The Fullness of Time

And in this way God moves among us. 

God’s steadfast love and compassion for his children, creates the possibility that we can live in communities of peace.

Communities where everyone is as important as the next person, where uniqueness is celebrated as the gift from God that it is.

Communities where emotional, spiritual and physical well-being are experienced by all.

Communities built on compassion and unconditional love for all members where success is not measure by growth domestic product.  

It is measured by the happiness of it's smallest, most vulnerable members.

Communities built on reconciliation rather than punishment, cooperation verses competition, and Unconditional Love.

A place where God moves freely among us.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Carla's Rice Salad

One of great things about visiting with family that you do not see every day is getting to try new and wonderful recipes.  Carla’s rice salad is just one of many that you will see over the next few weeks.  This salad is both a summer and winter hit and keeps well in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked rice
•  1 cup chopped celery
•  1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup chopped sweet peppers

Dressing

• 1/2 cup salad oil
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2  tablespoon sugar

Directions:

1. Cook rice and drain
2. While rice is cook chop vegetables and set aside
3. In sauce pan add all ingredients of the dressing and simmer for 3 minutes stirring constantly, remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl combine the rice and vegetables 
5. Stir in dressing
6. Serve

This salad is great served both hot or cold and is a hit at potluck dinners

From our table to yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Wild Rose

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

10 Things to Tell Your (Grand)children in June

We are a treasure trove of knowledge and it is important to share the knowledge we have of our parents, the families we come from and ourselves.

Father’s Day occurs in June:

1)      Describe to each of your (grand)children what you remember about their birth and how you felt to become their (grand)father. (if in the role of father)

Yes this is the same question from May only this times it applies to fathers.  It is important to remember that each of us will have a unique perspective of all life events and it is key to the family story that all perspectives are provided.

 2) Talk to them about what you remember about your father and how you celebrated Father’s Day with him.

 3) Remember your Grandfather to your (grand)children.  What is your fondest memory of him?

Grandpa John loved to go for early morning drives and my fondest memories of these times.

4) Talk to your (grand)children about the type of (grand)father you are striving to be. (if in the role of a father) 

5) Talk about your greatest struggle as a man and how you overcame it or are working to over come.

June 27^th is the American backyard camping: 

As a child of the 50's summers were filled with backyard camping.  Sticks, rope, Mom's sheets and blankets made amazing tents.  Then there was the trip to the local gas station for a bag of penny candy which by the next day was a sticky mess and waking up to the smell of damp candy and sheets brings back fond memories even 60 years later.

6) Share your memories of backyard camping? Create new memories by planning a staycation with your (grand)children plan a backyard camping trip. 

June also brings the end of the school year:

7) What do you remember of those last days of school?  

Mine are never being sure if the dreaded report card would say pass or fail, the end of school was a mix of dread and anticipation.  

8) Did you go on any end of school trips, (grand)children will enjoy these stories and these destinations can become summer destinations for your family.

9) What did you do with your school notebooks and reports?  If you had a traditional way to dispose of these personal possessions describe these and how you feel about it today.  If you have any of your school books take them out and share them.

Recipe:

10) When you think of the month of June is there a favourite food that comes to mind?  Write the recipe out and make it with your (grand)children.

Strawberries clean and fresh sprinkled with white sugar and swimming in fresh cream bring back memories of June, and my Grandmother.  

 Grandma Snyder

© 2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Mindfulness - Say What You Do

What do you mean?!

My children know what I think because I tell them!

That is not true - actions speak louder than words -  children will make sense of absurdities between what we say and what we do.

What does the teenager do with being lectured on drinking and driving his dad’s car then two weeks later watches his dad drive in the driveway coming home from the bar?

Might he conclude that what his father was saying was you can drink and drive your own car not somebody else’s. 

And

When parents are silent on issues of importance children will look to parental behaviours and from this create a parental position.

Be mindful of what you are saying and not saying to the children in your life.

Is there congruency between what you say and what you do?

Talk with your children!

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

My Grace is Sufficient For You

When life is flowing as we desire, when we appear to be in control, all too often there is little thought given to how God’s grace is playing out in our lives.

Yes we offer quick prayers “Thank you Lord for life’s blessings” or words similar too this, however what are the specific blessings we are referring to?  Are we just offering platitudes since really we have done all the work.

We were playing cards with friends when the call came in that Dad was in hospital and five days later we were planning his funeral.  Life that been measured in days and weeks now was reduced to moments.  

We moved through those moments with the pray “Lord Jesus Christ Holy Son of God of Mercy on me…” as a constant refrain because we could nothing else, we had no words.

We made it through that week because God’s grace was sufficient.  During a week when everything was out of control a week we rode a tidal wave of grief, anger and pain God’s power, God’s unconditional love for us was made perfect by our weakness, we felt it because we could feel nothing else, we understood it and knew it to be true.

We prayed Thank you Lord for standing with us, for standing witness to our grief, for holding us from falling and for setting our feet back on solid ground when we healed.

Resilience is knowing that thou we are weak and life is out of our control we will make it through because of God’s grace. 

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Vacation Knitting

Being one of those people who does not get car sick I use the time to knit. 

Our trip to Saskatchewan was just such a trip.

While in Myrtle Beach SC Carla purchased a Top This kit from Knit and Purl .

It was Great Aunt Marjorie's job to knit it.

And as you can see Luke not only has a winter hat he has a new stuffy to play with.

If you are looking for a quick and easy hat I recommend this one.


  





The average price online for the kit is $10.00.

This is not a paid endorsement it is my opinion.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Strawberry Pie

In strawberry season there is nothing better than fresh strawberry pie and that is exactly what Great Aunt Carla served the girls upon our arrival in Saskatchewan.  

She calls the recipe her pie plate recipe because it was printed on a pie plate that she received as a wedding present over 30 years ago and she has adapted it to meet her families discerning tastes.

Ingredients:

• 3 quarts strawberries washed and hulled
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 large precooked pie shell (to make GF use a GF pie shell or a graham cracker pie shell)

Directions:

1. Mash 1 cup of strawberries
2. In a sauce pan add mashed strawberries and 1 cup water and boil for 5 minutes
3. Add cornstarch to 1/3 of a cup of water and mix until the cornstarch is smooth and add to sauce pan along with sugar
4. Boil until the liquid is clear and has thicken.
5. Take off stove top and let cool
6. Place remaining whole strawberries in your pie crust cutting the berries where necessary to get them all in.
7. Pour the strawberry glaze over top and place in refrigerator to cool
8. Top with whip cream or ice cream and serve

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Canada Day

Happy Canada Day 2015 

We are visiting family in Saskatchewan and so we have spent Canada Day in 

Fort Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

They held a wonderful parade which included candy for the children

and it is the first parade I have been to where 

the crowd and street were sprayed with water 

and the last float was the street sweeper.

It may have had something to do with the number 

of horses in the parade.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Lilies of Jacksonville Illinois

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Knitting the Temperature 2015

May 2015

May

The wind is tossing the lilacs,

The new laugh in the sun,

And the petals fall on the orchard wall,

But for me the spring is done.

Beneath the apple blossoms

I go a wintry way,

For love that smiled in April

Is false to me in May

~ Sara Teasdate

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Mindfulness

The Small Things

“Would you please get me some more butter”

The speaker was a middle aged man with his teenage daughter who responded

 “I don’t want to get it yourself.”  

At the next table a child around the age of 8 got up leaving her own breakfast and retrieved the requested butter.

It is a sad reflection on our ‘get ahead’ and ‘get more’ society that fewer and fewer adults and teens  are willing to do the small things that bring no glory, no reward.

Yet it is exactly these things that children are prepared to do for no reason but it is there to be done.

Our granddaughter picks up garbage in the hotel hallway not because she dropped it, just because it was there and it was the right thing to do.

At what point did we stop noticing and caring about the small things?

This week look for small things that need to be done and do them.

Praise the (grand)children around you for doing the same.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Joy comes with the morning

With each new dawn we have a choice.

We can accept forgiveness and the blessings our Lord desires for us 

Or

We can wallow in our sin and self-contempt rejecting love

And

Diminishing the free will sacrifice of Christ.

Choose Joy each morning and experience God's mercy anew.

Psalm 30:5

For His anger endureth but a moment, and in His favour is life; weeping my endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning

 Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Public Spaces

We had forgotten how important public spaces are to a community and in our case to grandparents travelling with grandchildren.

They provide shade trees to sit under, climbing equipment for children to run and play on, and spaces for parents to gather and interact together face to face.

Through our travels we can assess how important families are to a community by how well they care for their green spaces.

Communities that are growing and nurturing family life have the most amazing parks.

What does the park in your community look it?

What is it saying about your community?

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Summer Pasta Salad

Once again today’s recipe was inspired by a meal that we had.  This time is was the end of season Sewing Club’s banquet at the Grey Rose.  On the salad bar was a vinaigrette pasta salad and I knew just the vinaigrette vegetables to add to our Summer Pasta Salad.

Go Go Quinoa pasta is one of our favourite (this is not a paid endorsement).  You can achieve a very nice al dente pasta what will hold up in a cold salad and not go tough overnight in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of your favourite pasta  
• 2 cups of Summer Vegetable Salad (click here for recipe)
• 1 cup chopped olives, we used a mix of black and green chopped

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta as per the directions
2. Add the Summer Vegetable Salad and olives stir and serve.

This is a great way to use up leftover Summer Vegetable Salad

From Our Table To Yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Granddaughters Travel with Stuffed Animals

You can pack one suitcase each and so they did, what we failed to realize was that each grandchild would also travel with a bag full of stuffed animals or stuffies as they are called.

So once in our hotel room their bed was covered with animals who were glad to be freed from their plastic bag prisons.  With different voices they each jumped from the bags onto the bed, landing with glee to roll and romp joyfully, very much like our granddaughter acted when freed from their back seat restraints in the car.

Now Grandpa and I are left wondering where our granddaughter’s will sleep tonight.

Will the stuffies be willing to share the bed with their human owners?

And I have question for you

How many stuffed animals do your (grand)children sleep with each night?

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Daisy

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Mindfulness Wisdom

Our world is full of intelligent people, yet wisdom is often hard to find.  

Wisdom requires that we see people where they are. 

That we understand their position in life, their hopes, their fears and their motivations. 

That we understand the world through their eyes and then and only then does a wise person offer their opinion.

Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength

 Dalai Lama

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

The Storms of Life

I was reminded of Charles Albert Tindley’s 1905 hymn “Stand by Me” with this weeks reading specifically the refrain 

“when the storms of life are raging stand by me”. 

Many Christians lament when bad things happen to them.

“Why God, why me”

The inference is that somehow we do not deserve to have life happen to us, while it should happen to other people who deserve it.

Tindley has it right in my opinion.  Life happens to us all, we are born through pain and we live our lives through the decisions humanity makes and we all die.  

Our Lord commanded the water to come no further defining ocean and land, the water obeyed.

Our Lord whispered to the waves to be still and they did. 

In each case the water remained present both life giving and dangerous at the same time.  And obeying the voice of God.   Just as all human being must live each day moving ever forward from birth to death – we all travel through the same water.

“When the storms of life are raging stand by me” always present, always patient always near our cry to our Lord should not be “Why me?”  - it should be “Stand by me!”

I want my children and grandchildren to know the love of their God holding them up when the storms of life is upon them.  

To know they are loved and not alone or abandoned by their God.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Summer Vegetable Salad

While on vacation we were served a salad that became the inspiration for this salad.  We started by adapting a vinegar cold slaw dressing and then taking inspiration from our restaurant meal we started to add vegetables.  While we have called this dish a Summer Vegetable Salad as it uses canned vegetables it would work just as well as a winter salad.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup of sugar
• ¾ cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 sweet pepper chopped
• 4 sticks of celery chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 1 cup pimiento chopped
• 1 can peas drained
• 1 can chick peas drained
• I can French cut beans
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Bring the sugar, vinegar and oil to a boil, stirring to prevent burning once sugar is dissolved set aside to cool.
2. Mix all of the other ingredients together in a bowl with lid.
3. Add cooled dressing and let the ingredients marinate in the dressing in the fridge overnight.

Note: this salad will for up to five days in the fridge. 

From Our Table To Yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Soccer Game

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Mindfulness

What if we started each day with the same excitement and expectation of discovery as a child on the first day of school.

If we rose each morning knowing the day before us held discovery, learning, new opportunities.

Today take time to discover the newness of the routes you will travel.

Be curious about the people you work with, seek out what you can learn from them.

Be mindful of each moment and what there is to be discovered in it.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Firmly Rooted

The majestic trees spoken of this in verse grow in soil that is less than fertile, they grow slowly, stand tall and strong against the weather. 

When younger this verse held no significance other than that of poetic verse.  Now I understand the imagery anew, it describes spiritual growth. 

Being spiritually alive is easy when surrounded by mountain top experiences, in soil rich with awareness of God, and surrounded by others alive and vibrating with enthusiasm for their God.

And while our lives are interspersed with these moments we live the majority of time in soil devoid of these experiences, in places of work where the spiritual is no longer welcome, at school where the religious is deemed inappropriate and in neighbourhoods where places of worship are closing down.

Like the palm and the cedars of Lebanon our spiritual maturity is slow and occurs for the most part in soil lacking spiritual nutrients. 

Yet we grow tall and strong standing against the weather firmly rooted in the knowledge of our God and our place in Heaven.  In our spiritual maturity, rooted in the knowledge of God’s love we are equipped to meet the demands of old age, patient with ourselves and excited for the zeal of the young.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2014 twosnydergirls