is manual labor!) and perhaps this would help her with dinner. I love doing that - and hope to be able to do it again in the future.
Got my Christmas sheets and comforter on our bed last night. Once I get this bedroom cleaned out of gifts and other things, hope to get the Christmas comforter on it. I have even gone so far as to ordering Christimas shower curtains! They haven't come in yet, but I hope they will soon. I.love.Christmas. I love the meaning of it (Christ's birth). I love being able to give people gifts of love. I love celebrating Jesus' birth; I love decorating my house to where it is festive. And I'm hoping I can get the tree up today so I can clear out these gifts in here!
And yes, I overbought again this year. Not intentionally. Starting early has its disadvantages as well as advantages. Once I have things wrapped and all that I've ordered received, I'm done. I will not jump online with Kohls, Macy's, Amazon, or any of the others and look. I'll be done. And that will be a good thing. I have spent a lot, because starting early sometimes causes me to pay full price; but I did catch a lot of sales and discounts so full price was a rarity. But I also know these same items will be cheaper in another week or so than what I paid. And that's ok. I would rather focus on Christmas, rather than having to get out in the crowds and buy gifts. Yeah, I did all on-line shopping.
But I DID buy myself something and I am so excited! It arrived yesterday and I can't wait to use it. I bought myself a cookbook. (don't you roll your eyes at me!) It isn't just ANY cookbook, it's from Junior's Cheesecake in New York. They make the very best cheesecakes and I ordered their cookbook so that I can learn to make them. Then I realized last night I have no idea where my springform pan is - so I jumped on Amazon and ordered myself a set of three sizes. It will be here by Tuesday. So perhaps next weekend I can have all the ingredients, the pans, and be ready to try a recipe or two. Funny thing... cheesecakes aren't my favorite thing (pie is), but I think I can learn to like them more. It's something I haven't made before and I am looking forward to trying it.
I know one thing I do want to make when I get my pans is a Boston Creme Pie. A doctor friend of mine loves it and when we worked together I had made him one for his birthday. I had lunch with him this past week and was reminded of it. He is also going to try to join me again for lunch when I meet with my boss, another doctor friend (this one delivered two of my grandchildren!) and another friend. I am hoping to make a small one and give to him. And if he doesn't show up, I am sure one of the others will take it! I have to be sure to take my bread as well - all of them love it.
That's what I love to do. I love to bake and give away. I love to just do things for others. I don't need anything in return. I just want to give.
I received a package - early Christmas gift - from my little sister yesterday. I had bought her gift a month ago because she needed it to complete some things. It was easier for me to just have it shipped straight to her and get her to use it. So she sent mine early, although she wasn't to send anything. But she did. Postage is a bear for sure! She sent several things, but one is really unique. It is a large wooden salad bowl with the wooden tongs. I will probably only use it for special occasions when we have salad... if I fix for hubby and I a salad, it usually is in a bowl for two. It really is pretty, but unfortunately, won't be used that often. IF they come out for the granddaughter's wedding, I will definitely have to find an opportunity to use it!
'paraphrase'.... "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
"They say" that with the back-up of merchandise coming from other countries still sitting on ships in the ocean, that shelves will be sparse this year. Well, I haven't seen any of that as a problem. I haven't had any problems with my ordering of gifts. I think it is more that they want the economy to pick up and get people to spend more money early. It is a crazy, sick, world we live in, and it needs a lot of prayer.
Prayer. It's the only thing that works. It works when we don't even see it working. The answers sometimes come quickly, or we don't see them come at all. Just because we pray them, it doesn't mean our requests will be answered. What is more important is that we bring our requests before the One who can answer them. It's His decision on when - and if - those requests will be answered. Sometimes His lack of response discourages us. Sometimes it may even turn us away from Him. But He knows what He is doing. We may pray for a child to be healed - and they are not. We may pray for a child to be healed - and God does a miraculous thing and heals them. We may pray for a job and are put off time and again, looking and looking and getting discouraged. But God. He will bring about what we need at the right time.
But we also can't just ask for things and not work towards them. It still isn't in our own power that things get accomplished.
I can remember when hubby was going on men's retreats, etc. and gone all weekend, that one time I decided to move our bedroom around. He fights me on moving anything around so I can't do it when he's home. He was gone this weekend and I wanted to do it. Our bedroom has very heavy furniture. I didn't know if I could do it or not, but I was going to try. So what did I do? I prayed and asked God to give me strength, and I asked for His help. And He did. I moved all the furniture in the bedroom that evening and I knew I did not do it in my own power. When hubby came home and saw it, he asked if I had asked my sons to come over and help. I told him 'no, I asked God to help me, and He did. It was God and I who moved the furniture." I don't know if hubby ever believed that God was my source of strength and help, and not my boys. He was looking for physical strength, not for God-strength. It is in the little things that we ask for that He will provide. If He hadn't provided strength for me, there is no way I could have moved that furniture myself. It was all God.
My mind is starting to ramble, my coffee cup is empty, and I need to get up, get dressed, and fix breakfast. After all, it's Saturday, and the start of the weekend. I have a lot of things I want to get accomplished today. I need to get busy. I'm afraid I'm going to get distracted to bake cookies.... but will push through it. Maybe.
There is nothing I need, but God. He alone is my source of Strength. My Provider. My Hope. My Future. The Remover of my past.
And He is that for you as well. Trust Him.
Blessings!
