a healthy treat

I've been doing a bit of experimenting with healthier chocolate snacks. You know, for those times when you really want chocolate but don't want to jump entirely off the 'healthy' train. One of the things I've noticed about the kind of recipe I've shared below is that it easily satisfies my chocolate cravings without waking up the 'gimme more' monster that a store-bought chocolate snack does. It's curious to me - my guess is that I have the healthy sugars and fats to thank for that.

Anyhoo... this one wins first prize of all my efforts so far. It's quick & easy to make (less than 10 minutes), and has no processed sugar in it. It even got a 'Yum!' endorsement from my chocolate-loving hubby, which is high praise indeed :)

{Insert clever name here}

Mix:
1/2 cup coconut oil (room temp - needs to be soft enough to work with)
1-3 Tablespoons honey, depending on taste
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder (sift first to eliminate lumps)

When this is well-combined, gently stir in
1/3 cup nuts (I used raw almonds)
1/3 cup dried fruit (I had cranberries on hand, but I can think of lots of other delicious combinations too)

Drop by the spoon-ful into mini cupcake liners.
Refrigerate (or freeze if you're in a hurry to enjoy :) until firm.

Makes 12 little cups of Mmmmm.

December 4

70 degrees - not too shabby for December 4th

December 3

The picture I never expected to take for this - or any - day. . . . .
a fall from the neighbor's trampoline = my baby with a broken arm + half of my day spent at the ER.

 He was amazingly brave through it all. Such a trooper!

December 2

December 1

This is my picture for December 1 because it is by far the most important one I've taken today. A sweet single mama in our church is fighting the unjust removal of her son from her custody. There is an amazing community of people who love this family and have united to help them. Together we have spent hours this past week helping to raise public awareness of her situation and, most importantly, praying for comfort, peace and justice for Herlene and Shaun . . . . and for us to have faith that God is 'always closer than we know, always more involved and in control.'

If you would join the growing group of people standing with Herlene and Shaun, you can find more information here:

http://www.facebook.com/KeepShaunHome?fref=ts

istandwithherleneandshaun@gmail.com

on Twitter at #istandwithherleneandshaun

C.C.P.

For the past few months I have been enjoying all the Elf on the Shelf ideas that have been popping up on the internet. People are soooooo creative! And I really wanted to do it too..... but it just doesn't fit our family. In our family, we don't condemn Santa (or any of you who include Santa in your Christmas :-), but we just have never made him a part of our Christmas. And as fun as the whole Elf thing looks, I just couldn't make it fit our family. But all that creative funness (like my new word?) was just too much to pass up!

And so I came up with the idea for a Christmas Countdown Pal.

Over the last few days of November, I began putting up signs around the house after the boys had gone to bed. New ones appeared each night.....

They could hardly stand the suspense!

What is it?!! 

They asked over and over. And they got pretty creative with the ways they asked, hoping that I'd be caught off guard and answer them.



Then, on the last day of November, a box 'arrived'. Inside was our very own Christmas Countdown Pal, a beannie baby-sized penguin, along with this letter, explaining that their Christmas Countdown Pal would be helping them to count down the days until Christmas. 

'Christmas Countdown Pals looove Christmas and are very curious about how their new families celebrate Christmas. . Your Christmas Countdown Pal will come to life after you are asleep each night so it can explore. So every morning you can expect to find your Christmas Countdown Pal in some pretty strange places and, I'm afraid, in some pretty big messes {since they are} really mischievous.' 

The boys LOVED it (and the candy canes - their first of the season).

After much debate, our Christmas Countdown Pal has been christened Gingersnap. Ginger for short. But don't make the mistake I made of thinking that it is a girl. I was corrected pretty quickly by my very earnest sons. We have a boy penguin named Ginger.


Here's to a fun month of counting down the days until Christmas with our CCP!

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why the barefoot praise for shoes

Discontent is an insidious creature! If I'm not vigilant to purposefully cultivate gratitude, it doesn't take long for just a little bit of grumbling and complaining to multiply and before I know it I've hardly got a thankful thought - or word - left in me.

It's tempting to think, in those my-life-stinks seasons, that if  we just had a bit more or something a bit different then everything would be better. But that's the lie he's always told, isn't it? Hissed out, right from that first time in the garden: 'If you just had that, you're life would be so much better. . .'

Whenever I think about thankfulness and music (if you know me you know music goes with everything :) I always go back to a memory from my MK days. To a room full of believers, sitting on the ground in a simple church building, worshiping. I remember a group that got up to sing a special number -

this song -

As the world looks upon me, as I struggle along

They say I have nothing, but they are so wrong

In my heart I'm rejoicing, how I wish they could see

Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me

There's a roof up above me
I've a good place to sleep
There's food on my table
And shoes on my feet
You gave me your love Lord
And a fine family
Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me 

These people truly had nothing by American standards. They lived a hard life with few possessions. Some of them had been disowned by their families when they joined the 'new religion'. Most of them had walked several miles to church that day and would walk home again in the dark afterwards. Home to sleep on the floors of tiny, crowded, masonite homes with no indoor plumbing or in woven-walled huts with no electricity.

But that's not what etched this memory in my mind.

The reason I still remember their praise offering now, 20 years later, was that as they sang I realized that none of them was wearing any shoes. And while that wasn't at all unusual for the people who filled that time and place in my life, I was captivated -am captivated still - with their praise to God.

For shoes.
That they didn't have.


Because it's not what we have that makes us content, and thanks-giving doesn't depend on having 'more' or 'better'. We are always, always blessed enough to count God's gifts to us. 

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
   My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
  Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!