New Page 0

We go to an evening service. Our pastor makes the Christmas Eve service very special. We light a candle during the worship.

That evening, we string yarn around the house: up the stairs, outside and around a tree, back inside, behind the couch, etc. On Christmas morning, the kids follow the yarn (the cat gets involved) which leads to their big present to open.

They take their stocking down which are filled with: chocolate coins, nuts, fruit candies and an orange. We eat cinnamon rolls with Brazilian Christmas punch and open the rest of the presents. Brunch later is usually ham or roast beef, with eggs Benedict or creamed eggs, and breads.

Our daughter puts on boots if snow is on the ground and feeds each of our horses an apple.

Our son assembles his new toys (air soft guns and hand grenades or a new hockey stick). He heads outside to play.

We have two German Shepherds (and New Year's puppies coming). They each get a bone and scraps from the table later in the day.

Brazilian Christmas Champagne Punch:
(From: Mom’s Cookbook “Sparkling Wine Punch”)
(May be prepared one day ahead or 3 hours)
Serves 6-8 (May half recipe and reserve ½ bottle for straight champagne)

• 1 c. fresh orange juice
• 1 c. mango nectar
• 1 apple, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
• ¼ pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 oranges (peel and white pith removed), sliced, slices quartered
• 1 Mango (optional) thinly sliced
• 1 750-ml bottle sparkling wine, chilled

Swedish Spiced Cranberry-Apple Glogg
(From: Mom’s Cookbook “Swedish Hot Wine Punch”, 1hr.)
(May be prepared 3 hours ahead)
Serves 10 Served Chilled in Punch Bowl

• Mulling Spices (or cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel)
• 8 c. cranberry-apple juice cocktail (one 64 fl oz. bottle)
• 7 c. dry red wine
• ½ c. sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks (or mulling 3 tbsp. spices)
• 8 whole cloves (or 3 tbsp. mulling spices)
• Orange peel strips (or 3 tbsp. mulling spices)

Served from warmer in mugs (before or after dinner aperitif)

Grandma’s Famous Creamed Eggs:
Rue:

1 Stick Butter
1 Cup flour
1 tsp White pepper
2 tsp Salt
½ Gallon Skim Milk
-----------------------------------------
18 Hard Boiled Eggs

Paprika to color

One dozen hard boiled eggs. Slice and put into white sauce.

Serve over toasted English Muffin, covered with bacon or Canadian Bacon

(Favorite Easter Breakfast. A good way to use up colored eggs).

I'll always have this in my recipe file, so don't hesitate to ask. I always refer to this list to start out with. I never remember if I use a whole stick of butter of just a half. Mine has quite a bit of the white pepper. I prefer a little "bite" to it so it doesn't taste bland. The Paprika will not spice it enough...just a nice look.

Of course, if you were only making it for the four of you, you would want to decrease by half. It will not thicken for about 20 minutes (at least). And stir a lot of you'll have a lot of thick paste in the corners of your pan. The secret of making a good rue (the sauce), is to cook the butter and flour quite well. This will keep the sauce from having a "flour" taste. Good luck!

Mr. Whisker's Cranberry Bread:Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2.Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the cranberries and walnuts, and stir to coat with flour. Mix together the egg, oil, orange juice, and orange zest. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, and stir until just blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
3.Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack, and cool completely.

"Thanks for sharing! I've copied your recipes and am anxious to try the creamed eggs. That is one of my favorite special brunch entrees. The Cranberry bread recipe looks good too! We love quick breads for holidays!"

McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (5:903). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[Rev 2:15]

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate [Rev. 2:14–15].

"The two items for condemnation were the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. “The doctrine of Balaam” is different from the error of Balaam (see Jude 11), which revealed that Balaam thought that God would curse Israel because they were sinners. It is also different from the way of Balaam (see 2 Pet. 2:15), which was covetousness. But here in the verse before us, it is the doctrine or teaching of Balaam. He taught Balac the way to corrupt Israel by intermarriage with the Moabite women. This introduced into the nation of Israel both idolatry and fornication. And during the historical period which the church at Pergamum represents, the unconverted world came into the church.

“The doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” We have seen that the church in Ephesus hated it, but here in Pergamum there were some who were holding that doctrine. Although we do not know exactly what the doctrine was, it probably was a gnostic cult developed by Nicolaus which advocated license in matters of Christians’ conduct and apparently a return to religious rituals by clergy, ignoring the priesthood of all believers. Christ says that He hates it! You see, Christ hates as well as loves. We had better be careful that we are not indulging in the things that He hates."

McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (5:908-909). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[Jer 10:3]

For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not [Jer. 10:3–4].

"There are some folk who interpret Jeremiah’s denunciation of idolatry to be a condemnation of the modern Christmas tree. That is utterly preposterous and ridiculous. Jeremiah is not talking about Christmas trees—nobody in his day had a Christmas tree! He is talking to his people about worshiping idols.

“The customs of the people are vain”—they are empty. Obviously Jeremiah is talking about idolatry. He is ridiculing with bitter irony the idolatry of his day. He reminds them that they go out to the woods, cut down a tree, shape it into an image, deck it with silver and gold, fasten it with nails—and that’s their god! It is like worshiping a scarecrow! Now, my friend, if at Christmas time you fall on your knees before your Christmas tree and worship it, Jeremiah’s warning could have reference to you. But I don’t know of even an unsaved pagan in the country who worships a Christmas tree. They use it as a decoration, then throw it out with the trash when Christmas is over. Rather than worshiping a Christmas tree, the danger I see is the worship of self at Christmastime—getting everything possible for self."

McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (3:372-373). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[Christmas]

"While there are definitely pagan roots to some traditions, there are many more traditions associated with the true meaning of Christmas—the birth of the Savior of the world in Bethlehem. Bells are played to ring out the joyous news, candles are lit to remind us that Christ is the Light of the world (John 1:4-9), a star is placed on the top of a Christmas tree to remember the Star of Bethlehem, and gifts are exchanged to remind us of the gifts of the Magi to the baby Jesus, the greatest gift of God to mankind..." Full text: Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?

See:

Questions about Christmas, including: What is the true meaning of Christmas?, How should Christians respond to the War on Christmas?, Do some Christmas traditions have pagan origins?, Should we have a Christmas tree?, Does giving gifts take away from the true meaning of Christmas?, Why is the virgin birth so important?, Was Jesus born on December 25th?, What does the Bible say about the three wise men?, What should parents tell their children about Santa Claus?, What is an advent calendar? How does an advent calendar relate to Christmas?, Should a Christian celebrate Hanukkah (Christmaskah)?, What is Epiphany / Three Kings’ Day and should Christians celebrate it?, What was the star of Bethlehem? link

"It's always bothered me that we spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas day with unsaved family with no consideration of the reason we celebrate--the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Starting with last year, we will see either my husband's family or mine, or both, with the understanding that at 6pm we're out of there! They are all invited to come along, but no one has taken us up on the invitation yet."

Someone said on KLOVE Christian (paraphrased): "We tend to get stressed out over the holidays. Maybe it's because we celebrate Christmas as the world wants us to. Why don't we celebrate as Jesus wants us to?"

When we become Christians, that may be something different. We don't have to be "Martha, Martha" (Lk 10:41).

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! [Matt. 12:46–49].

"The Lord is saying that the strongest relationship today is the relationship between Christ and a believer. Friend, if you are a child of God and you have unsaved family members, you are closer to Jesus Christ than you are to your own kin, including the mother that bore you. You are more closely related to other believers than you are to unsaved members of your family. This is tremendous! He is talking about a new relationship."

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother [Matt. 12:50].

And what is the will of the Father? That you hear the Lord Jesus Christ, that you accept Him and trust Him.
McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:70-71

“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you (2 Ch 19:2, NKJV)."

"My friend, God never asks you to love one who is an enemy of God. It is one thing to love a sinner. It is another thing to love his sin. We need to distinguish between the two. We are to hate the sinner’s sin. If the sinner will not change, but persists and insists on sticking with his sin, then he becomes identified with his sin. There is no alternative, my beloved. There are people who are actually God’s enemies, they are enemies of the Word of God, and they are inveterate enemies of Christianity."
McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 2:442

See:

Armor of the Lord

Christmas Traditions