Be Still and Know...Then and Now

No it’s not some secret code deciphering the exact moment of the second coming. As I looked back at this past year I visited some of my more memorable post, gave my pictures a review and thought about all the things that  I have done over the course of the last 365 days.  Including this post I will have graced y’all with my opinion of life with 186 post added to the old published folder. I have taken a whopping 5,043 pictures, yes you read that right 5,043 . Out of 365 days this past year I missed a total of 64 days without taking a picture. That means 290 new digital folders to commemorate 2010 . I completed 5 prayers shawls this year and am working on a sixth which will have to wait to be completed until some time next year. I got to ride in a Race Car and enjoyed it way too much, but that did not even come close to the joy I experience watching the hubs take his turn behind the wheel! We spent 10 days traveling to 8 different states and visiting 6 National ...

One of the things that sparks the most vivid memories of my Grandmother is Apple Butter. I remember being fascinated by the concept that you could make something from scratch that was so wonderful. Sadly by the time I was old enough to appreciate the pains it took to achieve my Grandmother was not able to share the recipe with me. It may have been written down somewhere but in all the recipes I have from her, her apple butter recipe was not among her treasured collection. She would tell me stores of going apple picking and coming home and getting together with her friends and making huge batches of apple butter. They cooked it in a giant black cast iron kettle that they simmered over an open flame in the front yard. They had an old worn wooden paddle they used to stir the apple butter with, She explained that they would take several handfuls of new pennies and toss into the bottom of the pot to prevent the apple butter from scorching. This intrigued me and I always regretted that I w...

Church was canceled this morning! Want to know why? They predicted it but I have to tell ya that until I saw it I was skeptical. Snow on Christmas. It began late in the afternoon and lasted all night long. By then end of the night we had a nice three or four inch blanket of snow covering the back yard. I found myself with a spare few hours that is normally devoted to church so I was able to get my 365 together after breakfast. It was a pleasant break after all the activity of Christmas day of having a morning in my P.J.’s with a nice cup of Dunkin Donut's Vanilla flavored coffee. So here is my week. Sunday, December 19 I’m not sure what it is about Sundays, probably my tendency to observe the “day of rest” which includes picture taking. I have had several friends from church who have visited the Holy Land and they report that most of the hotels all have there elevators designated either odd or even so the patrons can choose which one to ride so all they have to do is step ...

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to curl up on my sofa with the fire going with a nice hot cup of something and listen to some Christmas music and enjoy a moment of peace and holiday tranquility. No hustle, no bustle, no shopping, no wrapping, no cookie baking, no running around for this or that…. I wanted to thank all of you for stopping by this past year and also to wish each and every one of you the most wonderful and blessed Christmas holiday. Blessings to all y’all! Luke 2 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was ex...

This week was jammed pack with activity but most of it went undocumented. No pictures on Sunday – December 12 Sunday afternoon we found ourselves at two musical events. The first was the Christmas Canteen at the Aurora Theater. It was a very good Christmas Musical Review. We walked out the door after the show to below freezing temperatures and had a spare few minutes before having to go to the church for rehearsals for the DD Christmas Choir concert. All in all I spent a total of three and a half hours listening to some form of Christmas music. I am not sure what my musical threshold is but I think I may have reached it by the end of the night. Monday – December 13 Just a bit of Christmas cheer! Here is a picture of the tree and mantle. No pictures on Tuesday – December 14 Wednesday – December 15 The DD is all ready for the “Elf” themed youth Christmas party! Thursday – December 16 Buster has such a hard life. No pictures on Friday – December 17… Saturday – December 18 ...

    Be still my heart! Merry Christmas y’all! R

Sunday, December 5 In last weeks P365 I showed y’all the pictures of making my pumpkin puree. Well here is the finished product. The jury is still out I’m afraid. It had very good flavor but for me I think the texture was a bit different, but then every pumpkin pie I have ever eaten was probably made from canned pumpkin. It was a very smooth consistency, that was not the problem. It was a very soft almost a chiffon consistency as far as pies go. I think I may investigate other recipes and see if possibly there might be a different recipe that would lend itself to a firmer more custard or cheese cake like consistency. If you are a fan of Pumpkin pie then I think you will like Alton Brown ’s  recipe.  Monday, December 6 There were a lot of culinary first this week. I made some French Onion Soup and if I do say so myself it was delish!!!!   I hesitate to call this my new favorite thing, but it is really pretty good aside from it being hugely expensive. This small co...

We were reading in Daniel and Isaiah this week as well as a few verses from Zachariah, Malachi and Micah. Our theme word for the week was HOPE. Some people have a difficult time with the Apocalyptic literature and the visions of the end times. Grant it it makes for some very interesting discussion. Over the years of my journey with Disciple and the other bible studies I have taken I have learned that sometime I just have to set aside my need for clarity and understanding in favor of letting the greatness of God’s mysterious and wonderful ways take over. My approach to this go around with Disciple I is to look for the broader picture. My need to fully understand verses like “It will be for a time, times and half a time.” is still there. After many different studies I have done on the book of Daniel I have a clearer understand of end time symbolism, but that is not what spoke to me the most over this past week as we read our assigned scriptures. What I saw very clearly was the pictur...

Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee is hosting a Holiday meme today! It’s time to have a blogosphere tour of holiday trees and favorite ornaments. Decorating the tree at my house is a staged event consisting of several phases. I don't think in the history of Christmas at the Be Still and Know household it has eve been completed on one evening. It used to be a family affair but over the years as the children have flown the coop and gotten fully immersed in the iPod and hair care products it has morphed into a singular activity. The Hubs get the tree standing up right and then retires to the chair to supervise. Tuesday afternoon I finally got the last ornament on the tree and it’s as decorated as it is going to get this year. I will admit to having a bit of lackadaisical attitude about the holiday decorating this year and I have done a somewhat what abbreviated version this year. The majority of the garland and decorative nic-nack’s are remaining packed away this year in favor of jus...