Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Packing it Away
It is the day after Christmas, and as I am packing my Christmas dishes and serving pieces and putting them away, I am feeling convicted. I have been reading blogs and editorials on how we have too much "stuff" in America. How ridiculous it is to have a set of dishes we only eat from one day a year, or maybe even a week of the year!
I have 2 shelves in my pantry and 2 kitchen cabinets designated for seasonal "Stuff" for the kitchen: dishes, serving pieces, centerpieces, candles, napkin rings, placemats, napkins, tablecloths for Birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas. It is a lifetime of collecting. Some of it is 2 or 3 lifetimes old.
I have items that belonged to my parents or my grandparents (although most of that I have already divided up among my grown children,keeping only an item or 2.) Then the rest I have garnered over the years. Much of the items were gifts. A few items I picked up at a thrift store or garage sale.
See that sounds like I am trying to justify my owning it. Which, right away, runs up a red flag. If I have to think and work so hard to rationalize it or excuse it, then maybe it is wrong to begin with? Is the Lord calling for *me* to purge myself of "Stuff"? Even more importantly, am I trying to argue with Him over it?
With my sanguine personality, I have to be careful. I tend to go overboard on everything...impulsively! I have given my wedding ring set and my great grandmother's antique gold wedding band to the church in years past. I know God honored my sacrifices, but I am not sure He was the One asking for them. For a sacrifice, I have burned a manuscript for a book I wrote.
I live in the deep south where some traditions are ingrained in us from childhood. I studied Home Economics in college, and we were taught the importance of a "well appointed" home and kitchen. I attended a Ladies Leadership seminar in Alexandria, LA, some years ago and one of the courses was on gracious living. The lady teaching it spoke of paper plates and napkins and cups being for picnics, not family meals, reminding me of much of my training.
However, when you are raising 5 children, much of that gets left by the wayside, except for holidays. Hence the holiday collections I own. Before Christmas dinner yesterday as Melanie removed the centerpiece from the table to make room for food, I was telling Jonathan how in Home Ec we were always taught to have a nice centerpiece, usually fresh and homemade, using whatever was in the yard. Andrea and Tiffany used to make lovely centerpieces from stuff in the yard. It never seemed to matter though, as I explained to Jonathan, because we always removed them from the table to make room for food or to be able to see each other.
At Thanksgiving, at Andrea's house, Vivian, Melanie, and I made little paper place cards for everyone. We laid a fresh tablecloth and even created a centerpiece from stuff around the house that Andrea had used in decorating. It was quite lovely, but continuing in tradition, I noticed Andrea removed it to a side table for the meal.
As we were packing the stuff away, I was sharing some of my quandary with Melanie. She responded that I have not gone overboard with stuff. I do not own 2 or 4 or 10 sets of Christmas dishes.
I know of folks who have no pictures and no knickknacks and no elements of decor in their homes in honor of God. I respect and admire their sacrifice. For them, it is what they must do to follow their consciences and so long as they do not judge others by that same standard then they are not to be judged.
I have something to think and pray and fast on this year. Is this God calling me to such a sacrifice or is it just my impulsive, over the top nature? Do not get me wrong! I am not saying it is wrong to have pretty things and a well appointed home....unless...God has spoken to you to shed those things or unless you serve those things instead of using them to serve others.
For many years, my stuff was used to serve my family wholesome, nutritious meals, shared around a table of love and laughter. It was used to teach them gracious living because I believe the people of God should be a gracious people of dignity, integrity, and manners. For many years, our home was open to serve the lost, the lonely,the hurting. For many years, on Thanksgiving, we would invite someone who had no family in the area to share our meal with us.
Serving others was a great tradition in our home. At a Women's Conference in Tioga, I once purchased a book on making memories with your children. One idea was to prepare a special meal, get out the guest dishes and linens and tell them someone special was coming to dinner. Then when they came to eat, tell them it was them. What a great idea (I thought)! So I proceeded to put it into play. The kids were all excited and made name cards and helped me cook and clean and decorate.
"Who is coming, Mama??" they would ask excitedly.
"It's a surprise! " I would reply! What I did not realize is they did not hear "surpirse." Bishop Sarin's sister is a lovely, gracious lady named Sis. Price. They heard me say,"It's Sis. Price!"
They were so thrilled and honored to be able to serve Sis. Price. They even went to change clothes before dinner into their Sunday best. I will never ever for as long as I live forget the disappointment on those 4 little faces when they came into the living room, and we told them it was them, that they were our special guests! They actually cried, and went in Andrea's room, bawling, refusing to eat their meal they had worked so hard on. We finally got it out of them that they had heard "Sis. Price is coming!"
I am reminded of a seminar I attended in Baton Rouge with Bishop and Sis. Sartin and people from the church. Several of us sat at dinner, and spoke of how proud we were of our pastor and his wife and their beautiful, gracious manners. I am reminded of a young lady who told me she visited a church that was considering hiring her. Afterward when she went to lunch with the leadership, she said she wanted to slip quietly away because of people being rude to the waitstaff or evidencing poor manners at the table. During that lunch, she made her decision to not be a part of that ministry.
My health of late has negated my serving much these days. My children are all grown now and do not need me to serve them. Perhaps the conviction I am feeling is not over having the stuff but over how I have not used it much of late to serve others in His name. Jesus never condemned Martha for serving others and for toiling to have a well appointed household. The virtuous woman in Proverbs is honored for doing such things.
In years past, we did not have much, but what we had we shared; we tried to make it as gracious as we could. Now I have so much more than I had then, I want to be careful not to shut the doors of compassion and mercy.
I have 2 shelves in my pantry and 2 kitchen cabinets designated for seasonal "Stuff" for the kitchen: dishes, serving pieces, centerpieces, candles, napkin rings, placemats, napkins, tablecloths for Birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas. It is a lifetime of collecting. Some of it is 2 or 3 lifetimes old.
I have items that belonged to my parents or my grandparents (although most of that I have already divided up among my grown children,keeping only an item or 2.) Then the rest I have garnered over the years. Much of the items were gifts. A few items I picked up at a thrift store or garage sale.
See that sounds like I am trying to justify my owning it. Which, right away, runs up a red flag. If I have to think and work so hard to rationalize it or excuse it, then maybe it is wrong to begin with? Is the Lord calling for *me* to purge myself of "Stuff"? Even more importantly, am I trying to argue with Him over it?
With my sanguine personality, I have to be careful. I tend to go overboard on everything...impulsively! I have given my wedding ring set and my great grandmother's antique gold wedding band to the church in years past. I know God honored my sacrifices, but I am not sure He was the One asking for them. For a sacrifice, I have burned a manuscript for a book I wrote.
I live in the deep south where some traditions are ingrained in us from childhood. I studied Home Economics in college, and we were taught the importance of a "well appointed" home and kitchen. I attended a Ladies Leadership seminar in Alexandria, LA, some years ago and one of the courses was on gracious living. The lady teaching it spoke of paper plates and napkins and cups being for picnics, not family meals, reminding me of much of my training.
However, when you are raising 5 children, much of that gets left by the wayside, except for holidays. Hence the holiday collections I own. Before Christmas dinner yesterday as Melanie removed the centerpiece from the table to make room for food, I was telling Jonathan how in Home Ec we were always taught to have a nice centerpiece, usually fresh and homemade, using whatever was in the yard. Andrea and Tiffany used to make lovely centerpieces from stuff in the yard. It never seemed to matter though, as I explained to Jonathan, because we always removed them from the table to make room for food or to be able to see each other.
At Thanksgiving, at Andrea's house, Vivian, Melanie, and I made little paper place cards for everyone. We laid a fresh tablecloth and even created a centerpiece from stuff around the house that Andrea had used in decorating. It was quite lovely, but continuing in tradition, I noticed Andrea removed it to a side table for the meal.
As we were packing the stuff away, I was sharing some of my quandary with Melanie. She responded that I have not gone overboard with stuff. I do not own 2 or 4 or 10 sets of Christmas dishes.
I know of folks who have no pictures and no knickknacks and no elements of decor in their homes in honor of God. I respect and admire their sacrifice. For them, it is what they must do to follow their consciences and so long as they do not judge others by that same standard then they are not to be judged.
I have something to think and pray and fast on this year. Is this God calling me to such a sacrifice or is it just my impulsive, over the top nature? Do not get me wrong! I am not saying it is wrong to have pretty things and a well appointed home....unless...God has spoken to you to shed those things or unless you serve those things instead of using them to serve others.
For many years, my stuff was used to serve my family wholesome, nutritious meals, shared around a table of love and laughter. It was used to teach them gracious living because I believe the people of God should be a gracious people of dignity, integrity, and manners. For many years, our home was open to serve the lost, the lonely,the hurting. For many years, on Thanksgiving, we would invite someone who had no family in the area to share our meal with us.
Serving others was a great tradition in our home. At a Women's Conference in Tioga, I once purchased a book on making memories with your children. One idea was to prepare a special meal, get out the guest dishes and linens and tell them someone special was coming to dinner. Then when they came to eat, tell them it was them. What a great idea (I thought)! So I proceeded to put it into play. The kids were all excited and made name cards and helped me cook and clean and decorate.
"Who is coming, Mama??" they would ask excitedly.
"It's a surprise! " I would reply! What I did not realize is they did not hear "surpirse." Bishop Sarin's sister is a lovely, gracious lady named Sis. Price. They heard me say,"It's Sis. Price!"
They were so thrilled and honored to be able to serve Sis. Price. They even went to change clothes before dinner into their Sunday best. I will never ever for as long as I live forget the disappointment on those 4 little faces when they came into the living room, and we told them it was them, that they were our special guests! They actually cried, and went in Andrea's room, bawling, refusing to eat their meal they had worked so hard on. We finally got it out of them that they had heard "Sis. Price is coming!"
I am reminded of a seminar I attended in Baton Rouge with Bishop and Sis. Sartin and people from the church. Several of us sat at dinner, and spoke of how proud we were of our pastor and his wife and their beautiful, gracious manners. I am reminded of a young lady who told me she visited a church that was considering hiring her. Afterward when she went to lunch with the leadership, she said she wanted to slip quietly away because of people being rude to the waitstaff or evidencing poor manners at the table. During that lunch, she made her decision to not be a part of that ministry.
My health of late has negated my serving much these days. My children are all grown now and do not need me to serve them. Perhaps the conviction I am feeling is not over having the stuff but over how I have not used it much of late to serve others in His name. Jesus never condemned Martha for serving others and for toiling to have a well appointed household. The virtuous woman in Proverbs is honored for doing such things.
In years past, we did not have much, but what we had we shared; we tried to make it as gracious as we could. Now I have so much more than I had then, I want to be careful not to shut the doors of compassion and mercy.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas from the Wilson Homestead
Merry Christmas to all! I hope it is a joyous one for everyone!!!
This year, we decided to go to Andrea's the weekend before Christmas for our family Christmas gift exchange, and each have Christmas in our own homes. Vivian is older, and I sensed they would want to have their own celebration privately this year. Then, I am such a homebody, I wanted to be home on Christmas this year. I missed my Christmas traditions of a table loaded with Christmas punch and "snicky snacks" that were pushed to the side to play games.
I missed not being able to bring out my "Christmas dishes" and use them. I had wanted Christmas dinnerware for ages. One year when Andrea was a teenager, my father-in-law and his wife sent our family each a Kmart gift certificate for Christmas. After Christmas, I took the kids to Kmart to shop. Dean gave me his certificate and told me to buy my Christmas dishes with mine and his. I was elated to find a sale and bought a service for 8. Andrea remembered helping me pick them out.
It was kind of funny. I borrowed 4 gold chargers from Andrea since she was not having a Christmas dinner at her home this year for the 2 extended families and did not need all of her 12 that I had given her last year. I set my table with candles and my Christmas dishes and my napkin holders I had picked up at a sale after Christmas the year Vivian was born but was never home to use until now. Jonathan walked in and admired my handiwork, asking me if I had bought the Christmas dishes that day. I laughed and told him they were so old they came from the Kmart that no longer is but once was! He had forgotten ever seeing them so it was like having something new again. :-)
Anyway, last night after we played some cards (games are just not as fun without my entire hilarious family and Steven to tease us about "Wilson rules"), we watched some home movies since we were still sorting out some to put on DVD and to copy for Andrea. Melanie pulled out all the VHS tapes from the armoire that houses the entertainment center. She was so excited when she found one labeled "Christmas, 1990," thinking it was a home movie of her first Christmas.
First off the tape did not work, so Jonathan took it to his "workshop," and came back an hour or so later having repaired it. Proudly he popped it in and lo and behold! What to our wondering eyes should appear! Some family none of us have any clue who they are having Christmas in 1990. We laughed so hard! I told Jon he needed to look those people up because they had some nice looking teen daughters. He said,"Yea! Eighteen years ago! Get real, Mom!"
Tiffany and Andrea will never believe this, though: Dad let us open gifts last night for Christmas Eve!!!! Your dad finally bought be a lovely rocking chair with an ottoman. I have been wanting one for ages but always needed some new computer part or a whole new computer every year before now so had to wait.
Today I have a roast in the oven. Green beans have been simmering in the crock pot for about 24 hours. The 2 "kids" I have left at home wanted a traditional Wilson Sunday dinner of Roast, Macaroni and cheese, salad, vegetable, and rolls. I bought a sugar free pecan pie, and some sugar free carb smart vanilla ice cream for dessert. My weight loss has slowed down over the holidays, but I am proud to say it at least is continuing.
I told Vivian that next Christmas I planned to be as little as her mama. She was asking my why I was eating special food and had to know what each item I had brought was. She looked at me incredulously and said, "No way! You're too fat! " then giggled and ran off before I could kiss that little Sugar Bean.
I hope you all enjoy your families and make beautiful memories!
From the old Wilson Homestead, with love to all my offspring scattered far and wide!
This year, we decided to go to Andrea's the weekend before Christmas for our family Christmas gift exchange, and each have Christmas in our own homes. Vivian is older, and I sensed they would want to have their own celebration privately this year. Then, I am such a homebody, I wanted to be home on Christmas this year. I missed my Christmas traditions of a table loaded with Christmas punch and "snicky snacks" that were pushed to the side to play games.
I missed not being able to bring out my "Christmas dishes" and use them. I had wanted Christmas dinnerware for ages. One year when Andrea was a teenager, my father-in-law and his wife sent our family each a Kmart gift certificate for Christmas. After Christmas, I took the kids to Kmart to shop. Dean gave me his certificate and told me to buy my Christmas dishes with mine and his. I was elated to find a sale and bought a service for 8. Andrea remembered helping me pick them out.
It was kind of funny. I borrowed 4 gold chargers from Andrea since she was not having a Christmas dinner at her home this year for the 2 extended families and did not need all of her 12 that I had given her last year. I set my table with candles and my Christmas dishes and my napkin holders I had picked up at a sale after Christmas the year Vivian was born but was never home to use until now. Jonathan walked in and admired my handiwork, asking me if I had bought the Christmas dishes that day. I laughed and told him they were so old they came from the Kmart that no longer is but once was! He had forgotten ever seeing them so it was like having something new again. :-)
Anyway, last night after we played some cards (games are just not as fun without my entire hilarious family and Steven to tease us about "Wilson rules"), we watched some home movies since we were still sorting out some to put on DVD and to copy for Andrea. Melanie pulled out all the VHS tapes from the armoire that houses the entertainment center. She was so excited when she found one labeled "Christmas, 1990," thinking it was a home movie of her first Christmas.
First off the tape did not work, so Jonathan took it to his "workshop," and came back an hour or so later having repaired it. Proudly he popped it in and lo and behold! What to our wondering eyes should appear! Some family none of us have any clue who they are having Christmas in 1990. We laughed so hard! I told Jon he needed to look those people up because they had some nice looking teen daughters. He said,"Yea! Eighteen years ago! Get real, Mom!"
Tiffany and Andrea will never believe this, though: Dad let us open gifts last night for Christmas Eve!!!! Your dad finally bought be a lovely rocking chair with an ottoman. I have been wanting one for ages but always needed some new computer part or a whole new computer every year before now so had to wait.
Today I have a roast in the oven. Green beans have been simmering in the crock pot for about 24 hours. The 2 "kids" I have left at home wanted a traditional Wilson Sunday dinner of Roast, Macaroni and cheese, salad, vegetable, and rolls. I bought a sugar free pecan pie, and some sugar free carb smart vanilla ice cream for dessert. My weight loss has slowed down over the holidays, but I am proud to say it at least is continuing.
I told Vivian that next Christmas I planned to be as little as her mama. She was asking my why I was eating special food and had to know what each item I had brought was. She looked at me incredulously and said, "No way! You're too fat! " then giggled and ran off before I could kiss that little Sugar Bean.
I hope you all enjoy your families and make beautiful memories!
From the old Wilson Homestead, with love to all my offspring scattered far and wide!
Monday, December 22, 2008
What a Lovely time
We just returned home from Alexandria from our Buy Nothing Christmas celebration with Andrea, Steven, and Vivian. What a wonderful time of love and sharing we had. Of course family holidays are never complete without the prickly times and bit of arguing so we had a touch of that as well this morning. However, I have to say, there was a tranquil spirit of love and harmony that prevailed throughout most of the visit.
I LOVED MY GIFTS. Andrea and Vivian made me some lovely pot holders and a decorated tin to put my Chinese fortune in from our dinner out on Sunday. Tiffany sent me a key holder from Alaska with a picture of Vivian and I on Andrea's front porch swing, taken last Easter. I also received my Family Calendar with family pictures sprinkled throughout. Andrea never should have made me one in 2005, if she did not want to make them for me until the day I die! They are my favorites!
Miss Tiffany was the super creative one of the bunch though! Andrea, Melanie, and I "oohed" and "aahed" over her brown bag wrapping paper upon which she had drawn whimsical pictures and her creative items she used to make bows. Steven observed that when you live in the wilds of Alaska that if you do not get paper and ribbon on your yearly trip to Walmart, you do without. When Tiff called from Alaska, we complimented her, and she laughed and said "Being poor is the mother of invention!" and let us know Steven was right.
What a great tradition that I look forward to for many years to come! Thanks, Andrea! My head is already spinning with ideas for next year!
I LOVED MY GIFTS. Andrea and Vivian made me some lovely pot holders and a decorated tin to put my Chinese fortune in from our dinner out on Sunday. Tiffany sent me a key holder from Alaska with a picture of Vivian and I on Andrea's front porch swing, taken last Easter. I also received my Family Calendar with family pictures sprinkled throughout. Andrea never should have made me one in 2005, if she did not want to make them for me until the day I die! They are my favorites!
Miss Tiffany was the super creative one of the bunch though! Andrea, Melanie, and I "oohed" and "aahed" over her brown bag wrapping paper upon which she had drawn whimsical pictures and her creative items she used to make bows. Steven observed that when you live in the wilds of Alaska that if you do not get paper and ribbon on your yearly trip to Walmart, you do without. When Tiff called from Alaska, we complimented her, and she laughed and said "Being poor is the mother of invention!" and let us know Steven was right.
What a great tradition that I look forward to for many years to come! Thanks, Andrea! My head is already spinning with ideas for next year!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Pralines
So to titillate Andrea, this is what I made today. I cannot taste them to see if they are good, and I fear the humidity messed me up.
See you in a few hours, girly!
| Recipe: | Microwave Pralines |
| Author: | Carol Wilson |
| Source: | Val Blanchard |
| Ingredients: | In a large microwave bowl mix: 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1/8 tsp salt 1 Tbsp butter. |
| Directions | Microwave on high 12 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes. Remove and add: 1 tsp baking soda Stir until foamy then microwave 1 minute longer. Remove and stir in: 1 tsp. vanilla extract Stir until mixture is thick and tacky. Spoon out onto aluminum foil to cool. |
See you in a few hours, girly!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
In for a dime, in for a pound!
http://www.pfpchallenge.com/AboutPFP.aspx
Biggest Loser and General Mills are sponsoring a challenge. For ever pound you lose between now and April, GM will donate 10 cents (which will purchase a pound of food) to a food bank. Since I am on a quest to lose weight any way, I signed up. More motivation!
Biggest Loser and General Mills are sponsoring a challenge. For ever pound you lose between now and April, GM will donate 10 cents (which will purchase a pound of food) to a food bank. Since I am on a quest to lose weight any way, I signed up. More motivation!
Set of Nativity Figures...10 cents. Lifetime of Memories...Priceless!!
I read in a magazine the other week about a mom who bought these cardboard nativity figures at a dime store for her daughters years and years ago and how they became a priceless treasure. It is amazing how the things that cost so little in money create the most priceless memories.
I was reminded of a Nativity set that I had, and the plastic figurines had all been broken except the cow. I still had the wooden stable in great condition. One day I was in Woolworth's after Christmas to look for Christmas deals because they were going out of business as well. Everything in the store was 90% off. I found some unbreakable plastic Nativity figures that had been reduced to 10 for a dollar. I selected a Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus in the manger, 1 shepherds, an angel, 3 wisemen, a donkey, and a cow....10 pieces in all and I only had to pay a penny each for them, so with tax 11 cents.
Some 2o years later, the year after Katrina had hit our area, we were cleaning and purging. I had finally bought myself a lovely porcelain Nativity set since all the kids were grown. I asked Andrea and Tiffany if they were interested in any of the homegrown family ornaments because I had also been able to finally color coordinate a themed tree with breakable ornaments. I was amazed that they both wanted that old plastic nativity set.
It seems that old thing was one of the favorite Christmas memories. It always sat on the table in the foyer, and it seems my crew each had different ideas about how it was supposed to be set up. Every time one of them passed by, they rearranged the figures. Once one of them even put the cows on the roof because they had read something about cows in other countries grazing on thatched roofs.
After some discussion, we decided it is with Andrea now because she is the oldest and has a child and also is settled in her own home. But we never know when she will pass it on to one of the other siblings, until it makes its rounds and then starts all over again with her.
It is amazing the jungle gym sets, bikes, computers, radios, nintendos, and whatever else are not in their top Christmas memory. Those things are all gone with time. Yet, 10 cents worth of figurines from a dime store are priceless!
I was reminded of a Nativity set that I had, and the plastic figurines had all been broken except the cow. I still had the wooden stable in great condition. One day I was in Woolworth's after Christmas to look for Christmas deals because they were going out of business as well. Everything in the store was 90% off. I found some unbreakable plastic Nativity figures that had been reduced to 10 for a dollar. I selected a Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus in the manger, 1 shepherds, an angel, 3 wisemen, a donkey, and a cow....10 pieces in all and I only had to pay a penny each for them, so with tax 11 cents.
Some 2o years later, the year after Katrina had hit our area, we were cleaning and purging. I had finally bought myself a lovely porcelain Nativity set since all the kids were grown. I asked Andrea and Tiffany if they were interested in any of the homegrown family ornaments because I had also been able to finally color coordinate a themed tree with breakable ornaments. I was amazed that they both wanted that old plastic nativity set.
It seems that old thing was one of the favorite Christmas memories. It always sat on the table in the foyer, and it seems my crew each had different ideas about how it was supposed to be set up. Every time one of them passed by, they rearranged the figures. Once one of them even put the cows on the roof because they had read something about cows in other countries grazing on thatched roofs.
After some discussion, we decided it is with Andrea now because she is the oldest and has a child and also is settled in her own home. But we never know when she will pass it on to one of the other siblings, until it makes its rounds and then starts all over again with her.
It is amazing the jungle gym sets, bikes, computers, radios, nintendos, and whatever else are not in their top Christmas memory. Those things are all gone with time. Yet, 10 cents worth of figurines from a dime store are priceless!
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