Smile Often

A smile changes you from inside and influences the people around you.  

The Brain science surrounding the simple act of smiling is overwhelmingly positive on our moods and health in general.

When you smile you feel better because you have stimulated the brains reward mechanism and it reduces stress hormones in the body.

The act of smiling makes you feel better.

Smiling is a basic form of communication know worldwide, infants and children know this and have been known to smile 100’s of times a day to endear themselves to the adults around them.  

Smiling is contagious, when you smile other are more likely to smile and so their internal chain response begins leading to them feeling happier.

It is as Mother Teresa says 

“Peace begins with a smile.”

Be mindful this week how often you smile.  

Notice how smiling affects those around you and most importantly how it makes you feel.

Follow the example of our children and remember to smile 100’s of times each day.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Seek, Peace and Pursue It

Peace is so much more than the absence of war!

Peace means to be at ease with your family, your neighbours and your world.

Peace means to have the ability to walk down any street in your community at any hour in the knowledge that you are safe from personal threat and more than that that behind every door is a neighbour ready to help you.

Peace requires that each of us has:

• safe sustainable housing
• food that maintains health
• meaningful work and leisure activity.

Peace means we live in a state of love and respect towards ourselves, all humanity and God's creation.

Peace means that we live with less so that other can live with more.

Living in peace means we do good because it is the right thing to do not for a reward.  

Peace means we live sustainable lifestyles.

Living in peace means tolerance for difference and living a Christ filled life leading by example not by threats and fear.

And seeking peace always means that we 

"[give] thank always for all the things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Ephesian 5:20

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Ribbon Meatloaf

We love meatloaf, there are so many different ways to make it and all are great and we will confess that there is very little that can compare to a cold meatloaf sandwich our books.  

For this recipe we once again went into the many handwritten recipes that we have inherited from three great family cooks and we have included the original recipe at the bottom.  

This dish was traditionally served with Fruit Relish, we will provide this recipe in a later post.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion sautéed
• 3 cloves of garlic minced and sautéed
• 1 cup of finely chopped crackers we used Presidents choice quinoa and honey crackers (there are always bites of crackers in the cupboards to use)
• 3/4 of a cup of almond milk or other dairy alternative
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Horseradish
• 1 tablespoon deli mustard
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free Soya Sauce
• 1/2 of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2  lb of lean ground turkey
• 1/2 of turkey sausage remove the casing

 Dressing ingredients:

• 1 large onion chopped fine and sautéed
• 1 cup of raisins sautéed 
• 5 stocks of celery chopped on sautéed 
• 2 1/2 cups of gluten free bread crumbs
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon each ginger, sage, and thyme
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free soya sauce

Directions:

Meatloaf

1. Sauté the onion, and garlic in a small amount of oil until the onions are clear
2. In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together into the onion and garlic
3. Set Aside

Dressing

1. Sauté together in a small amount of oil the onion, raisins and celery
2. Beat together the 2 eggs, chicken broth and soya sauce add the sage, ginger and thyme and mix well
3. In a large bowl add your bread crumbs, onion mixture and then liquid, mix until well combined

Layering

1. Grease either a large casserole dish or two meat loaf pans
2. Start with a layer of dressing and then meat repeat until your dish is full.
3. Note: we used meat loaf pans and we lined them parchment papers too make it easier to life out.
4. Bake at 350 ° F for 1 ½ hour or until done 

From Our Table To Yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Random Acts of Kindness

Click here to download this card for you use

It arrived in the hands of an otherwise unpleasant 10 year old child. 

As he poked his head into the car window he said with unexpected warmth in his voice

“Thank you for driving our family”

In Sunday School that day each child received  5 cards and they were tasked with giving away their cards before next Sunday when in Sunday School they were to report on the acts of kindness they experienced - describe to whom and why they gave each card away.

What a powerful learning experience for both the children who had to look for acts of kindness directed at them and for the people who received the cards.

We want our children and grandchildren to be empathetic, to learn to see the world as other see and experience it.  This task is just such a learning opportunity.

The children were learning to recognize random acts of kindness in their lives, and in doing so will offer them in turn.

If you would like to do this activity with your (grand)children or would like to hand out cards as an activity of gratitude yourself we created a card that you can use, just click on the link at the top of this post.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls   

Heavy Horse Pulling

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Don't Miss Out On Your Life

We have had our Great Nephew Lucas visiting for the past few days.  Everything he does is intense.  

When he eats it is all about the food, how it feels in his mouth, how it tastes and yes how it feels.  

When he is watching you he is taking in all of you, memorizing your face, your voice.

When he plays he is undistractible.  

He is getting the most out of life!

We saw the same type of focused involvement watching our granddaughters play soccer.   

When we asked about the game they recited in detail their experience of the game.  

They knew what air tasted like, the condition of the grass under their feet and where their team members were at any time.  

They had been alive in that game.

How often driving home from work are you caught off guard by where you are in the trip?  

Or sitting in a meeting or waiting in a lobby do you come to the startling realization you cannot remember the past few minutes. 

You have missed out on part of your life!

Be mindful of the moments you are living and learn from the children around you to be present in everything you do.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

So that your words may give grace

Every person you meet,

Every person you speak to no matter how brief,

Every person who will ever read what your write

Is a child of God!

We are commissioned by God and

given the example of Christ’s sacrifice and love to

express ourselves through Love.

And all too often instead we

“roar by reason of the disquietness of [our] heart.”

Psalms 38:8 KJV

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every person truth with their neighbour: for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25

There is a child’s rhythm that goes 

“Sticks and stone my break my bones but words will never hurt me”

While bones and bruises will heal 

words spoken in anger meant to hurt cannot be taken back, 

and they never lose their power to hurt when remembered!

So let your words give grace.

Give God your voice for he has no other on earth.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Spending Time With Family

We are sorry there is no Foodie Friday post tonight 

it has been a very busy week and this weekend ...

Well family will come first.

Thank you for understanding and God Bless.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Harness Racing

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

A Poison Called Anger

I hate her!

She is always ruining my fun!

I wish she was not my sister!

Angry words from a very angry and emotionally distraught big sister, while her little sister the focus of her anger plays happily away with her kite.  

Anger in a ten year old is all about raw emotion as she is just learning to temper her anger with rational thought.  All we could do was stay with her and acknowledge what she was feeling and help her breath her way to the other side.  

Once there with just a little help she rationally looked at her situation and picked another spot to fly her kite.

How often have we become consumed with raw emotion, overcome with anger?

Has it ever resulted in a positive outcome while it remained raw?

Breathing through the initial emotional reaction is the only thing we can do and once we  have control our rational brain can take positive action, because

"Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die" ~ Buddha

Be mindful when children around you get angry to be present with them do not try to talk them away from the edge- to be rational, be there to ensure they land softly and do not take anyone else with them. 

And be mindful that in being angry you are only hurting yourself.

Grandma Snyder

©2013 – 2015 twosydergirls

Building Up The Body of Christ

“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” ~ Teresa of Avila

I was reminded of this quote by Teresa of Avila as I prepared for today’s Spiritual Sunday post and a morning pray that I used that is taken from this quote:

I give you my hands to do Your work;

I give You my feet to go Your way;

I give You my eyes to see as You see;

I give You my tongue to speak Your words;

I give You my mind that You may think in me;

I give You my spirit that You may pray in me.

I give You my heart that Your love can flow through me

I give You my whole self, in the service of the Body of Christ.

Amen.

I am, you are, our children, grandchildren and the homeless woman downtown are the body of Christ alive today in the world. 

The determining factors in being active in the body of Christ is do we choose to follow and as importantly do we see Christ in others caring for us. 

It is a two way street!

Know that we are offering ourselves to a servant King and like the Israelite's of old Christ “… will rain down bread from heaven for you. [We] are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way [Christ] will test [us] and see whether [we] will follow [his] instructions. adapted from Exodus 16:4

Each day we will be equipped to be that part of the body of Christ that the world around us needs that day. 

This means that the Chief of police may need to clean toilets and the homeless woman may be your teacher.

I experience God’s unconditional love for me in my grandchildren who offer me forgiveness without a second thought and Christ as a friend in the stranger sitting beside me at a wedding.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls 

Rhubarb crunch

I have fond memories as a child grabbing mother’s sugar bowl and running out to the rhubarb patch where we would break off the large leaves (poisonous) and the curved white bit at the bottom, licking the end of the rhubarb stick (more sugar that way) and dipping it in the sugar bowl.  With each bite we would dip again.  

Now I am not endorsing letting your (grand)children eat that much sugar, we could go through an entire cup of sugar in our day. 

I still do like rhubarb and here is one of Grandma’s recipes remade to be gluten free.

Rhubarb Crunch

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten-free flour
• ¾ cup gluten-free oatmeal
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 cups diced rhubarb
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Combined the first five ingredients in a bowl until you have crumbs
2. Press half of the crumbs in a greased 9 inch baking pan
3. Add diced rhubarb
4. In a saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla and cook until thick and clear
5. Pour over rhubarb
6. Top with remaining crumbs
7. Bake at 350°F for one hour
8. Cut into squares and serve

From our table to yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

10 Things to Tell Your (Grand)children in July

In North America the month of July is when both Canada and the United States celebrate the founding of their countries.  July 1st is Canada day and July 4th Independence Day.  So take the opportunity to talk to our children and grandchildren about what it means to be a citizen.

Countries like people change and evolve so the country that you grew up in will be different than today.

1)Remember back to some of your earliest memories of your country and share these with your children.  

It was a family vacation where we drove from our home in Ontario to British Columbia and it was the vastness of the prairies that I remember and from that point on I measured Canada not in miles but in the number of sleeps it took to cross this amazing country.

2) If you were not born in the country  you now hold citizenship in talk with your children about what it was like to move to this new country what had you or your family expected and what did they find?

3) What makes your proud to be a citizen?

 I am proud of the peace keeping the Canada does around the world.  I'm proud that Canada encourages diversity and makes space for the cultural and religion backgrounds  of it's citizens.

4) How would you like to see your country change?  What are some areas of growth, talk to children about this and how together might get involved in changing the politics and social million of the country you live in.

5) If you exercise your right to vote remember back to the first time  tell your to children about what that felt like.  And if you do not exercise this right tell them your reason for withdrawing and the impact you think this has.

6) Have you ever participated either as a child or now as an adult in your local government?   Attended town hall meetings, supported the election of your preferred candidate as a two examples.  Share these memories.

7) Have you ever been so upset with your government or the politics of the day that you protested or wrote letters to the government?  If you have talk to children about that what it felt like, did make a difference, would you do the same thing now?

8) Canada and the USA is built upon the freedom for its citizens and that freedom came at a price.   If a member of your family or you have participate in military service or  in the Red Cross supporting the soldiers overseas talk to the children it is important that we remember.

9) Volunteerism is a vital part of how Canada and the USA provide services to its citizens.  Volunteering at food banks, Habitat for Humanity, in schools, hospitals, children's sporting groups and so many other ways.  How has volunteerism played out in your family?  Do you or other members of your family volunteer?  Share this with your children and think about ways you can volunteer with them, creating new memories.

10) As a child how was July 1 or July 4 celebrated?  Was it a big event with fireworks and picnics or a small family gathering?  Share these memories.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015twosnydergirls

Chair in winter

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Imagine

Petroglyphs 

The greatest gift we can give our children and ourselves is time and space to imagine, for everything that was created by human beings was first imagined and then created.

It is appalling that the public school system is doing away with art, music, and creative poetry in favour of curriculums designed to accommodate standardized testing.

Where will the creators and problem solvers of the next generation come from?

As parent and grandparents we need to create space for imagination for both our children and ourselves.

When was the last time you sat in a lawn chair or laid on the grass and looked up at the sky being mindful of the clouds and imagined?

Be mindful of creating space in each day to allow your imagine to create.

Play imagination games with your (grand)children.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

They Filled Twelve Baskets

Is our God no longer able to do these awesome miracles in 2015?

Or

In the presence of our science driven society we no longer call them miracles?

Or

Do we ask, except too little of our God and when God provides for us we attribute it to something or someone else?

I had the pleasure of listening to an Africa Mennonite talk about the miracles happening in his small developing church.

These were Old Testament fall on your face in fear and joy miracles.  Water to wine, loaves and fishes miracles, stuff!

You could tell that he had had a close encounter of the Spiritual kind.

He had been in the presence of God!

And what did the group of North American men and women do with this knowledge?  We offered polite applause at the end of his sermon and asked questions about, the politics of the area, access to clean water, health care and education.

No one and I am included in that group jumped up and said praise God brother tell me more about the miracles and God’s presence.

Children understand the miraculous and can still see it in the world around them.

When did we become willfully blind to God’s miracles? 

How is it we are more comfortable with a scientific answer or worse saying today's miracles are found in our science?

We are rich in all things compared to most of the rest of the world and so our faith has to pass through the eye of the needle.

Our God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Let’s look to our children and grandchildren and seek to see the miracles of our Lord through their eyes for I know they are there if I will only look with eyes willing to see.

Grandma Snyder 

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Asparagus Quiche

Ingredient:

• 3 shallots diced
• 1 cup diced sweet peppers
• 2 cups bite size pieces of asparagus
• 2 tablespoons Coconut oil
• Pie shell (we used a purchased gluten free pie shell)
• ¾ cup your favourite cheese

Directions:

1. Sauté the shallots, peppers and asparagus in a frying pan for about 4 minutes and let cool
2. In a bowl beat 2 eggs
3. Add 1/2 cup milk (we used almond milk), 1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric and 1 teaspoon nutmeg
4. Spread evenly into your pie shell the cooled sautéed the vegetables
5. Pour your milk and egg mixture over this
6. Bake at 450°F until knife comes out clean

From our table to yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Bald Eagle Nesting in Captivity

On Wednesday normally there are no words and it is important to know that this majestic bird and her mate are  rescued birds unable to fly but a few feet.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Anchor yourself in breath

Slow down and take 10 deep breaths

This is a common re-frame that you hear people  tell someone who is about to lose their temper.  And all of us would benefit from stopping and taking 10 deliberate deep breaths a day. 

Through attention to our breath we become aware the life sustaining presence of air entering and leaving our bodies and we create a brief timeout from our busy lives.

We can anchor ourselves back into our bodies. 

This week stop in the middle of your day, close your eyes and take 10 deep anchoring breaths.  

Calm your mind, become aware of your body, your feelings and then open your eyes and become aware of what is around you.

Do this exercise with your (grand)children you will be amazed what happens.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

For He Is Our Peace

In reading the lectionary scriptures for this week there were two that stood out and brought new insight.

 “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” Psalm 23: 3

The honor is not for me.

No promotion, no financial gain, no prestige, no honours at all are for me they are for God.  

The fact that Christians experience these blessing would mean that in all we have we  acknowledge God’s sovereignty over them.  How and what we do as a result of promotions at work, the money we earn/win/inherit, and our power both positional and personal would be at God’s direction, God’s leading through the Holy Spirit and in keeping with the direction Christ.

 "for he is our peace, who did make both one, and the middle wall of the enclosure did break down. Ephesians 2:14

This verse has been preached and does refer to the political and cultural wall between Jew and Gentile.  It can equally apply to the division in the lives of Christians who have a religious life and then live a secular life.

Paul and I went into volunteer service MCC  through our Mennonite Church we lived and worked service.  We were paid nothing for our time, and we lived with those we were serving.  For those two years we accumulated nothing for ourselves, we brought our clothing and put the rest (secular) of our lives into storage.  It was amazing, there was such freedom and we worked very hard.  It is a time in our life that we often long for and yet now we struggle to give up, pensions, health care, vacations, and the list goes on.

God is our peace in all things when “the middle wall” between our religious lives and our secular lives “of the enclosure [is broken] down” and all that we are and have is done on “the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”  

This is the experience of Haven On Earth

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls