It is Thanksgiving and I have read some great posts already; http://lindsaysterchi.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/thanksgiving-reflections/  and
http://gcornett-musings.blogspot.com/2011/11/deepening-ground-of-our-gratitude.html.
So... I have decided to just share some reflections on our Thanksgiving holiday traditions. For the last 22 years my family and a family that we lovingly refer to as the Twingrams have gotten together for lunch/dinner, desserts, games, and family together time. Along with eating comes times of reminiscing, hours of laughing, and of course, Mylanta.
When we first came to Virginia 22 1/2 years ago our two families adopted each other. Even after all these years, children growing up,getting married and having children, moving, and moving back we still get together for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and whenever we can. I know that God brought our families together, when neither of us had family in the area, to be there for each other in times of trouble, grief, great joy, and celebrations. We are family, not by genetics but by the grace of God.
So again this year I am thankful for the Twingrams and times of celebrating God's amazing gift of bringing people together to create....Family.

Painting and Priorities

I am in the process of painting the walls of our house. I have thought about it and decided that after living here for 11 1/2 years, it is probably about time. I have known for some time, ok, several years, that my house needed painting. But knowing and doing something about it have been two entirely different things. As I am working on this little project, of which I am sure might take forever, I have discovered a few things. 

There are many things in my life that I know desperately need attention. There are people that I know God has put in my life for me to help, guide, teach, and love. But the truth is that I am so busy doing other things that I sometime put those people on the back burner of my mind. I know and even have the greatest intention to get to those people. Like my unpainted walls, I see every day as a reminder, I walk right past them. 

In my personal Bible study time, I am looking, studying, and meditating on the book of James. As always happens when I take the time to listen, the Holy Spirit is grabbing me by my soul and saying, "Kat, This is for you! Listen!'


James 1:22-25


"Do not merely listen listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently h His into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it- not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it- they will be blessed in what they do."


So it is time for me to stop walking by the calling that God has on my life through His Word, but to look intently, to scrutinize, to let it burn into me so deeply that I am joyfully expecting my next opportunity to serve.


And while I am waiting, I'll get those walls painted.

Feels like time for Spiced Tea

When there is a chill in the air it is time to make Spiced Tea. I love the way it make the house smell and all the memories the smell provokes. 

When Gene and I were in Seminary, at least a hundred years ago,  we met some dear friends, Jim and Nan Haines. This amazing family taught us so much in the short time we had to spend with them. One of which was this spiced tea recipe. I am so grateful for that because it always reminds me of them and all the wonderful things that they taught us. But also because I have had the opportunity to make it a part of our family to share spiced tea and wisdom with with other friends as God has brought them into our life.

This takes a little more time than the instant version, but believe me... it is worth it! So make this and start your own family tradition of spiced tea, friends, and memories.

3 quarts of water

2 cups of sugar

5 cinnamon sticks

20 cloves

Stir and Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add 5 individual sized tea bags (I use decaf so I can have it late at night too.)

Simmer 15-20 minutes.

Remove tea bags, cinn. sticks, and tea bags.

Add 

2 cups Orange Juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

Stir and enjoy the experience!

Maturity Through the Path of Pain

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  James 1: 2-4

In reading through these verses once again, I am reminded of the number of times that I have been told, “Don’t pray for patience. You know what happens when you pray for patience.“  I have always cringed at this advice. These verses let me know why.

Because we all face trials of many kinds, the way we respond to them makes a difference in how we either grow to maturity in the faith or become bitter and remain in immaturity.

Patience is described as quiet, steady perseverance. It seems as though the only way to develop patience and become mature in the faith would be to quietly persevere through trials.

My question then becomes, “If I am not willing for God to take me through trials, then how can I possibly grow to maturity in the faith?”    

Romans 5: 3-4 “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

It is my desire to grow to maturity in Christ Jesus. As trials come, and they will, I pray that God will give me the courage to go through them knowing that patience produces character and character produces hope. It is then that I can become "mature and complete, not lacking in anything."