Why I like jigsaw puzzles

She said:

I really like putting together jigsaw puzzles. But only certain kinds. I really dislike the kind that have very little differences in the pieces. And I dislike the kind that have too much of the same color within the picture. The kind I like best have something on each piece that gives a clue as to where it belongs in the puzzle. That way it is like solving a mini mystery in finding where each piece should go. Now these pieces shouldn't give away there clues too easily. They need to be somewhat of a challenge. Each puzzle seems to have its own pattern of discovery. Sometimes the color is the key and other times the shape is helpful. But when the color and shape work together giving clues of placement, that is the best and most fun. At times pieces just seem to fall into place. And then other times a certain piece must be left to the very end...nothing seems to fit and then suddenly you find it. For a winter past time there is nothing better than to piece a jigsaw puzzle!

Low fat Christmas

This year we have made some adjustments in our favorite Christmas treats that will save us some fat intake that needs to be reduced.

Our fudge is made with Smart Balance instead of butter. And we also use non-fat evaporated milk instead of the normal evaporated milk. That reduces the fat grams to about 1/3 of the usual amount.

Then we love making Treasure Cookies. This year we replaced the butter with Smart Balance and are using non-fat sweetened condensed milk instead of the regular sweetened condensed milk. Again that reduces the fat content substantially.

Now, if only we could do something about the sugar. We don't feel that any of the sugar substitutes on the market today are any healthier than sugar itself. So we continue to use good old fashioned sugar.

All of our changes still produce the best fudge and cookies around. So these changes will remain.

We will be experimenting with our favorite sugar cookie recipe that calls for almond extract. We will be substituting the 2 cups of butter with smart balance and save at least a third of the fats normally used. If you use the lite version you could probably save half again as much.

Practical Peace or Shalom 101

Hibiscus not from our gardens

If you asked the average man on the street if he would like peace on earth you probably would never hear the answer as "no." And yet our world is anything but peaceful in many places. How is this possible? Perhaps the reason lies in the fact that many people do not have an understanding of what it takes to have peace in the world.

Love your neighbor as yourself. This is one of the hardest things to do in our modern world. Our neighbor definition encompasses the entire globe due to communication technology. But just treating our next door neighbor as we do ourselves is hard enough. You often hear of neighborhood disputes that seem rather petty to most of us. When was the last time you gave sacrificially to your next door neighbor...that is by giving without expecting anything in return? This is an excellent step toward a peaceful world.

Forgive as you have been forgiven. This statement presupposes that you have made the step of asking forgiveness of God and that you have accepted His Son's death as your atonement for your sins. Even those who claim Christ as their leader by calling themselves Christians often do not reflect Him in their daily lives by refusing to forgive. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of forgiveness when he said as he was dying on the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." When was the last time you offered forgiveness? This is the best step toward peace.

Take care of widows and orphans. We have a number of widows in our congregation but any orphans are unknown to us. Why is it so important to take care of these? Because they are the most defenseless members of our society. Our hearts can be softened toward peace if we live our lives being sensitive to the needs around us. We are not just talking financially here. When was the last time you spent some time with a lonely person? Doing this is an act of peace.


The peace that passes understanding. So probably the mythical man on the street who yearns for peace on earth just doesn't understand that it's presence here on this earth is more in his own control than he suspects. Following a few simple steps, once he knows the Savior, is all it takes to have this Peace on Earth.

Collision Theory Revisited

Sunrise

It has been some time since reporting a collision theory incident. You may recall that this occurs when the walker encounters two vehicles heading in opposite directions while on a seldom traveled country road on a thirty minute walk.

Since walks are being enjoyed at the crack of dawn (usually around 6 a.m.) this phenomenal occurrence has been very seldom. One incident, about a week ago, was not reported. Today, with only a total of four vehicles passing by, the collision theory again came into play.

So, as long as walks are in the early morning, the theory seems to be almost dormant. Walks are interspersed recently among the frequent rains we have been having of late.

God's creation is truly beautiful in the early morning dawn and we recommend you also enjoy the relative quiet and tranquility of a stroll enjoying the Lord's gift of nature.

Our Book Reading Philosophy

No, this isn't our place. It's another photo of that public garden not far from us.
This place is noted for the beautiful tulip displays every year.
Can hardly wait till May!

How do we choose what books to read? What kinds of books do we read? These are some questions that we thought would be good to answer, especially since we are recommending some of what we read to you.

Usually when we see a book that looks interesting, we first get it from our public library. That way if it is not what we had hoped, we haven't spent a dime on it. If we should come upon questionable language, content, or if it simply isn't well written; we don't waste our time on it. If it is a really good book otherwise, we will sometimes give it the three strikes rule for language. Three foul, gross, or questionable words and it's out of here--no matter how good the author writes. But sometimes we probably shouldn't give it that many chances.

Occasionally one of us likes a book, while the other is less enthused. That usually determines whether or not we purchase the book for our own library. Most of the time and only if we both really like the book, will we actually invest in it.

Another criteria is that we will want to read it again. It is very satisfying to discover a good author who has written a number of books that fit into this category. We had usually felt fairly certain that we were safe to buy more books from this kind of author. But we have been fooled. So now we check out even these authors before making the purchase.

We don't let the term "Christian Writer" fool us. Even those sold in Christian book stores. We have found some pretty offensive stuff from authors that have this description. "Family" is another term that doesn't always mean much either. The best thing is to get into the book. If it's good it will show that very swiftly. And if it is questionable, that will be evident also.

One of us likes true stories, the other likes fiction also, but we both prefer inspirational reading. One has a preference for instructional or informational, while the other prefers stories. One is voracious, the other has trouble finding the time for a good read. We both like to be challenged at times. We also both enjoy children's books at about the 9-12 age level.

So hopefully we can be of some service to you as we recommend our choices. Whatever we recommend, we will try to give you some info about the book so you can make up your own mind. Happy reading!

Care and Respect

Just recently we have come to realize how much care and respect go together. There is an old song with a line that goes something like this, "Love and marriage, love and marriage...go together like a horse and carriage." Our revelation is that care and respect are also that closely related. It's very hard to respect someone that you feel does not care about you. By the same token, it is difficult to care about someone when you feel that they do not respect you. No one wants to care about something that they do not respect. And there is no respect for something if one does not care about it first.

In our world today there is plenty of evidence revealing a lack of respect and care. When driving through most cities you will find walls covered with graffiti. Road rage is a new phenomenon that reveals no care or respect. Our nation's divorce rate indicates an alarming lack of respect and care that usually spills over effecting our children. We could go on and on with examples. Instead we choose to think about how to stop that vicious cycle.

We can choose to care when not respected. We might choose to respect when no one cares. It's a very simple answer really. But not easy. Maybe we could pick up that piece of litter instead of walking on by. Or, perhaps we could slow down and let someone go ahead, instead of hurrying on our way. We could choose to be kind and forgive when we are wronged. We might return good for evil when we have the chance, instead of looking after our "rights." What a wonderful world this would be!

Consistant Change

There is an old saying that goes something like this..."the only thing sure in life is change." This is one reason we like to use photos of flowers from our garden as part of our slide show that constantly changes display. In a few minutes we can sit and watch a whole year's worth of beauty in full bloom. Each blossom is frozen in image at its best.

It doesn't seem to matter what our age, humans just don't care for change. Elderly and children are alike in that anything that changes their known world is viewed as unwelcome. Especially if what is changed is something enjoyed. And yet to be alive is an ever changing condition. Children grow up and everyone grows old. Everything changes.

All except God, who changes not. God is the one constant perfect being. He is always longing to draw us near to Him and bring us to His everlasting peace that passes understanding. We will always need to change our ways to draw close to Him. But He never changes.