Thursday in January

Today in verbs:

Avoiding--grumpy teens

Convinced--that peppermint marshmallows should be around all year-or at least all winter

Listening--to wind whip around my house with ferocity--though not, thankfully, much cold.

Fighting--some discouragement over little things that add up and feel like big things

Anticipating--retreat team planning meetings, which are always sweet times of worship and preparation

Reading--The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes--after getting completely hooked on the BBC series Sherlock over Christmas.

Needing--a secretary to help me grade 100 Bloom balls (uber-cool geodesic domes used as book response forms; the prompts for each section follow Bloom's Taxonomy.)(That was completely TMI unless you're a teacher, was it not?)

Longing for: some time with Big Red with no wrestling-related interruptions; this won't happen until March.

Studying--the book of Matthew--realizing again how radical Jesus was then--and now.

Be blessed,

Ginger

When Life Hands You Lemons

...make lemon sugar cookies!

This weekend we had guests for supper.  The entree was my sister's luscious lasagna (there's another recipe I should share!), delectable but decidedly rich.  Enter the light, simple finish to the meal--lemon sugar cookies.  They're fast, easy to make, and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

 Lemon Sugar Cookies

(adapted from Taste of Home) 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of one lemon
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Additional sugar and lemon peel

• In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk and extracts. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture.
• Shape into 1-in. balls or drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
• Bake at 400° for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Immediately remove to wire racks to cool. 

What's cooking at your house?

Be Blessed,

Ginger

Linking at Beauty and Bedlam

Hello Monday: Back to Work We Go

Hello, 5:00 am!  Other than that unfortunate day I was awake at 3:30, I haven't seen you for a few weeks.  You look...dark.

Hello, classroom! Refreshing a few anchor charts today, getting back in the groove.

Hello, lemon sugar cookies!  You are yummy and easy.  Definitely a recipe to share here.

Hello, roller-coaster weather!  We thought we were done with you.  Don't bring your friend migraine with you when you come back this week, m'kay?

Hello, retreat team!  I haven't worked one in a while, and I'm excited about you.

Hello, sink full of dishes.  Every time I turn around, there you are.

Hello, changes!  You're inevitable, I know, but I want to anticipate you with grace.

Hello, blogland!  Happy Monday to you!

Be blessed,

Ginger

Linking with Lisa.

Scripture and a Snapshot: By the Light of Your Face

This post double-teams Scripture and a Snapshot (late) and Multitude Monday (early).  

I have always loved Psalm 44:3; I love the juxtaposition of might and glory, strength and beauty, power and love.  We have a strong God, our Fortress, mighty to save.  Yet, I can't forget that He saved because of Who He is, the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me.  We were studying in Isaiah this morning how the Lord did what He did for Israel for the sake of His own Name, His glorious Name.  He loved because His very nature is love.  We know what love is because He first loved us.

This morning we sang Matt Redmon's song, "10,000 Reasons", and I thought to myself, "I am writing down only a 1,000 of them," a tithe of gifts, a drop in the bucket of measureless grace.
11. girls laughing
12. praying with friends
13. Big Red speaking scripture 
(Gifts old, new, blue)
14. Mama's vases
15. Mantel sign made with my new Silhouette
16. Old blue flannel pajamas

17. frost
18. winter sunshine
19. Jesus Calling
20. Helen's blog
21. Praying for a friend as she interceded for others
22. Couch time with DD#2 watching Sherlock
23. Praying even when the answer seems far away--because God isn't.
24. new journal
25. blue skies
26. 1st cup of coffee (Have I said that already?)
27. warm bed, warm house
28. plenty to eat; freezer full of food
29. Christian book store
30. Vertical Church study
31. Making lemon scones
32. clean desktop
33. pictures of people I love
34. seeing Les Mis with Big Red and girls
35. windows

Sunshine in a Jar

There's been a lot around Blogland this week about favorite projects of 2012.  One project success around here came in the waning days of 2012 when my mother and I made the World's Easiest Marmalade.

Have I mentioned I adore marmalade?

However, I do not adore corn syrup, the primary ingredient in affordable marmalade, and I do not adore paying $7.00 a jar for marmalade that doesn't have it.

So when Big Red's wrestling team held their annual citrus sale, I knew what I wanted to do with some of our purchase.

Have I mentioned I have a canning phobia?

I do can, a little at least, but I find the whole process and fear of botulism a tad nerve-racking.

Enter freezer jam!

Yay!

Virtually no freezer jam recipes for orange marmalade exist!

Boo!

So, Mama and I put our heads together, combined a few recipes we found online, and created an easy-peasy, delicious marmalade.  The critical ingredient is instant pectin for freezer jams, and the basic directions are on the Ball Instant Pectin container.   We tweaked a recipe from another no-cook pectin  brand to make orange marmalade.

Whew!  Long lead to this:

Sunshine in a Jar Marmalade

For every two 8oz jars of marmalade, you will need:

1 2/3 cups chopped citrus, membranes removed (We used all oranges in one batch, a mix of oranges, tangelos, and lemon in another.)

2/3 cup sugar or sugar substitute or 1/3 cup sugar/stevia blend

2 Tbsp Ball instant pectin

Don't exceed 6 jars in a batch; it might not set up properly.

Place citrus in a small saucepan and allow to come to a gentle boil.  Cook, stirring occasionally on medium-low heat for about 25 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, stir together sugar and pectin.  Add cooled fruit and stir three minutes.  Ladle into clean freezer jars and let stand 30 minutes.  Enjoy then or freeze!

Leave about 1/2 inch headspace at the top of the jars to allow for expansion.  Glass jars will work if they have straight sides.

We still have tangelos (a cross between a tangerine and an orange) in the basement, so I see a few more batches in our future.

Enjoy!

Be blessed,

Ginger 

Confessions and Over-Complications

Starting the year with a confession:

I over-complicate things.

Surprised?

If you know me, you aren't.

Like, for example, the Joy Dare.

It's a simple concept, and an infinitely significant one, but instead of just doing it, I over-complicated it.

Perfect font, perfect pictures, everything just so (are you seeing the theme here?)

Joy-collecting fail.

So, for 21013, I'm trying again, with just a list.  

A good-enough list. 

A truly grateful list.

That was the point, after all.

(And yes, I confess that I'm annoyed with myself for not remembering this on "Multitude Monday".  I'm letting that go.)

1. My husband.

2. DD#1 

3. DD#2 

4. Quiet Bible study in the morning.

5. Waking with a stunning sunrise after a good night's sleep!

6. Having a worship song stuck in my head, even on days when things haven't gone well

7. The sound of the heater running

8. Coffee pot gurgling

9. Orange yogurt muffins

10.Watching stars come out with Big Red on a cold night.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Happy New Year and the First Silhouette Project!

Happy New Year to you!

I rang in 2013 earlier than expected. 

No party, just insomnia. 

This post may be a bit foggy, like the weather. 

 

 Sad, isn't it?  

Especially since it's brighter now than it was this morning.

Wait, it is still morning.

Time crawls when you're waiting for 5:00 am to arrive because that seems like an acceptable time to have coffee.

(Which it is, if one is not on Christmas break.)

It's a dreary start for the weather, but my Silhouette has brought a bit of sunshine to the house.

 

This was a totally free project (unless you count the Silhouette) constructed from an old picture and some leftover door paint.

It makes me happy when skies are gray.

My dishtowel table runner makes the happy list as well.

 I always plan a ton of housecleaning at New Year's, and while I still want to get it all done, I'm reminding myself that resting is okay, too.

Praying you have a sunny, restful day as well as we welcome 2013.

Be blessed,

Ginger