I will fulfil my promise

Our world appears to have gone crazy, war, terrorism, domestic violence, violence against children, governments being OK with homelessness/starving  children, and populations on mass leaving the home that they love to flee to a place where they are not really wanted.

And here comfortable in North America we have finished our Thanksgiving celebrations and are moving on to Christmas.  Black Friday saw shoppers fighting with other shoppers over 'things', things that we do not need but we really want!

Yes a world gone crazy and where do Christian's sit in this mess?

The lectionary readings this week speak directly to the current situation.  We are to hold tight to our faith, to the knowledge that it is through God's preparation not any of our own that at the end of this path we will arrive home, our eternal home.  That God walks every step of this human life with us, encouraging and providing for our spiritual health, so we do not turn away or fall faint.

"I will fulfill my promise" Jeremiah 33:14

God's promise to us is this, an eternal home free of sin, hate and pain and the knowledge that God is always present now, showing us love, providing spiritual support and guidance if we just have an open spirit and eyes to see.

Where are Christian's in this world gone crazy? 

We walk the same human path as everyone else, we suffer as everyone suffers and we do it with faith.  Faith in the promise of our God and we live as our Lord Jesus Christ did offering not judgement and reproach but love.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Lectionary readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16, Psalm 25:1-10, Luke 21:25-26, Thessalonians 3: 9-13

Wooden Snowmen Christmas Craft

The idea for this activity with our grandchildren came about this summer when our son built a fence around their backyard.  We had gone over to help them pick up the wood left over from the project and here we found various lengths of wooden posts.  Rather than see them go to the dump we gathered them up and stacked them in the garage.

Once again we would love to credit the original creator of this idea however the net and Pinterest are full of version of this idea and so we add ours to the growing list.

Our snowmen cost exactly $2.00 each to create.  We purchase Christmas socks at the dollar store and one can of varnish.

What you will need:

• White paint
• Something orange for the noise we used scrap doweling that Grandpa
• Dark or Black button of various sizes.  For this we went to Grandma’s button box.
• Green and red scrape of fabric.  These came from Grandma’s fabric stash
• 1 colourful scarf per snowperson
• Hot glue
• drilled and glued into the wood
• Varnish

Directions:

1. Paint the wood white
2. Varnish
3. Glue on the noise (orange), and the buttons for eyes, mouth and buttons
4. Tie and glue on the scarf
5. Place sock on the top and you are done

Ruth and Emily gave a set of snowmen to each of the Grandparent’s and Great Grandmother.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Ginger Chicken Soup

With the arrival of cold weather and snow our thoughts turned to chicken/turkey soup.  So this week as our American friends celebrate Thanksgiving I hope they have kept the bones and some leftover meat because this is a wonderful soup.

Ingredients:

Broth

• Bones and leftover meat of one chicken
• 10 cloves of garlic
• Five large onions
• Seven celery stocks
• 2 teaspoon salt
• Three bay leaves
• Water to cover

Soup

• 6 cups of broth
• 2 cups cooked chicken
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 3 teaspoons grated ginger (add more if you enjoy the flavour)
• 2 carrots finely julienned
• 1 teaspoon cumin

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot simmer all of the broth ingredients for three hours (freeze any left over chicken broth to use later)
2. Strain broth through cheese cloth and discard everything in the cheese cloth
3. Place all the soup ingredients in a medium soup pot holding back 1/2 cup of julienned carrots as garnish
4. Bring to a simmer and cook just long enough to cook the peas
5. Plate the soup and garnish with carrots in the centre

From Our Table To Yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Lighthouse In Winter

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Practice Mindful Kindness This Holiday Season

Social media is full of advice on how to make it through the coming holidays, specifically how to deal with family/how to not feel guilty about avoiding family. 

Family relationships are the most complex relationships we will ever have to negotiate, because at the core these relationship reflect on us or to us images we reject or are painful– they are fundamentally about us.

 

Just as self-forgiveness/self-love is difficult so are the relationship of our childhoods.

This holiday season rather than avoiding, ignoring, bracing yourself for the fight, approach family gatherings with an attitude of kindness.  

These are not people you have to live with nor do you see them daily.  

You gather with them at this time of year solely because they are family.

All too soon they may be gone, they will beyond your reach.  

Be kind this holiday season to yourself and your family.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Your temple will always be beautiful

Words of reassurance and hope that no matter what has happened or will happen, our eternal home remains beautiful , undefiled by sin waiting for our homecoming through the love of Jesus Christ.

Thus those who seek to bring fear into our world they will not have my fear they have my love.

Amen.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Revised Common Lectionary for this week Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, Psalm 93, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37

Spinach and Quinoa Salad

We have attended our first family Christmas dinner and this event is a planned pot luck and we had been tasked with brings a salad.  Wanting a salad that contained protein (an alternative to turkey) we knew that quinoa would be one of the ingredients used.  Recently we enjoyed a spinach and lentil salad at a friends home so we set out to replicate the salad using quinoa instead of lentils.  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 teaspoon Thyme
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 4 shallots finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 4 cups spinach
• ¼ cup shredded parsley
• Dressing
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove pressed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• finely grated peel of one lemon.

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa and cool in refrigerator
2. Sautee the shallots and celery in coconut oil until shallots until tender
3. Add cumin and thyme to frying pan and combined with the celery and shallots
4. Set this mixture in the refrigerator to cool.
5. Chopped parsley
6. Clean spinach
7. Make dressing and set this aside.
8. Combined all ingredients except the dressing in a large bowl and toss until evenly mixed.
9. Add dressing and toss again.
10. Serve immediately

From Our Table to Yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

10 Things To Tell Your (Grand) Children in November

The boundaries of any family are fluid, ever changing with different stories to tell, yet all families will have stories that encompass either loss or victory with cancer.

In November we recognize and make time to remember /fund raise for numerous types of cancer. 

Loss is part of the human experience and too often we underestimate children's ability to process death so we protect them from it and in doing so leave them with unanswered question and emotional painful that is every bite as real as our own.

We each have lost family, significant friends or community members to cancer where the loss profoundly affected the family system.  Telling these stories to our (grand) children builds resilience in them in.  It gives them a starting point, a historical reference of resilience from which to begin the process of resolving their own grief.

Start this conversation with hope

1) Provide your (grand)children a story of hope, a story of recovery from cancer.

2) If you or your partner have had or have cancer in age appropriate terms tell this story and if you are speaking with children over 12 talk about your fears and your hopes.

3) Point out how cancer affected you and the family for example: loss of relationship, employment, driving a loved one for cancer treatment.

As a children we always had our birthday parties at the home of two wonderful great aunts.   Aunt Adela made the most amazing Barbie doll cakes and I looked forward to both the new Barbie doll and cake that was always made from scratch.   Aunt Adela died of cancer and as a young child I was kept away, protected from this event the result being she just disappeared from my life.  This remains an empty hole in my life’s story and almost 50 years later every time I see a Barbie doll cake I think of her and questions charge up to the surface of my consciousness about last days her, her death.

4) Describe how your family has responded/changed as a result of cancer for example: change in life style or diet, remarriage after the death of a partner, stopping smoking etc.

5) Discuss how your family fund-raises or supports cancer research and/or cancer patients today.  Remember that doing nothing is a choice and should be discussed as well.

Use this opportunity to join with your (grand)children in getting involved in an event in support of cancer, building in them a sense of community support.

In November we also stop for a minutes silence on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11 am, remembering and honouring those men and women who have and are fighting in wars around the world.

War is unfortunately a part of our reality.  We all have family stories about war.    These stories are often difficult to tell and once again out of a misguided attempt to protect children not told. 

As a Mennonite in my childhood I heard stories of how father’s, uncles, older brothers were sent to take the place of men at war in key industries.  As a Russian Mennonite child I heard stories of my great grandmother’s struggle to bring her children including my grandfather to Canadian religious refugees.

These are stories that require we take time to plan and practice the telling.  Ensuring that at the end of the story we leave our children feeling safe, and able to move forward with their lives.

6) Starting with WWI talk about anyone in your family that went to war as either a combatant, or as part the large infrastructure the traveled with the war.  Take out pictures explain where these people fit into your family system and their war story.

7) Describe the impact on your family’s home and daily life  during that time.

In my grandfather’s home the blackout curtains still hung on the windows and he would talk about that time, young men leaving and never coming home again of the telegrams that needed to be delivered.

We would sit in awed silence at a girlfriends home has her mother talked about sweeping the barn floor for the last of grain to make gruel out of in Holland and the sound of thunder as soldiers march across the wooden bridge by their home.   

And an employer of mine talking about being a child in a prisoner of war camp and how she and her sister survived because they learned to eat bugs for protein.

8) We will be retelling stories that have been told to us, describe who told you, how old you were and what your reaction was.

9) Apply the same questions to all subsequent wars.

10) Discuss with your (grand)children how your family remembers, commemorates those who have been injured physically, psychologically, mentally and who gave the ultimate sacrifice their lives.  Again if this is something your family does not do talk about this as well.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Monarch Butterfly

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Be Present This Holiday Season

The consumer engine is all steamed up and ready to pull out of the station with all of us aboard, on what is euphemistically known as the 
"Holidays"

If your Christmas planning is anything like ours, there is very little about it that resembles a holiday.  The reality is that so much time is spent planning, deciding what would be that perfect gift, who to invite, what to wear, which party to go to and so on.  That by the time New Year's Day gets here we have a hard time remembering what we did and more importantly how we really felt at the time.

As you enter the 2015 Holiday season, be mindful of how much time is spent in looking forward/ how much time you are trading away for the present now that you are living.

Don't plan, shop and cook away the 2015 Christmas season, unless in doing so you can stay present with yourself and those around you!

Be alive and present this Christmas season.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Like The Stars

 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.  Hebrews 10:24

From Christian pulpits all around the world today, prayers were once again offered up for those who have been touched by terrorism.  Followed by prayers for protection from evil and the freedom to live in peace and love.

While we live here on earth we are vulnerable to all of the evil humans are prepared to visit upon each other, in equal measure to none Christians.  

The lectionary scriptures this week build upon the foundation that through Christ's sacrifice all other sacrifices for our evil ways have become unnecessary - no sacrilegious, for only through Christ's sacrifice will Christians sin be "remember no more.  And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary." Hebrew 10:17-18.

The scriptures then awaken in us the need to help each other in times of evil to not loose hope continuing to interact with each other and all of God's creation through love and good deeds.

Revenge, payback, vengeance, spite, reprisal, etc., are not be how we respond, yet we are human and fear, vulnerability, and grief drive us emotionally in just that direction.  As individuals we lash out against a faceless evil, and knowing this our Father in heaven demands that in just such times as these that we gather together with other Christians "spurring one another on toward love and good deeds."  That is continuing to respond in love we become as star in the night sky, shining through the darkness.

How are you and your Christian community spurring each other on to good deeds in light of the terrorism that is infecting our world?

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls 

Lectionary Scriptures Daniel 12:1-3 Psalm 16 Hebrews 10:11-14, (15-18), 19-25 Mark 13:1-8

Beet and Sauerkraut Cold Salad

Christmas is almost upon us, looking for a delicious bright red salad this will fit the bill.

This is a hardy vegetable salad that is best made the day before allowing the many flavours to blend together. 

Ingredients:

• 2 medium beets cooked and cubed
• 2 medium potatoes cooked and cubed
• 2 medium carrots cooked and cubed
• 1 cup drained sauerkraut
• 4 celery stalks cubed
• 3 shallots cut into thin slices which are pulled apart
• 2 tablespoons sweet relish
• 1 tablespoon horseradish
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the carrots, beets, and potatoes.  The vegetables can be cooked together and we like this salad with the vegetables being slightly firm or under cooked.
2. Cut cooked vegetables into 1/4 inch cubes and cool in refrigerator. 
3. Set the sauerkraut to drain.
4. Clean and cut the celery into 1/4 inch cubes.
5. Slice the shallots
6. In a separate dish mix together the sweet relish, horseradish and oil creating the dressing
7. In a large bowl mix together all the vegetables
8. Add the dress and mix until all the vegetables are coated.
9. Refrigerate overnight
10. Salt and pepper to taste
11. Serve

 This recipes serves 8

From Our Table to Yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013 - 2015 twosnydergirls

Crocheting the September Sky

September 2015

Fall, Leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;

Lengthen night and shorten day;

Every leaf speaks bliss to me

Fluttering from the autumn tree.

I shall smile when wreaths of snow

Blossom where the rose should grow;

I shall sing when night's decay

Ushers in a drearier day.

Emily Bronte

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Veterans and Remembrance Day

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Lest We Forget

Today we stop for a moment  and pause our busy lives to remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

As you pause think about the freedoms the define your everyday life, 

that are taken for granted on most day but not today.

Today we remember. 

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Be Mindful of Yourself

Airlines understand this as do first responders, you must look after yourself before you can attend to those who are dependent on you and so did Grandma.  

She always served herself at the table first and when asked why she said "because I will be the person who leaves the table first to look after you and your Grandfather" – she was right and knowing this she made sure she had time to eat.

This weekend was very busy and I lost track of me as I played with grandchildren, invited mother over for a meal and prepared for Paul’s family Christmas dinner.  I enjoyed doing all of these activities yet by 7:00 pm on Sunday I was unsettled, resentful and tried.

It came to me as I lay in a hot bath I had spent the weekend being mindful of everything except me and this is what I resented.  No one had done it to me I just forgot about me.

As we approach one of the most demanding times of the year it will be important to be mindful of yourself.  Create space each day for a quiet cup of tea, 30 minutes to pray or medicate, take a bath, write in a journal, take a walk etc.  

Listen to your body and mind to decide what time of day you need to take time for yourself.  Be selfish about this because it will mean you have more energy to be mindful of those around you.

I have a childhood memory of a kitchen full of cousins everyone covered in flour as we made Christmas cookies with our Grandmother.  All of a sudden we noticed that she was sitting in her favourite chair with her apron pull up over her face.  Silence settled on us as we tried to take in this strange event, in a little while Grandma pulled her apron away from her face, got up and said "now for jam jams" with all the energy of a younger woman.

We asked her what had just happened and nonchalantly she said "Oh God and I were just talking".  Years later I would learn that this was how she took her time how she learned to be mindful of herself.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Two Small Coins

Every day I see examples of the poor giving all that they have in the moment to others who in their eyes need it more.  

The homeless teenager who walking out of Tim Horton's with his coffee is approached by an old woman who from her clothing is also homeless,  “change to spare she tentatively asks, Yep replies the teenager and passes what is left of his money to her and walks away”. 

This boy not yet a man has no idea where his lunch will come from and in that moment a hot coffee in his hand and his breakfast donut already digesting he identified in this woman a need he could fill and so he gave her the last of his money.

Later that day leaving the conference that brought me to Toronto I saw the teenager with a coffee jar in front of him begging for supper money.  

I asked him if he regretted giving the old woman the money earlier in the day, “what, hell no she needed it more” and now you are in need I offer because of that gesture.

“No you got it wrong lady, because I helped her I know someone will help me, just works that way, you know like some other homeless person will have extra, like Mike last week he shares that’s how the world works.”

That is how the Christian world is meant to work and yet in that moment I knew I only gave from my wealth always holding back enough to ensure I protect

myself against the day I might not have enough money.

Psalms 146 yet again reminds us who Christ became a serve

7 Who executeth justice for the oppressed; Who giveth food to the hungry. Jehovah looseth the prisoners; 8 Jehovah openeth the eyes of the blind; Jehovah raiseth up them that are bowed down; Jehovah loveth the righteous; 9 Jehovah preserveth the sojourners; He upholdeth the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

And after reading this weeks scriptures once again I see the 'eye of the needle' that I have to pass through and like the wealthy man of the Bible I turn ashamed because I have much and I am afraid to give it away and trust God to provide. 

Yes we attend church faithfully and we give of our wealth each week in the offering plate yet we holding back large portions of our wealth and we ensure we get a tax receipt.  

And we with money in our pockets we walk past the homeless and hungry, ensuring we do not make eye contact least they make demands upon us.

We do not give like the widow or teenage boy!

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2014 twosnydergirls

Readings this week 1 Kings 17:8-16 Psalm 146 Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:38-44

Minecraft Everyone Can Play

It has been a very busy day in the Snyder home with all of our grandchildren finding their way to Grandma and Grandpa’s house.  Our grandchildren range in age from 20 and 7 and despite this they played together for hours, laughing, building, and learning from each other.

All it took was two iPads, a computer and Minecraft.  

With that laughter  has filled our home for the past two hours as they build, destroy and build again. 

Grandpa and I were both reminded of winter nights when Lego covering the floors as their parents then children with as similar age span spent hours creating together. 

With restricted mobility Minecraft provides the perfect platform for James to play as an equal with the girls and to teach them new techniques.

We are grateful for the internet and internet based games, as it equalizes the playing field for people with physical challenges and for this Grandma it has provided a wonderful Saturday afternoon and a house filled with laughter.

It is important that Grandparents learn to play with their grandchildren on the internet so that we can stay connected and remain a influencing agent in their live. 

When the weather outside is frightful, playing with them on the internet is better than watching TV together in our opinion anyway.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls  

German Baked Beans

We have never been able to find out why this wonderful family dish is called German Baked Beans the addition of ground meat, applesauce and horseradish does sets it apart from traditional molasses baked beans.

At the foundation of this recipe is molasses baked beans, and ground meat.  We have used ground turkey and beef or pork work just as well.

This is a wonderful dish for cold fall evenings.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground meat
• 5 cups of molasses baked beans
• 1/2 a medium onion chopped
• 3 Tablespoon mustard
• 2 Tablespoon horseradish
• 1 cup apple sauce or 1/2 cup apple butter

Directions:

1. Place all of the ingredients into oven proof container or slow cooker and mix well.
2. Bake in the oven at 400 for 1 1/2 hours or until the liquid has reduced or in a slow cooker put on medium heat until the meat is thoroughly cooked.  In the slow cooker depending on the fat content of your meat you may need to cook off excess liquid.

Alternatively 

1. In a frying pan combine the meat and onions and cook until meat is done.
2. Drain off all excess fat
3. Combined all the ingredients in either the slow cooker or oven proof container and cook reducing the time by 1/2

From Our Table to Yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Famous Sanctuaries of Santa Fe New Mexico

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015twosnydergirls