Mondays and New Years

"I suppose when we wake on January 1 the world will look the same.

But there is a reminder of the Resurrection at the start of each New Year, each new decade.

That's why I also like sunrises, Mondays, and new seasons.

God seems to be saying, 'With me you can always start fresh.' "

-Ada Lum

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

This recipe would have been more timely before Christmas instead of during this month of New Year's resolutions! However, the flavors of this amazing cheesecake do have a tendency to make you forget the calories and sugar...
My beautiful voice teacher has made this for years and somehow I was able to talk her into letting me help her make it this year (and copy the recipe!). Thank you, Joan!

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Crust:
½ cup butter
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour, mixing at low speed until blended. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Prick with fork. Bake 25 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

Filling:
4 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
12 oz. white chocolate, melted, slightly cooled.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Blend in melted chocolate; pour over crust. Bake 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake. Cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with raspberry pie filling, fresh fruit, chocolate curls and powdered sugar.

Makes 12 servings.

Looking Back

As I paused the other day, I found myself thanking God for the ways He is working in my oh-so-human heart, pruning in some painful ways. In the midst of the pruning, it is difficult to see the benefits or to hold onto the hope of new blossoms. But sometimes we get a glimpse of a new bud--and to our amazement, we find ourselves thankful for the pruning.

As the year draws to an end, I look back over the journeys of these past months. The winding paths, the beautiful scenery, and some dark forests. The guiding Light that never left, even when I couldn’t see it.

I see wrong choices I made, the selfishness of my heart exposed.

I see the painful consequences of some of those choices.

Yet I see the saving, loving, healing grace of God poured over my paths and in my soul.

I see how He faithfully brought good from bad, shone light in the dark, pruned fruitless branches.

I see how He taught me, convicted me, encouraged me, humbled me, and overwhelmingly loved me.

And I realize if I could go back and start over…

I wouldn’t.

Sure, if I could go back knowing what I have learned, I would make different choices. I would love more, let go more, hold on more, and trust more.

But if going back meant I would lose the heart lessons, the mind renewal (Romans 12:2), and the soul mending that have come as a result of the brokenness…

It wouldn’t be worth it.

Everyone has their share of struggle, pain, heartache, and uncertainty. Praise God that He can bring good from these difficult paths--sometimes the good being the changes He makes in our hearts rather than changing the circumstances.

I’m still in the midst of the journey, but looking back, I’m grateful (gasp!) for where it has brought me so far.

I don’t want to turn back.

Post-Christmas Prayer

Post-Christmas Prayer

Author Unknown

Long after the angels disappear into the heavens, the shepherds return to their flocks, the magi journey home, and the great star sets, Jesus remains.
The Child in whom we rediscover God's great love for humanity becomes the adult Redeemer who challenges us to imitate his selflessness and compassion in order that we might transform our world in love.
May we allow the miracle of Christmas to continue long after the holiday trappings have been packed away.
May we welcome the adult Messiah and his challenging Gospel to recreate our lives-- making the peace, justice, and hope of this holy season a reality in every season of the new year.

(From Everything Christmas, by David Bordon and Thomas Winters)

This Gift of God

I walked into church last night, feeling the weight of the week’s emotions. Despite my meaningful Advent season, this week before Christmas found me stressed, heavy-hearted, and even a bit irritated, I’m afraid.

Our final choir practice was last night in the church, a last chance to prepare for tonight's breath-taking Midnight Mass. We began and I forgot myself as I sang with the other choir members, these dear friends I’ve made in such a short time, who have welcomed me with kindness into their choir family.

As Ruth sang “Gift of God” with my brother, and the choir gently sang our responses to the verses, I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by the beauty of the music.

I opened them and saw my uncle, the choir director. He lost his seventeen-year-old son, my cousin, in a car accident this summer. Yet there he was, pouring himself out, feeling the music as I was. Finding healing in it. Tears gathered in my eyes as I watched him with compassion and admiration.

And in that moment, I felt the petty details of the week be stripped away. Why had I allowed such clutter to build in my heart and mind this week? Had I been preparing my heart with room for the Savior only to fill it with worries and selfishness just before His coming?

“Word of prophets, word of poets, Holy Word of God made flesh…to a world of pain and suffering, comes the hope of joy renewed.” Kyle’s and Ruth’s beautiful voices echoed through the church.

“Gift of God, O Emmanuel,” We responded to each verse, with reverence and emotion.

The purity and simplicity of Christmas was right there, in those lyrics, those five words.

This indescribable gift of God—that He came down to earth, to be God-with-us—Emmanuel.

The God who is with my uncle and family in their unimaginable grief. The God who is with me in my heartache and confusion. The God who is with each one of us in our fears, frustrations, and uncertainties.

Gift of God. Emmanuel. It’s that simple. And that powerful.

Merry Christmas Eve, dear friends. Tonight is a holy night.

Monthly Girls' Night: December Cookie Swap!

The baking crew

The cookies...er...some of them...

...more cookies...

Oh yes, my friends, even more cookies. *happy sigh*

Frosting (and eating) cookies-- note the healthy veggies on the table as well

Rachel and her Luscious Lemon Bars!

"In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips!"

Christmas Reading

One of my favorite things to do during Christmastime is read. (That's one of my favorite things to do anytime, but that's beside the point.)

I love Christmas books. Devotionals, fiction, magazines, collections of stories. Add a cup of tea, a candle, and I'm content for hours. My library card has had 20-30 items checked out on it consistently throughout the month. (Thank goodness we have a big library, or I'd be feeling a little guilty...)

Here are a few of my favorites, including some new ones recommended this year by fellow bloggers. Please feel free to comment with your own favorites to recommend.

• Christmas in my Heart: a Treasury of Timeless Christmas Stories, compiled by Joe Wheeler (There are several of these books-- my favorite Christmas series. Beautiful old-fashioned pictures accompany meaningful, timeless stories)


• Everything Christmas, by David Bordon and Thomas Winters (A delightful collection of quotes, recipes, traditions, and stories. Thank you, Kandace!)


• Victoria Classics: Holiday Bliss (Victoria magazine-- need any more be said? A feast for the eyes with it's gorgeous Victorian Christmas decorations.)


• The Christmas Hope, by Donna VanLiere (A new favorite by the author of The Christmas Shoes; this one the story of a couple grieved by the death of their teenage son who take in a foster child for the holidays.)


• Journey Into Christmas and Other Stories, by Bess Streeter Aldrich (one of my favorite authors, but I hadn't realized she had a Christmas collection! Somehow she weaves tales with both a depth and a simplicity. Thank you, Lanier!)


• The Farm Chicks Christmas: Merry Ideas for the Holidays, by Serena Thompson (I loved the original Farm Chicks book; this Christmas edition has the same cute, country charm.)


• An Amish Christmas: December in Lancaster County, by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron (Cozy and heartfelt-- although the book became due before I had read all of the stories!)


• The Anne of Green Gables Christmas Treasury, by Carolyn Strom Collins and Christina Wyss Eriksson (This book has been a favorite for years and has such a special place in my heart. It includes recipes, decorating ideas, crafts, and quotes from the books.)


• A Little House Christmas: Holiday Stories from the Little House Books, by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Another nostalgic collection. How I wanted to go back in time when I read these books...and still do, sometimes.)

Wishing you time for merry, cozy Christmas reading!