Christmas Traditions

A fellow blogger recently posted on the Christmas traditions of her culture, the Hutterites.  Here is her first post, and then second post.  It is actually quite interesting. 

I hope to be able to post again in the next few days or so.  But for now, I hope that some of you may find these Hutterite Christmas traditions interesting!
Blessings in Christ,

 

White Chili

Tis' the season for hot home-cooked meals :)  One of my favorites is chili, the traditional kind and the white chili kind.

White Chili
1 - 48 oz jar of Northern Beans
24 oz. jar mild salsa
8-10 oz. shredded monterey jack cheese
1/4 t. cumin
1 pound cooked chicken cubed

Combine all ingredients into a pot, simmer until cheese is melted and all ingredients are blended.  Serve with toritilla chips. 

At home we would always leave the chicken on the side because my sister is a vegetarian, and that was good too!

Blessings in Christ,

 

Caramel Dip

This goes wonderfully with apples :)

1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 t. vanilla

Combine all ingredients except for the vanilla in a sauce pan.  Bring to a rolling boil and let thicken.  (225 degrees if using a thermometer). 

Add vanilla, stir and let cool. 

You can store this in the fridge or on your counter. 

Enjoy!!

Blessings in Christ,

 

Are Christmas and Easter...

...pagan or religious? In talking to someone I had just met, I learned that she does not celebrate Christmas or Easter because of their pagan and "occult" roots. I asked her to explain herself, and most of what she said went over my head. So I decided to see what I could find about the roots of both Christian holidays.


From what I can find, it appears that the time of year is what is pagan. Not the meaning behind the holidays. I think though, as Christians, we can focus on what the meaning of the holidays are rather than the fact that the day may not be the specific day that Jesus was born on. Just because we do not have a specific date given to us by the authors of the Bible, does that mean that we should not celebrate His birth?

Should we not celebrate His resurrection after He was so cruely crucified to save us from our sins? With Easter, we do know that He rose from the dead on "the first day of the week" (John 20:1). Typically the first day of the week is recognized as Sunday, although some might argue that Monday is really the first day of the week.

I know some people do not feel we should celebrate His birth on December 25th and I guess my thought on that is that we do not know the exact date He was born. The Bible does not tell us that. I do not mind celebrating His birthday on a date declared by humans while recognizing that it may not be His actual birthday. Nor do I mind celebrating His resurrection and the gift which He gave us all on a date that is not the actual date (especially since the date of Easter changes year to year...). I feel better to celebrate those two significant events rather than not celebrating and remembering them at all because we do not have a "right" date to put on the calendar.

What do you believe?

Blessings in Christ,

 

What pertainiths to a man?

I often wonder what God sees as pertaining to a man...wardrobe wise.  We are instructed that a woman should not wear anything which pertains to a man and a man should not wear anything pertaining to a woman in Deuteronomy.  This scripture is one that I am most often told as an explanation/reason for why women should wear skirts or cape dresses. 

I wonder if women should wear button-up dress shirts, or t-shirts because both of those were worn by a man first. 

I wonder if it is okay to wear clothing as long as it is bought from the women's department.

I was told by another woman that we should not wear anything that splits the legs, even under our skirts.  She gave shorts as an example saying that God can see under our skirts and He doesn't like when we wear something pertaining to a man even under skirts.  I started wondering then if tights/nylons would be included in that.  Tights are something that I definately wear during the winter, otherwise I would freeze!!  In the summer, I wear shorts under my skirts.  But I do not have a problem with it because I'm not showing that to the world for all to see. 

I think there is a balance there.  I am not convinced that as women we should not wear shorts, leggings, tights, etc, when it is concealed by a skirt.  I personally feel it is okay as long as that item is not visible to the world.  But I am still unsure about the button-up shirts and t-shirts.  Those are both things that I wear a decent number of, because they are easily made modest.  But I wonder if God sees those as pertaining to a man...  So far I don't have a conviction either way on that, but I do wonder...

Blessings in Christ,

 

The Motions

A fellow blogger posted yesterday song lyrics of a song that "hits every aspect of what you're going through and feeling". 

I was listening to my iTunes while working on copying recipies for my roommate's Christmas present.  Then this song came on.  And this is my song that "hits every aspect of what you're going through and feeling".   

The Motions
Matthew West

This might hurt, it's not safe

But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break
At least I'll be feeling something

‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life
I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me

I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?

No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something

‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

‘Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without your all consuming passion inside of me

I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?

Take me all the way
(Take me all the way)
Take me all the way
(‘Cause I don't wanna go through the motions)

Take me all the way
(Lord, I'm finally feeling something real)
Take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me

I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me

I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
Take me all the way
(Take me all the way
Take me all the way
(I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go)

Take me all the way
(Through the motions)
Take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions

I've been struggling in my spiritual life for a while and I want to break free from that and not feel like I am just going through the motions.  I want to 100% live my life for God. 

Do you have a song that hits the nail on the head for you right now? 

Blessings in Christ,

 

Modesty is Appreciated

Over at Amish America, Erik posed a question...

"Are plain businesses the only place where 'modesty is appreciated' anymore?"

What do you think?

The point was brought up in the comments that people have different definitions of "modest".  That was quite evident by what people defined as modest. 

I wonder...

How do you define modesty?  Do you think it would be okay to wear shorts under your skirt for extra modesty or is that wrong?

Blessings in Christ,